Orange Alert: 8 Portuguese Districts on High Alert as Severe Weather Hits with Heavy Rain and Strong Winds

Weather Warnings Issued Across Portugal

Eight districts in mainland Portugal are under an orange weather warning this Saturday due to severe weather conditions, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA). The institute forecasts a gradual improvement in weather conditions throughout the day.

Affected Regions and Warning Levels

The districts of Viseu, Guarda, Santarém, Lisboa, Leiria, Castelo Branco, Aveiro, and Coimbra are under orange warning due to persistent and sometimes heavy rain accompanied by strong winds.

Additionally, the districts of Bragança, Porto, Vila Real, Setúbal, and Portalegre are under yellow warning due to rainfall.

Weather Forecast Details

Forecasts indicate rainfall, sometimes heavy and persistent, particularly in the Central region, gradually decreasing in intensity and frequency from north to south. Wind conditions are expected to be more intense along the western coastal strip and in highland areas.

In the Northern region, the sky should be very cloudy, with clearings along the coast starting in the morning and inland from the afternoon.

IPMA also records a global drop in minimum temperatures.

Regional Breakdown

For the Central region: Very cloudy skies are expected, with clearings from late afternoon. Rain, sometimes heavy and persistent, will gradually decrease in intensity and frequency from the coast to the interior starting in the morning.

Wind conditions: Light to moderate wind (up to 30 km/h) from the west quadrant, sometimes strong (up to 40 km/h), with gusts up to 60 km/h along the coastal strip until early morning and in highlands until mid-afternoon, gradually turning to north/northwest.

For the Southern region: The forecast is for very cloudy or overcast skies, with clearings in the eastern Algarve and periods of rain, "which may sometimes be heavy," but generally "light and more likely from late afternoon in the Algarve," IPMA stated in a release.

In Greater Lisbon: The very cloudy sky will give way to clearings from late afternoon, and rain will decrease in intensity and frequency also from the afternoon.

In Greater Porto: A similar improvement is expected starting this morning.