On January 10, the country’s second new weather radar was inaugurated in the town of Cavalos, in the parish of Ameixial in Loulé.
The inauguration ceremony of the new dual polarization weather radar was attended by the Secretary of State for the Sea, José Maria Costa. Located in an imposing 8-storey tower, offering a privileged view of the Serra do Caldeirão, this equipment represents a significant step forward, replacing the old one, which was obsolete.
This initiative reflects IPMA’s commitment to modernizing its infrastructure. The upgrade will make it possible to offer considerably more reliable data, more than doubling the quality, resolution and speed of the information previously made available by the institution to society in general.
“The investment made by IPMA is a source of great satisfaction for us Louletans,” said Vítor Aleixo, mayor of the first Portuguese municipality to have its Municipal Climate Action Plan approved. This document highlights the importance of initiatives such as the implementation of this modern equipment.
It is worth noting that, in addition to this radar under the management of the IPMA, Loulé City Council manages five weather stations in strategic locations, such as Vale Maria Dias, Alte, Loulé (one at the Civil Protection Service and the other at the Municipal Fire Station) and in Quarteira. This network will be further strengthened with the installation of two new pieces of equipment as part of the inland digitalization programme.
“We are committed to collaborating with you and deepening our knowledge of this reality. Collecting data, understanding what is happening and being able to predict events are crucial to preventing damage, both human and environmental,” concluded the official from Loulé.