“We have raised the system’s alert status to orange level, which presupposes a faster mobilization of resources and personnel to deal with any situation that may arise,” the deputy for national operations of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority ( ANEPC), Carlos Mata, in a briefing on the forecast of worsening weather conditions for the coming days.

For the regions of Coimbra, Beiras and Serra da Estrela, which are of greatest concern, a preventive SMS was issued, he said.

At the ANEPC headquarters, in Carnaxide (Oeiras), Carlos Mata warned of possible “flooding in urban areas” and “slippery ground” due to “snow or ice that may form” on roads.

“We recommend the usual: unclogging rainwater drainage systems and fixing loose structures,” due to the strong wind, he said.

Carlos Mata also advised, given the strong waves, that people avoid “areas that are subject to flooding by waves” and also that they stay away from rivers and streams, “since their flows will increase significantly and there will be some rise in the water level”.

Regarding the South region, the official said that “no red alerts are expected”, but that there is a “red warning due to strong waves”, issued by the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).

The Hermínia depression “will also reach the south of the country, but not with the same intensity. It will rain, but not with the same intensity that is predicted from Coimbra and Serra da Estrela upwards”, he indicated.

ANEPC's national operations deputy also noted that to date there have been “no significant incidents” and noted “a very small number of incidents”.

“It will be during the night and early morning that there will be greater intensification of any problems that may arise due to the rain and strong winds”, he highlighted, adding that “operators are deployed for possible occurrences”.

The districts of Aveiro, Braga, Coimbra, Porto and Viana do Castelo will be under red alert from 12pm on Monday due to rough seas, the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) announced today.

These five districts will remain under red warning until 9 am on Tuesday due to the arrival of depression Hermínia in the national territory, which will bring rough seas, increased precipitation and wind from today onwards.

The IPMA anticipates “northwesterly waves with a significant height of seven to eight meters, with the maximum height reaching 14 meters”.

From this afternoon until Monday morning, the IPMA also placed the districts of Aveiro, Braga, Coimbra, Porto, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real and Viseu.

All districts of the country are already under yellow warning due to strong winds between today and Monday, while the snowfall will place the districts of Braga, Bragança, under this same alert level from Monday afternoon.

The red warning is issued by IPMA in cases of extremely risky meteorological situations. The orange warning indicates a moderate to high risk meteorological situation and the yellow warning indicates a risk for certain activities dependent on the meteorological situation.