The National Maritime Authority and the Navy warned this Monday, February 23, of “a considerable worsening” of weather conditions, especially in the western group of the Azores, with waves that can reach 18 meters in height and gusts of up to 152 kilometers per hour.
In a statement, the National Maritime Authority (AMN) says that “the sea state forecast points to a considerable worsening of weather conditions and maritime agitation, especially in the western group of the Azores archipelago (Flores and Corvo) from 6pm this Monday and until 6am on Tuesday.
“The sea agitation will be characterized by a swell coming from the western quadrant, with a significant height that can reach 10 meters and a maximum height of 18 meters, with a period varying between 11 and 13 seconds. Winds are expected from the western quadrant, with an average intensity of up to 84km/h [quilómetros por hora] and gusts of up to 152km/h”.
According to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), a cold frontal surface will worsen the weather from this Monday in the Azorescausing sea agitation, wind and “sometimes heavy” rain.
According to IPMA, the approach and passage of a cold frontal surface, associated with a depression to the north of the archipelago, “with moderate to strong activity, will cause a worsening of the weather, especially in the Western groups. [Flores e Corvo] and Central [Faial, Pico, Terceira, São Jorge e Graciosa]”, starting this Monday.
The IPMA also predicts precipitation, “which can sometimes be heavy and accompanied by thunderstorms, on the islands of the Western and Central groups”.
IPMA issued red warnings (extreme risk) and orange (moderate to high risk) for the Western group due to sea agitation and wind and orange for the Central group due to sea agitation. For these two groups of islands and also for the Eastern one (São Miguel and Santa Maria) yellow warnings were also issued for sea agitation, wind and precipitation.
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