Not great news if you are celebrating the New Year in Madeira, hopefully the rain will push through by the evening.
We could also see airport problems on New Year’s Eve due to wind, something I will be watching.
The Portuguese Institute for the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA) forecasts a New Year’s Eve with rain and wind in the Madeira Archipelago, due to the influence of weather systems coming from the North Atlantic.
According to IPMA, between December 29th and 31st, the weather will be marked by the passage of weak fronts, with periods of rain, especially “from the afternoon of the 29th and during the early morning of the 31st”. The rain should be more frequent and intense during these periods.
On New Year’s Eve, rain is likely in Madeira. The probability of precipitation varies between 70 and 90%, including in the Funchal region. On the island of Porto Santo, however, rain is less likely, with a probability of less than 30%.
The weather situation is expected to worsen on January 1st. IPMA indicates that, starting in the morning, there may be “sometimes heavy rain, accompanied by thunderstorms,” especially on the southern slopes and in the higher areas of Madeira Island, with the possibility of occasional hail.
The wind will be mostly from the south quadrant, light to moderate, but may blow strongly in the highlands. By the end of the day on the 31st, the wind is expected to intensify, with gusts that could reach around 70 km/h, and up to 90 km/h in the higher areas.
Regarding temperatures, a rise of between 2 and 4 degrees is expected on the 30th. Minimum temperatures should range between 8 and 14 degrees, being higher on the south coast, where they could reach 17 degrees. In the highlands, the values will be lower, between 4 and 7 degrees. Maximum temperatures should vary between 14 and 18 degrees, possibly reaching 21 degrees on the south coast of Madeira Island.
Regarding sea conditions, IPMA warns of stronger swells starting at the end of the year. On the south coast, waves could reach between 2.5 and 3.5 meters on January 1st, while on the north coast the swell will be from the northwest, with heights up to 3 meters.