A 9.9 metre high wave was recorded off the coast at Faro on Sunday afternoon, caused as depressions from storms Babet, Aline and Bernard passed through the country.
The Hydrographic Institute Buoys, placed by a Navy laboratory dedicated to maritime sciences and technologies, record wave heights in Faro, Sines, Nazaré and Leixões.
The highest wave was recorded in the North of Portugal at the Leixões buoy with a height of 15.8 metres on the morning of Friday, October 20th this year. The second highest wave at 11.7 metres was recorded on the morning of the same day in Nazaré.
On Sunday, the district of Faro was on red alert due to the risk of “strong and persistent precipitation”, caused by the passage of storm Bernard. Strong cross winds affected landing and take-off of planes at Gago Coutinho International Airport, resulting in the cancellation of at least seven flights.
The Algarve was affected by intense precipitation and strong winds that caused minor flooding, fallen trees and damage to some structures.
The red warning for precipitation is issued if rain is expected to exceed 40 litress per square metre in one hour, or greater than 60 litres per square meter in a period of six hours.
The issuance of the red precipitation alert highlighted the intensity of the event, with forecasts of exceptionally high rainfall over short periods of time. This situation demonstrates the importance of closely monitoring extreme weather conditions, especially in vulnerable regions, in order to ensure public safety and minimize negative impacts.
