Key facts
- Portugal's IPMA expects high temperatures next week, with inland areas potentially reaching 43C.
- IPMA has dismissed online forecasts predicting temperatures above 50C as alarmist.
- Official heatwave designation requires at least six consecutive days with temperatures 5C above the 30-year average.
- Yellow or orange warnings for high temperatures are likely across mainland Portugal.
- Meteorologists attribute exaggerated forecasts to misinterpretation of open-access forecasting models.
Portugal's national weather agency, the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), has addressed public concerns regarding upcoming high temperatures, urging against alarmism fueled by exaggerated online forecasts. While acknowledging that mainland Portugal will experience very hot weather next week, with temperatures potentially reaching 43 degrees Celsius in inland areas like Alentejo, IPMA meteorologists have dismissed predictions of temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius as unfounded.
IPMA meteorologist Paula Leitão explained that while yellow or orange warnings for high temperatures are likely to be issued across mainland Portugal, these can only be confirmed up to 72 hours in advance. The official designation of a "heatwave" requires at least six consecutive days where temperatures are at least five degrees above the 30-year average within a 15-day window. Leitão stated that current forecasts indicate a gradual temperature increase starting Saturday, with hot weather expected to persist for at least 10 days, though with a slight downward trend towards the end of that period.
Leitão attributed the spread of alarmist forecasts to the misinterpretation of open-access meteorological models, which lack the critical analysis filters available to national forecasting centers. She emphasized that temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius or more have never been recorded on the Iberian Peninsula, and current predictions are far from the recorded mainland Portugal maximums of 46-47 degrees Celsius.
IPMA advises the public to take necessary precautions, such as staying hydrated, avoiding strenuous activity during the hottest parts of the day, and paying special attention to vulnerable groups like children and the elderly. The agency stressed the importance of relying on official forecasts rather than unverified information circulating online.