Sea off Faro warms to 26.1 ºC during two marine heatwaves
The Portuguese Navy, through the Hydrographic Institute, recorded two marine heatwaves off Faro between 15 June and 9 July, with sea temperature peaking at 26.1°C, according to data from the Faro Coastal Buoy.
Published on 10/07/2026 - 10:46 GMT+2
On Thursday, the Portuguese Navy revealed in a statement that the Faro Buoy, which is part of the Hydrographic Institute’s national coastal monitoring network (MONIZEE), had recorded a daily average sea surface temperature of around 25°C.
The first marine heatwave was classified as moderate, with a daily maximum of 23.3°C, about 1.5°C above the 90th percentile threshold for that day. The second reached the strong category, with a maximum of 24.8°C, about 2.2°C above the 90th percentile.
In addition to the daily averages that underpin the detection of marine heatwaves, the records indicate that, during the period under analysis, the sea surface temperature reached a maximum of 26.1°C.
“This value clearly illustrates the magnitude of the warming observed, although the classification of a marine heatwave depends on the persistence of the event and not just on an isolated temperature spike,” the statement reads.
According to the document, monitoring carried out by the MONIZEE network makes it possible to track sea temperature in real time and helps to characterise extreme events in Portugal’s coastal ocean.
“This information is relevant for environmental surveillance, for understanding thermal variability in the ocean and for supporting activities that depend on sea conditions,” the Portuguese Navy concludes.
