Strong winds are expected to keep affecting operations at Madeira International Airport until at least Friday, according to the Portuguese Institute for Atmosphere and Sea (IPMA). Ricardo Tavares, IPMA’s Regional Delegate in Madeira and head of the Funchal Meteorological Observatory, told JM and 88.8 JM FM radio that the weather pattern should remain unstable over the next few days. He said periods of strong, and at times very strong, winds are likely, especially in the eastern and western extremes of Madeira Island. Tavares added that airport operations may continue to be disrupted intermittently until conditions improve. A gradual easing is forecast for Wednesday and Thursday, but he said Friday is expected to bring a more marked drop in wind strength and generally light winds. The warning follows a day of major disruption at Madeira International Airport, where more than 20 flights were cancelled and several others were diverted, according to ANA Aeroportos de Portugal. Affected routes included services linking Madeira with Lisbon, Porto, the United Kingdom and Germany, while some aircraft were redirected to Lisbon, Faro, Porto Santo, the Canary Islands or back to their airports of origin. The strongest gust recorded in the airport area reached 77 km/h, and travellers are being advised to check flight status with their airlines before going to the airport.
