Strong wind and waves alert up to 12 meters

The National Maritime Authority warned of a “considerable worsening” of weather conditions and sea waves from Friday, with strong winds and high waves.

In an alert released this Thursday, and according to the forecasts of the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA), the National Maritime Authority (AMN) and the Navy point to a worsening from 6 am on Friday and from 12 noon on Monday.

According to the alert, the sea wave will be characterized by a west/northwest swell that “can reach eight meters and a maximum height of 12with an average period varying between 10 and 18 seconds” and “winds with an average intensity of up to 85 kilometers (km) and gusts up to 120 km“, from the same quadrant.

In view of these forecasts, the National Maritime Authority and the Navy “reinforce the recommendation, especially to the fishing and recreational boating community that is at sea, for the possible return to the nearest safe port and the adoption of precautionary measures “.

It is recommended to reinforce the mooring and surveillance of moored and anchored vessels and it is also advised that seafarers maintain a permanent state of vigilance and monitor the evolution of the meteorological situation.

For the general population, the Maritime Authority advises against walking along the coastline and on the beaches, as well as the practice of activities in areas exposed to sea waves or hit by the surf.

In particular, access and permanence near the cliffs and cliff areas should be avoided, and it is essential to adopt a preventive posture, not exposing yourself to risk unnecessarily.

The IPMA also issued a Orange warning for seven districts from the mainland between Friday and Saturday due to strong seas forecast.

The notice covers the districts of Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Aveiro, Coimbra, Leiria and Lisbon and will be in force between 12 noon on Friday and 6 am on Saturday, then changing to yellow between 6 am and 6 am. 11 am Saturday.

The IPMA also placed the districts of Setúbal, Beja and Faro under Yellow Warning due to the sea wave, with waves of 4 to 5 meters from west-northwest.

The sea turmoil also led IPMA to place the north coast of Madeira and Porto Santo under Yellow Warning between 12 noon on Friday and 9 am on Saturday, with northwest waves of four to five meters expected.

The “Orange Warning” is the second most serious and represents a moderate to high risk meteorological situation, while the “Yellow Warning” is issued by the IPMA whenever the meteorological situation represents a risk for certain activities.