Portugal is heading for another spell of unusually warm weather, with temperatures expected to rise next week and exceed 30°C in some regions, according to forecasts.
The warmer conditions are expected to last for much of the week before temperatures gradually return to levels more typical of October.
Climatologist Mário Marques has warned that above-average temperatures are becoming an increasingly familiar feature of autumn in Portugal.
“It increasingly seems normal to have temperatures above average in October,” he told CNN Portugal.
The prospect of another warm spell also raises concerns about the lack of rainfall, with Marques warning that Portugal could experience an “extremely dry month” if significant rain fails to arrive.
Although October traditionally marks the transition towards cooler and wetter weather, prolonged periods of warmth can delay the seasonal change and contribute to increasingly dry conditions.
According to forecasts published by Meteored, temperatures could reach 31°C around Alcácer do Sal on Monday, October 12, while Évora and Beja could approach 29°C and Lisbon 28°C.
The warmest conditions may arrive between Tuesday and Thursday, with temperatures potentially reaching 32°C in parts of the Alentejo and Ribatejo, around eight degrees above typical October maximums in some locations. Coastal areas, particularly in northern and central Portugal, are expected to remain considerably cooler.
The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) is also forecasting exceptionally warm conditions between October 12 and 18, with a heatwave likely across much of mainland Portugal.
For now, the prospect of several more days of summer-like temperatures means autumn may remain on hold across much of Portugal.
Sources: CNN Portugal/Meteored/IPMA
Inês Lopes
Newspaper editor at The Portugal Resident