Portugal set a new temperature record for June on Sunday, June 29, with 46.6°C in Mora, about 100 kilometers east of the capital Lisbon, according to the national meteorological agency.

The previous record was set on June 17, 2017, when temperatures in Alcácer do Sal (southwest) reached 44.9°C, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA), adding in a report that 37% of weather stations recorded temperatures above 40°C.

Affected by the heatwave sweeping across Europe, Portugal experienced “very high” temperatures over the weekend, with “some stations exceeding their previous historical highs,” AFP reported.

A red alert was issued in several regions, including Lisbon, but temperatures began to ease slightly on the Iberian Peninsula today.

However, the eight inland districts remained on orange alert, with a high risk of forest fires in many municipalities, especially in the forested areas in the center and north.

Nevertheless, no major fires were reported by the authorities in the early afternoon. | BGNES