In the early hours of May 21, there was a ‘heatburst’ in Beja – something like a ‘heat blast’ -, a meteorological phenomenon considered rare. In five minutes, the air temperature increased by 10.5ºC.
The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA) recorded an increase from 22.9ºC to 33.4ºC between 5:45 am and 5:50 am on Saturday. In addition, it detected sudden wind gusts of 53 km/h and a decrease in relative humidity of about 75% – from 49% to 13%.
The dawn of May 21 was the hottest since there are records in some places in the interior of the country – thermometers did not drop from 26ºC, reaching 32ºC in some areas, revealed the IPMA in a statement.
The reason for what happened? A mass of hot, dry air coming from North Africa, with dust in suspension, circulating towards the Western Mediterranean.
