Mainland Portugal recorded 598 incidents due to bad weather between 00:00 and 19:00 today, with two extreme wind phenomena being recorded, in the Tagus basin and Silves (Faro).
In a report to the Lusa agency at 7:40 pm, Pedro Araújo, operations officer at the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), said that the Greater Lisbon area was the most affected and that among the main events due to bad weather were tree falls (263 occurrences), floods (137), structure falls (110) and road cleaning (60).
The occurrences mainly occurred on the North and Central coast, with the most affected sub-regions being Greater Lisbon (197) and Algarve (47), which at the end of the day was being affected by greater precipitation and strong winds, and also Lezíria do Tejo (40).
2,362 operations were committed to the field, with the support of 838 vehicles, he added.
According to Pedro Araújo, mainland Portugal recorded two extreme wind phenomena today, the first of these, in the Tagus basin, affecting the municipalities of Montijo (Setúbal), Moita (Setúbal) and generating precipitation on the north bank of the Tagus, in the area of Lisbon, being responsible for around 200 occurrences.
This phenomenon is being analyzed by the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) as it could technically constitute a tornado, highlighted the ANEPC commander.
Meteorologist Alessandro Marraccini had told Lusa that “at around 2 pm, a convective cell that was part of the frontal system that crossed the Portuguese coast during the afternoon, showed quite vigorous activity and crossed the southern region of Lisbon”, adding that IPMA immediately began receiving reports of the meteorological phenomenon.
At the end of the day, at 6:20 pm, the municipality of Silves, district of Faro, was affected by another extreme wind phenomenon, which caused “large trees to fall, vehicles affected and the roofs of houses affected”, revealed Pedro Araújo .
“Damage surveys are being carried out by fire departments”, added the ANEPC commander, remembering the classification of this phenomenon from a technical point of view is up to IPMA, as meteorological authority.
Until now, Civil Protection had no record of any victims associated with these phenomena.
Storm Nelson is affecting the weather in mainland Portugal, where until Easter Sunday, “precipitation will be a constant, occurring with more intensity until the end of today”, according to the most recent statement from IPMA.
“This precipitation may be accompanied by thunderstorms and hail, with greater probability on the 29th and 30th. Snowfall is expected in the mountains of the North region and in Serra da Estrela, especially in the highest points of this elevation”, he warned.
The wind will be moderate from the west, sometimes blowing strong and gusty until late afternoon today, with gusts of up to 85 km/h, reaching 100 km/h in the Gerês and Estrela mountains. On the following days, the 29th and 30th, the wind is expected to decrease in intensity, intensifying again on the 31st, with gusts of up to 65 km/h, reaching 75 km/h in the highlands, this institute further detailed.
“The temperature values should not have significant variations until the 31st. Therefore, the minimum temperature values will vary, in general, between 6 and 10°C, being between -1 and 6°C in the interior North and Center . The maximum temperature will fluctuate between 09 and 16°C and be below 10°C in some places in the interior of the Center”, he added.
The IPMA predicts strong sea agitation on the west coast until the 30th, with the most critical period being until the early hours of the 29th, where waves from the northwest between 5 and 7 meters in height are expected, reaching a maximum height of 12 meters.
