The President of the Azorean Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, accompanied by the Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, inaugurated the Flores weather radar in Morro Alto yesterday.
The leader of the Azorean executive stressed that this investment reinforces the Azores’ role as “a region of opportunities” and a strategic point for sharing scientific knowledge in the transatlantic context.
“The Azores are not just a geographical border, but a strategic reference that strengthens Portugal’s relevance on the international stage,” he said.
This radar is part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR)—MAR-TC-C10-i01 Hub Azul—Infrastructure Network for the Blue Economy—which has an overall investment of around 4.9 million euros.
In addition to the Flores radar, a second weather radar was installed on São Miguel, at Pico dos Santos de Cima.
The project also included two weather stations and two electrical discharge detectors, located at Santa Cruz das Flores airport and in the Northeast.
The new radars use dual-polarization Doppler technology and can detect precipitation, hail, and hailstones within a radius of up to 300 km.


This capability allows for accurate monitoring of atmospheric conditions in real time, assessment of precipitation intensity, and prediction of storm movement.
The information collected is displayed in images updated every 5 minutes, which is essential for meteorologists and issuing timely warnings to the population and civil protection services.
The completion of these radars in the Azores completes the national network of meteorological radars, a project that began in the 1980s.
“This network is essential for detecting and monitoring adverse weather phenomena, contributing to the safety of the population and the protection of material goods,” said José Manuel Boleiro.
In addition to its scientific and strategic value, the radar significantly improves weather forecasting capacity, benefiting sectors such as maritime and air navigation, agriculture, and civil protection.
The ‘nowcasting’ capacity – short-term forecasting of up to three hours – increases the ability to respond to extreme phenomena, providing greater safety for the population and visitors.
He also stressed that installing these radars fulfills the Azores’ right to adequate meteorological surveillance.
“We are investing in the safety of our populations. The Azores are worth much more, and we will do our utmost to boost this investment,” he said.
With this state-of-the-art technological infrastructure, the Azores are consolidating their position as a strategic point in the Atlantic, reinforcing their role in climate monitoring and global scientific study.
The ceremony was also attended by the President of IPMA, José Ângelo Guerreiro da Silva, and the Director of the Azores Regional Delegation, Carlos Ramalho, concludes a government statement.

In Diário dos Açores-Osvaldo Cabral-director

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