Mainland territory protected by Azores anticyclone
With international media concentrated on Charon, the ‘deadly heatwave’ that is seeing tourists collapse in the streets in parts of southern Europe and hospitals reportedly ‘overrun’, life in Portugal continues pretty much as it always has done during the hottest months of the year. It’s hot – but nothing people can’t handle.
“Portugal has been spared the heatwave affecting Europe in recent weeks and there is no forecast of an increase in temperatures for the coming days”, say reports. The explanation being “the protection guaranteed by the Azores anticyclone”.
Right now, the anticyclone is described as “extended in a crest towards the Bay of Biscay” which “works as a protective shield against the warm air mass coming from North Africa” and causing unusually high temperatures in Mediterranean countries.
Meteorologists have also stressed the role that the sea plays in controlling temperatures – and this too has helped keep Portugal ‘cooler’ than its sweltering neighbours, as the country is (almost) never too far away from the sea.
While media reports elsewhere appear to be outlining a slow roast to hell for holidaymaking humanity, IPMA meteorological institute actually forecasts temperatures in Portugal will be dropping slightly tomorrow, “especially in the interior”. For example, Castelo Branco, Évora and Beja – maximums for which today are around 36ºC – should see temperatures fall to around 32ºC on Thursday, while Lisbon should register around 26ºC, Porto 22ºC, ditto some areas of the Algarve while other more central areas and those closer to Spain will be in the low 30ºCs.
