Saharan Heatwave Grips Portugal as Red Alerts Trigger Safety Measures

Tourists fresh from cooler climates have been jolted awake this week by Portugal’s unrelenting heatwave, a burst of Saharan air that has pushed thermometers to the mid-40s and prompted top-tier weather alerts across much of the mainland. While coastal cafés in Cascais and Figueira da Foz still enjoy afternoon breezes, large swathes of the interior are baking under conditions the national meteorological institute says can be life-threatening.

Why the emergency flags matter to foreigners

Even if you come from a warm country, Portugal’s current onda de calor is different. The IPMA’s red alert, reserved for the most dangerous scenarios, remains in force for Bragança and Vila Real until Sunday evening and has toggled back and forth in Viana do Castelo, Braga and Porto. A red notice is more than a colourful map icon; it activates hospital contingency plans, lets employers shorten outdoor shifts and authorises civil-protection teams to restrict travel through wildfire corridors. For expats accustomed to 24-hour air-con, remember that many Portuguese homes rely on thick stone walls rather than cooling units—meaning indoor temperatures can lag well behind what your phone app shows yet stay sweltering through the night.

Where the mercury is peaking

Saturday’s hottest spots form a diagonal belt from Trás-os-Montes in the north-east down to the Alentejo plains. Forecast highs include 43 °C in the Douro Valley, 42 °C near Évora and 41 °C around Braga. Along the Atlantic fringe, misty mornings temper the spike, so Lisbon, Setúbal and Leiria have slipped to yellow or no warning at all after 18:00. Islands holiday-makers may breathe easy: the Azores and Madeira have escaped all advisories. Still, visitors landing at Porto Airport should note that the short drive inland can mean a 10-degree jump before lunchtime.

What the scientists expect next

Meteorologists blame a stubborn Azores High locked in tandem with a shallow low over North Africa, funnelling hot, dry air northward. Computer models show a modest retreat of the heat dome by mid-week, trimming daytime values by 2-4 °C. Nights will remain tropical—above 20 °C—in sheltered valleys, keeping sleep disrupted and electricity bills elevated for anyone running portable fans. The pattern, experts warn, is typical of the stronger subtropical ridges that have made Iberian summers progressively longer during the past decade.

Staying safe when 43 °C feels normal

Portugal’s public-health service, DGS, keeps its advice simple but firm: drink at least 1.5 L of water, shun alcohol and caffeine, stay indoors between 11:00 and 17:00, and reapply SPF-30+ sunscreen every two hours. Because many traditional houses lack insulation in the roof, top-floor apartments can turn into ovens; locals suggest opening windows only after sunset and drawing shutters tight during the day. Pharmacies across the country stock inexpensive oral rehydration salts—worth having in a beach bag alongside a wide-brimmed hat.

Wildfire risk and travel hiccups

Scorched vegetation means the ANEPC has prolonged its wildfire alert to at least 13 August. Barbecues in rural zones, brush-clearing with power tools and even smoking near forest trails are temporarily banned. Rail and road links operated normally on Saturday, yet drivers on the A23 and IP3 have already faced speed restrictions because smoke from small blazes reduced visibility. If you plan a weekend road-trip inland, check the civil-protection website first; Google Maps is often minutes behind official closures.

Looking beyond the weekend heat

A slight cooldown on Wednesday should return most districts to yellow status, but forecasters say another pulse of Saharan air is possible before the month is out. For new residents, that means August 2025 is shaping up to be a trial run for the hotter Portuguese summers climate scientists have long predicted. Stock extra bottled water, test that ceiling fan, and remember that the law now lets tenants install portable AC units on balconies without prior building-board approval—a small relief when the Algarve sun feels more like Abu Dhabi than Europe.