In addition to the rain, the archipelago will be subject to strong winds, thunderstorms and rough seas, and the Madeira Civil Protection Service issued an alert to the population today with recommendations.

The orange alert for the south coast and mountainous regions of Madeira Island will be in effect between 00:00 and 09:00 on the first day of the year.

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA) also issued an orange alert for the mountainous regions of Madeira Island because of strong winds with gusts of up to 115 kilometres per hour (km/h).

The entire Madeira archipelago will be under a yellow warning between 6 PM on Wednesday and midnight on Thursday due to persistent heavy rain, and until 9 AM on Thursday due to strong winds.

A yellow warning has also been issued for the archipelago between midnight and noon on Thursday due to the forecast of frequent and scattered thunderstorms.

The IPMA (Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere) has also placed the south coast of Madeira Island under a yellow warning due to the forecast of strong sea swells, with southwest waves of 4 meters between midnight and 9 AM on Thursday.

The orange warning is issued by IPMA (Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere) whenever there is a "moderate to high risk weather situation," and the yellow warning when there is a risk situation for certain activities dependent on the weather.

The weather on the first day of the year will be affected by the Francis depression, which will cause heavy rain, wind, and strong waves in mainland Portugal and with greater intensity in Madeira, according to IPMA, which admits the possibility of raising the warning to red, the most severe level, due to the precipitation.

The worsening weather conditions led the Madeira Civil Protection Service to alert the population and recommend preventive measures.

In a statement, civil protection warns of the possibility of falling branches or trees, potentially affecting communication and energy infrastructure, slippery road surfaces, and the occurrence of urban flooding and coastal surges.

It also warns of the possibility of loose objects being swept onto roads, as well as the detachment of mobile or poorly secured structures, due to episodes of strong wind, which could cause accidents involving vehicles in circulation or with pedestrians on public roads.

Madeira's Civil Protection advises the population to adopt appropriate behaviours, ensure the unobstructed flow of rainwater drainage systems, secure loose structures such as scaffolding, billboards, and suspended structures, and avoid unnecessary travel.

It also advises the population not to circulate in areas with dilapidated buildings due to the risk of landslides, to exercise special care in mountainous areas, exposed slopes, and coastal areas, to adopt defensive driving, and to avoid crossing flooded areas.