Portugal severe weather warning and storm depression Charles, Digi Mart USA News (Portugal): Weather conditions in Portugal are expected to deteriorate considerably in the coming hours, with the situation likely to persist for several days. Shortly before much of the country was placed under an orange warning, the government issued a note on Monday describing what to expect.
The government’s note cited “occasionally heavy precipitation with the possibility of thunderstorms” and “strong wind.” Depression Charles is expected to bring gusts that could reach 120 kilometers per hour.
According to the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), the weather is forecast to worsen significantly in mainland Portugal in the coming days. The government’s most serious advice urges people to avoid leaving home unless absolutely necessary.
“Only leave home if absolutely necessary, especially during peaks of rain and wind. If you have to drive, do so with maximum caution,” the note said.
It also recommends keeping flashlights, an alternative light source and power banks nearby so phones can be charged without a wall outlet.
The situation will be particularly difficult in the districts of Évora, Faro, Setúbal, Santarém, Lisbon, Leiria, Beja and Castelo Branco, which will be under an orange weather warning between Tuesday and Wednesday due to stronger wind and rain, IPMA announced.
IPMA issued an orange warning, the second most serious level in a three-level system, for the districts of Évora, Santarém and Castelo Branco from 00:00 to 09:00 on Tuesday due to persistent, occasionally heavy rain. Southwest winds with gusts of 100 to 120 kilometers per hour led IPMA to issue an orange warning for the districts of Faro, Setúbal, Santarém, Lisbon, Leiria and Beja until 21:00 on Wednesday.
Yellow warnings, the least serious level, remain in place for thunderstorms in Viseu, Porto, Guarda, Vila Real, Setúbal, Santarém, Viana do Castelo, Lisbon, Leiria, Castelo Branco, Aveiro, Coimbra and Braga until 15:00 on Tuesday. The districts of Porto, Faro, Setúbal, Viana do Castelo, Lisbon, Leiria, Beja, Aveiro, Coimbra and Braga are also under a yellow warning for rough sea conditions until 06:00 on Wednesday.
Weather conditions are also expected to worsen in Madeira and mainland Portugal in the coming days as the new depression Charles passes through. According to IPMA, the Madeira archipelago will experience worsening conditions between the end of Tuesday, the 10th, and the morning of the 11th, with persistent and sometimes heavy rain that could accumulate more than 100 mm in 12 hours in some locations, especially in mountainous regions.
Wind is also expected to intensify, with gusts of 80 to 100 kilometers per hour, possibly reaching around 130 km/h in highland areas, and sea conditions are expected to worsen, with southwest swells of 3.5 to 4.5 meters on the south coast of Madeira island.
Depression Charles is then expected to move toward mainland Portugal, with “high uncertainty in its trajectory and intensity.” Conditions are expected to deteriorate from the late morning of Wednesday, although the most affected regions still depend on the depression’s path.
“Due to this situation, orange-level weather warnings will be issued, and a worsening in some regions cannot be ruled out after the next updates of the numerical weather forecast models, so monitoring is advised,” IPMA emphasized.
Based on currently available data, IPMA said the depression’s center is most likely to pass somewhere between Sines (Setúbal district) and Cabo Carvoeiro (Peniche municipality, Leiria district), with wind initially blowing from the south and then turning to the north. On the southern edge of the depression, gusts will be around 100 to 120 km/h and could be locally higher.
Precipitation will be occasionally heavy across most of the territory, and southwest swells between four and six meters are also forecast south of Cabo Carvoeiro from Wednesday afternoon.
The Azores archipelago will not be influenced by depression Charles. Weather in mainland Portugal is also being shaped by depression Bruna, centered north of the Azores, with successive frontal swells expected at least until Friday, the 13th.
Depression Bruna will remain nearly stationary northwest of the Iberian Peninsula until that day and is independent of depression Charles.
