Latest news and stories about climate change in daily life in Portugal for expats and residents.
An analytical look at Portugal's shifting climate patterns, the increasing frequency of extreme heatwaves, and the immediate meteorological shifts impacting the region.
A 2025 climate assessment found the year was the third warmest on record, driven chiefly by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and by exceptionally high sea‑surface temperatures across the oceans, highlighting ongoing anthropogenic warming and implications for climate resilience and sustainability.
Temperature records indicate that September 2026 reached the highest heat levels recorded in mainland Portugal since 1931.
Hot and dry weather is hindering the growth of fungi and compromising the emergence of edible mushrooms in the northern interior. Mycological tourism could see a sharp decline this year.
An explanation of what climate shelters are, noting the existence of 238 such locations in Portugal, with plans for further expansion.
From Funchal to Portalegre, the numbers show that hot nights are no longer an exception. In 2026, 18 of the 23 new temperature extremes were minimums, not maximums.
Portugal has recorded its highest number of heatwaves in a twelve-year period, indicating a warming trend in the climate.
Report on the rising frequency of heatwaves across the country, with a forecast of high temperatures for the immediate future.
Portugal's mainland has experienced nine heatwaves, setting record-breaking maximum temperatures.
Filipe Lisboa, a climate change specialist, explains what El Niño is and how this phenomenon, combined with climate change, is contributing to an especially hot year.
The United Nations agency warns that this year's El Niño is one of the strongest since 1950. The climatic phenomenon peaks in December, increasing the risk of extreme heat, droughts, and floods.
With average and maximum temperatures unprecedented since 1931, according to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere, the last month was also marked by two heatwaves and over a dozen weather stations recording temperature records.
Maximum temperature 4.21 degrees above average and only 12.7 mm of rainfall. In September, Portugal experienced one of the most extreme months in nearly a century.
Western Europe experienced its hottest summer on record, but Portugal escaped the most extreme effects of the heat. Climate change expert Filipe Lisboa explains why and says we should be paying attention to the coming winter.
Flowers, leaves, roots, and fruits arrive from various corners of the world to help the Algarve adapt to climate change. It is called Pomar dos Sabores and is located in Tavira.
The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) documented 23 new record-breaking heat events across the country throughout the current year.
Home News Portugal records third hottest summer since 1931 Portugal records third hottest summer since 1931 Portugal has just experienced one of its hottest summers in almost a century, with temperatures well above average and two heatwaves affecting the country.
The heatwave risk window has grown by 27 days in Portugal since 1979, increasing by about seven days per decade between 1979 and 2023. Globally, the increase was 38 days.
It is necessary to consider a condition that is already decisive for the use of the city: the ability to offer comfort and protection against the heat.
Heatwaves exceeding 40ºC are starting as early as May and lasting until October. August has lost its exclusivity as the month of heat. A NASA study confirms this is the case in half the world: summer is extending.
Filipe Lisboa, a climate change expert, comments on the 'El Niño' phenomenon, which could cause more than 450,000 deaths in six months due to rising temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. The expert states that 'we are not immune to El Niño despite its very distant origin' and indicates that 'in Europe, we will see a substantially warmer winter'.
El Niño is a natural phenomenon occurring in the Pacific Ocean that spreads across the planet, causing various natural disasters year after year. The issue now is that a “Godzilla-level” El Niño is expected to cause 451,000 excess deaths between September 2026 and February 2027. From Brazil to India, high temperatures, droughts, wildfires, and floods cause thousands of deaths annually. However, experts predict that the next six months will be even more intense than usual. The peak of El Niño, with the most extreme events, usually occurs between November and December. Nevertheless, thermometers have already recorded record temperatures, suggesting the event will be much more tragic than what affected populations are accustomed to. Scientists are already referring to a “Super El Niño” resulting from “Godzilla-level” heat, which they believe is driven by global warming. The rise in Pacific surface water temperatures, combined with changes in currents, results in climate shifts visible worldwide. The effects, from wildfires to floods, extend far beyond countries bordering that ocean. Nigeria, Sudan, and Congo, for example, do not border the Pacific but still feel the consequences of the phenomenon through natural disasters. Thousands of deaths are forecast for such countries between September 2026 and February 2027. Other countries expected to record high numbers of deaths include Indonesia, Niger, Chad, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The UN predicts a “very strong” El Niño potentially lasting until February 2027. Red alert: Ecuador anticipates the arrival of El Niño. Ocean temperatures hit an absolute record, worrying scientists.
Rising temperatures and changing weather patterns are forcing vineyards to begin the grape harvest season ahead of schedule.
Urban microclimate studies in southern European cities record differences of five to eight degrees between a mineral surface exposed to the sun and an area shaded by a dense canopy next to running water. It is not a marginal difference in comfort.
During the harvest season, some are looking to the future, already considering which grape varieties might best adapt to climate change.
The record represents the highest temperature in the entire Mediterranean since at least 1940.
