Flores records wind gust of 134 km/h
… following the passage of the Efrain depression
Flores Island in the Azores registered wind gusts of 134 kilometres per hour on Friday evening, following the passage of the Efrain depression, revealed Açoriano Oriental yesterday.
The information was provided to the Lusa agency by meteorologist Rita Mota, from the Portuguese Weather Institute, IPMA, regional delegation of the Azores, adding that the wind gust of “134 kilometres per hour” was recorded “on Friday between 17:00 and 18:00” (19:00 in Lisbon), “in Fajã Grande, on the island of Flores”.
In its most recent communiqué, issued Saturday morning, the IPMA delegation of the Azores informs that, due to the Efrain depression, with an associated frontal system, in the next few hours and until Sunday, “a new increase in wind intensity is expected, with gusts in the order of 120 kilometres per hour in the Western group (Flores and Corvo).
For the Central group (Terceira, São Jorge, Pico, Graciosa and Faial) forecasts point to wind gusts of around 100 kilometres per hour and 90 kilometres per hour in the Eastern group (São Miguel and Santa Maria).
IPMA also warns that in the Central and Eastern groups, sometimes heavy precipitation may occur, accompanied by thunderstorms. “In the Western group, for maritime agitation, the forecast of waves that can reach 10 metres in significant height is maintained, with the maximum wave reaching 20 meters in height”, reads the same statement.
Meteorologist Rita Mota added to Lusa that the sea turmoil will continue “for a few days”, but “a decrease in wind is expected from 00:00”.
Due to the worsening weather conditions, the captain of the Port of Santa Cruz das Flores today determined the closure of all navigation from the Port of Lajes das Flores (video above).
On Friday, the closure of all navigation from Porto da Casa, on the island of Corvo, had already been determined.
In a note sent yesterday morning to the newsrooms, the Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service of the Azores (SRPCBA) informs that, following the passage of the ‘Efrain’ depression through the archipelago, from 20:00 on Friday until the beginning of yesterday morning, “26 occurrences were recorded on six islands”, of which “14 on São Miguel, four on Terceira, two on Faial, three on São Jorge, one on Pico and two on Flores”.
The reported situations are related, above all, to “falling trees, falling/damaging structures, flooding of roads and houses, landslides and overflows of streams”, according to the Civil Protection of the Azores.
Waves reaching 20 metres
The Civil Protection of the Azores advises the population to continue to follow the forecasts issued IPMA and to adopt self-protection measures – measures that have been replicated in Madeira overnight.
The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA) raised yesterday to red the maritime unrest warning for the islands of the western group of the Azores archipelago – Flores and Corvo.
The islands of Flores and Corvo were under red warning between 12:00 yesterday and 00:00 on Sunday, with southwest waves expected to be 10 metres high, with the maximum wave reaching 20 metres.
