Paula Leitão, meteorologist at the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA), told Lusa: “It will be a week in which we will have some persistent rain, but [it is still] a situation that has a very high degree of uncertainty regarding the period in which there will be more rain”.

According to Paula Leitão, some frontal systems are approaching, which, as they approach the Iberian Peninsula, may be blocked by the anticyclone that is over the continent.

“The frontal systems are beginning to dissipate, with some managing to move over mainland Portugal and others over the sea. The timing of further precipitation still depends on the interplay of forces with the anticyclone and its ability to block these frontal systems,” she explained.

According to the IPMA meteorologist, it should rain almost every day of the week, but with uncertain intensity.

“It already rained overnight, and the trend is for some light rain to continue throughout the day, but more so in the north and centre. Tomorrow [Tuesday] in the late afternoon, it will be more persistent and sometimes heavy in the Minho region, a situation that led to the issuance of a yellow warning,” she said.

According to Paula Leitão, rough seas are expected, the wind will intensify from Tuesday onwards, reaching 80 kilometres per hour in the higher areas, and temperatures will not undergo significant changes.

Weather warnings

The Portuguese Institute for the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA) has issued a yellow warning for the districts of Porto, Viana do Castelo, Leiria, Aveiro, Coimbra, and Braga due to rough seas.

The yellow warning for these six districts will be in effect between 4:40 AM today and 3:00 PM on Wednesday.

The IPMA has also issued a yellow warning for rain, sometimes heavy and persistent, for the district of Porto (between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM on Wednesday) and Viana do Castelo and Braga (between 6:00 PM on Tuesday and 6:00 AM on Wednesday and between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM on Wednesday).

The Madeira archipelago will also be under a yellow warning for rain, sometimes heavy, with conditions favorable for thunderstorms, between midnight and noon on Wednesday.

The IPMA has also placed the western group of the Azores (Flores and Corvo) under a yellow warning due to expected wind, between noon and 9:00 PM today.