Madeira faces dust pollution and showers

The Madeira archipelago is experiencing a natural dust event originating from North African deserts. According to the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering at the Nova University of Lisbon, suspended particulate matter (PM10) reached its highest levels between Tuesday and Wednesday. This phenomenon is expected to subside by Thursday as forecasted showers arrive to reduce atmospheric particle concentrations.

Health authorities recommend that vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, and individuals with respiratory or cardiac conditions, limit prolonged outdoor physical exertion due to degraded air quality.

Weather forecasts from the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) indicate that Thursday will bring generally cloudy skies with showers, particularly on the northern and highland regions of the island. Temperatures are expected to see a slight decrease, with highs around 27°C in Madeira and 26°C in Porto Santo. Winds may reach gusts of up to 60 km/h in certain areas, and sea conditions will see waves between 1 and 2.5 meters depending on the coast.