Portugal Braces for Continued Flooding as ‘Atmospheric River’ Persists
Portugal is facing ongoing challenges from relentless rainfall and widespread flooding as an “atmospheric river” continues to impact the region. The prolonged period of intense precipitation, following a series of storms – Kristin, Leonardo, and Marta – has already claimed 16 lives and left thousands more displaced. The situation underscores the vulnerability of the country’s infrastructure to extreme weather events.
Climatologist Mário Marques explained the phenomenon, stating, “The atmospheric river is a process that has been occurring for at least the past week, since Monday. It leads to a continuous supply of subtropical air, humid and with a lot of water vapor, which joins the jet stream, influencing a cyclogenesis process in the same location.” He emphasized that the issue isn’t simply heavy rain, but a mechanism that prolongs the storms and intensifies their impact on Portugal.
According to Marques, this translates to “consecutive days of rain that normally never last less than a week.” He added, “It has to last at least a week consecutively, always raining, continuously. There may be some hours of transition, but normally, it rains every day.” Satellite imagery clearly shows “a continuous thread of humidity extending practically from the Caribbean, passing through the Azores, with a significant amount of cloudiness and water associated.”
While Portugal has experienced days of rain, Commander Jorge Mendes believes the existing conditions are the primary concern. “If we weren’t in the situation we are in, this ‘atmospheric river’ wouldn’t be alarming,” he said. “The problem is that we continue to have completely flooded areas, and the soil is very saturated.”
Mendes highlighted that the “atmospheric river” has resulted in “land movements and destruction of infrastructure,” adding that “we urgently need a period of calm.”
That calm is particularly crucial for the river basins of the Tejo, Mondego, and Sado rivers, which are already saturated from the continuous rainfall. Authorities have issued new alerts for populations living in riverside areas.
Change in Weather Pattern Expected Mid-Week
Despite the intensity of the “atmospheric river” in recent days, a shift in the weather pattern is anticipated starting mid-week. Marques clarified that the phenomenon should persist until Wednesday or Thursday, but will then subside.
“Until this Wednesday, Thursday, this weather will continue. After that, the pattern changes completely and we will have a calm period. We can expect days of fog and humidity, but then we will have the end of this passage of depressions,” Marques stated. “We will have a much calmer, sunnier second half of February,” he added, noting that “we may have another day of rain, but nothing compared to the first half of the month.”
The storms Kristin, Leonardo, and Marta have caused 16 deaths, along with hundreds of injuries and displacements, since last week. Material consequences include the total or partial destruction of homes and businesses, fallen trees and structures, road closures, and disruptions to essential services.
The regions most affected are Centro, Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, and Alentejo. In response, the government has extended the state of calamity until February 15 for 68 municipalities and announced support measures totaling up to 2.5 billion euros.
Approximately 35,000 people in Portugal have been without electricity for 13 days due to the storms.
