The continent’s maximum temperature will top 30 degrees Celsius from Friday to reach 37 degrees, about 5 to 8 degrees above the September average, according to IPMA.
According to meteorologist Angela Lourenço from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere, this general increase in temperature, accompanied by a decrease in relative humidity, will contribute to an increased risk of rural fires, especially in the interior regions of the Algarve (Angela Lourenço). IPMA).
Starting Friday, the continent’s weather will be affected by “an intense anticyclonic ridge located over Western Europe associated with the transfer of a mass of hot and dry air originating in North Africa.”
“This episode of hot weather on the Portuguese mainland will be felt mainly from the 29th to the 30th. [sexta-feira e sábado]. While maximum temperatures have been recorded above average, in some regions of the country they are approaching and exceeding 30 degrees,” he said.
However, Angela Lourenço stressed that from Friday and Saturday there will be a significant increase, as a result of which maximum temperatures, especially in the southern region and the Tagus Valley, could reach between 35 and 37 degrees.
“These values are above normal values for September. Although absolute temperature maximums comparable to episodes occurring during the hottest months are not expected, projected values correspond to anomalies of up to about 5 to 5 degrees. “8 degrees above the usual average for this time of year,” he emphasized.
Regarding minimum temperatures, Ángela Lourenço said they will register an increase, with some places, especially on the Algarve coast, likely to experience nights with values equal to or exceeding 20 degrees, which IPMA characterizes as tropical nights. region. .
“This hot weather is expected to continue until the beginning of the week, until the 3rd. From this point on, there is some uncertainty as to whether this persistence of high temperatures will continue or not. In any case, even if there is a decrease in temperature, the values will remain above average for this time of year,” he said.
According to Angela Lourenço, if the anticyclonic ridge influence scenario continues and the hot weather episode continues for more days, especially in the southern region, a heat wave may occur.