Vila Real, Portugal, Jan. 23, 2026 (Lusa) - The forecast of snowfall has led to schools being closed on Friday in six of the 14 districts in Portugal's northern region of Vila Real, including Boticas, Montalegre, Mondim de Basto, Ribeira de Pena, Valpaços and Vila Pouca de Aguiar.
During the night, it snowed in some of these places, however, a source from the national guard (the GNR) in Vila Real said that, at 7:00 a.m., the regions' roads were passable.
The decisions to suspend school transport and classes today were taken on Thursday, a preventive measure after Portugal's national meteorological institute (IPMA) placed Vila Real among the regions with a red warning because of the snowfall forecasts.
At 11:00 pm on Thursday, the Vila Pouca de Aguiar School Group informed the educational community that it would be closed on Friday, after the Municipal Civil Protection advised the total closure of schools in the district and announced that school transport would also not be running for reasons of prevention and child safety.
Throughout the day, the same announcement was made in other districts, namely Boticas, Montalegre, Mondim de Basto, Valpaços and Ribeira de Pena.
In a statement released at 7:00 a.m. on Friday morning, the Vila Real local council reported that, at that time, the district's roads were passable, with no significant traffic constraints, and that schools would operate normally in the district capital.
The local authority said it would continue to "monitor weather conditions on an ongoing basis, in coordination with all the entities involved" and added that a new update would be provided at midday in order to reassess the conditions and ensure the safety of people and property.
Also in Sabrosa, the Miguel Torga School Group reported that schools will operate as normal and that pupil transport will continue to be provided, a decision taken after assessing the situation in conjunction with Civil Protection and the GNR and after verifying that, to date, there are no closed roads or snow accumulations that compromise the safety of pupil transport.
The group said it will continue to closely monitor weather conditions and any relevant changes will be communicated immediately to parents and guardians.
The national meteorological institute forecasts rain, snow, wind and rough seas as effects of the passage of the Ingrid depression over mainland Portugal and has issued several warnings.
The regions of Braga, Porto, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real and Viseu will be under a red warning (the most serious on a scale of three) today because of the snow.
Porto, Faro, Setúbal, Viana do Castelo, Leiria, Lisbon, Beja, Aveiro, Coimbra and Braga will be under a red warning today and Saturday because of rough seas.
The National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) has placed almost the entire mainland under a level 3 special alert until Saturday, due to the expected impact of snow and rough seas as the Ingrid depression passes through.
This alert came into effect at 4pm on Thursday and ends at 11.59pm on Saturday.
PLI/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
