Severe Tornados Strike Portugal: Trees Uprooted and Boats Capsized!

Tornados Confirmed in Sardoal and Sesimbra

On Saturday, Portugal experienced two tornadoes in Sardoal and Sesimbra, just one day after similar extreme weather events in Beja and Campo Maior. These intense wind phenomena were captured in videos shared on social media, and fortunately, no injuries were reported, although some damage occurred.

The Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) confirmed the tornadoes, stating, "We have a depression centered west of continental Portugal, creating conditions of humidity and instability in the atmosphere that can lead to supercells and, occasionally, tornado-like phenomena. While we expect a decrease in severity tonight, such situations may still occur in the coming hours," explained Bruno Café, a meteorologist at IPMA.

In a recent announcement, the institute also confirmed that strong winds recorded last Friday in Beja and Campo Maior were indeed tornadoes. The IPMA detailed that two episodes of extremely strong winds were observed: one near Beja (Porto Peles) around 8:10 AM, and another in the vicinity of Campo Maior (Degolados) shortly after 1 PM. Based on available documentation and the nature of the damages, both events were classified as tornadoes. It is estimated that these tornadoes reached maximum instantaneous winds between 33 and 41 m/s, equating to 118 and 148 km/h (3-second average gust), as stated in the IPMA's report.