Madeira Islands are still under the influence of strong winds and heavy rains though days have been very contrasting. We can get a warm and sun shining day and on the next day heavy rains and even snow on the highest peaks.

There is still a warning for people not to drink water from the tap before it is boiled. It is also advisable to wash teeth with boiled water.

Thinks are getting back to normal despite some roads and levada walks that are still closed:

Roads closed:
E.R. 201 – Caminho dos Pretos
E.R. 101 – Ponta Delgada - Boaventura
E.R. 101 -10 – Madalena do Mar – Ponta do Sol
E.R. 104 – Serra D’ Água – Meia Légua
E.R. 105 – Boca da Encumeada - Estanquinhos
E.R. 222 – Tabua's bridge
E.R. 227 – Ribeira da Tabua
E.R. 229 – Lugar da Ribeira – Campanário

ViaExpresso:
From Ribeira Brava's exit - Cruzamento do Rosário
Serra d'Água old road - Túnel Encumeada

ViaLitoral:
Via Rápida (dual lane road) to Encumeada

Levadas and Recomended Paths (PR) closed:
- PR 7 Levada do Moínho (Ribeira da Cruz - Lamaceiros)
- PR 09 Levada do Caldeirão Verde (Queimadas - Caldeirão Verde)
- PR 10 Levada do Furado (Ribeiro Frio - Lamaceiros - Portela)
- PR 12 Caminho Real da Encumeada (Boca da Corrida - Encumeada)
- PR 16 Levada da Fajã do Rodrigues (Fajã da Ama - Ribeira do Inferno)
- PR 17 Caminho do Pináculo e Folhadal (Lombo do Mouro - Caramulo - Folhadal - Encumeada)
- PR 18 Levada do Rei (Quebradas - Ribeiro Bonito).

- Levada do Norte
- Levada dos Tornos

Source: Madeira Civil Defense
Date: 02 MAR 2010 at 18:30

1st Section
E.R. 101 – Caminho dos Pretos

3rd Section
E.R. 101 – Ponta Delgada - Boaventura

4th Section
E.R. 101 -10 – Madalena do Mar – Ponta do Sol
E.R. 104 – Serra D’ Água – Meia Légua
E.R. 105 – Boca da Encumeada - Estanquinhos
E.R. 222 – Sítio da Santinha – Ponte
E.R. 223 – Way down to Jardim do Mar – Estreito da Calheta
E.R. 227 – Ribeira da Tabua
E.R. 229 – Lugar da Ribeira (Bridge) - Campanário

Via Expresso:
Center of Ribeira Brava - Meia Légua
Cancela - Eiras (totally closed)
Old road Serra d'Água - Túnel Sacramento
Paúl do Mar access

Via Litoral:
Luso-Brasileira - Pestana Júnior

Roads open but with roads works on it:
E.R. 102 – Camacha – Santo da Serra
E.R. 103 – Monte - Poiso
E.R. 107 – Romeiras - Curral das Freiras

Source: Madeira Civil Defense
Date: 25 FEB 2010 at 10:00

Wednesday 24th February 2010 – The Environment and Natural Resources Regional Board has advised that the following levadas and footpaths in Madeira and Porto Santo are presently in good condition and open to pedestrians:

Madeira Island

• PR1 Vereda (Footpath) do Areeiro (Pico do Areeiro – Achada do Teixeira)
• PR 1.1 Vereda (Footpath) da Ilha (Achada do Teixeira – Ilha)
• PR 1.2 Vereda (Footpath) do Pico do Pico Ruivo (Achada do Teixeira – Pico Ruivo)
• PR 1.3 Vereda (Footpath) da Encumeada (Pico de Areeiro – Encumeada)
• PR 5 Vereda (Footpath) das Funduras (Portela – Maroços)
• PR 6 Levada das 25 Fontes (Rabaçal – Risco)
• PR 8 Vereda (Footpath) da Ponta de São Lourenço
• PR 11 Levada dos Balcões (Ribeiro Frio – Balcões)
• PR 13 Vereda (Footpath) do Fanal (Assobiadores – Fanal),
• PR 14 Levada dos Cedros (Fanal – CurralFalso)
• PR 15 Vereda (Footpath) da Ribeira da Janela (Curral Falso – Ribeira da Janela)
• PR 19 Vereda (Footpath) do Paul do Mar
• Queimadas – Pico das Pedras Footpath

Porto Santo Island

• PR 1 Vereda (Footpath) do Pico Branco e Terra Chã
• PR 2 Vereda (Footpath) do Pico do Castelo
• PR 3 Vereda (Footpath) do Calhau

The following levada walks and footpaths remain closed to pedestrians and are as follows:

Madeira Island

• PR 7 Levada do Moínho (Ribeira da Cruz - Lamaceiros)
• PR 9 Levada do Caldeirão Verde (Queimadas - Caldeirão Verde)
• PR 10 Levada do Furado (Ribeiro Frio - Lamaceiros - Portela)
• PR 12 Caminho (Footpath) Real da Encumeada (Boca da Corrida – Encumeada)
• PR 16 Levada da Fajã do Rodrigues (Fajã da Amã – Ribeira do Inferno
• PR 17 Caminho (Footpath) do Pináculo e Folhadal (Lombo do Mouro – Caramujo - Folhadal - Encumeada)
• PR 18 Levada do Rei (Quebradas – Ribeiro Bonito)

Source: Madeira Promotion Bureau & Madeira Civil Defense
Date: 24 FEB 2010

Due to the enourmous quantity of rain and to the strong winds that were felt in Madeira Island on Monday night (1st of February 2010) and Tuesday, several landslides occurred around the island. This way, here is a warning about the roads that are closed:

E.R. 101 - Between Ponta Delgada and Boaventura

E.R. 101 - Between Boaventura and Arco de São Jorge

E.R. 219 - The access to llha in Santana

E.R. 213 - Between Faial and Santana

E.R. 102 - Between Camacha and João Ferino

E.R. 102 - Between Porto da Cruz and Moinhos (Serrado / Moinho)

E.R. 206 - Between Boqueirão and Gaula

E.R. 102 - Between Portela and Referta

E.R. 236 - In Maroços - Machico

E.R. 238 - Between Santo da Serra and Fonte de Santo António

E.R. 205 - Between Vale Paraíso and Palheiro Ferreiro

E.R. 201 - Caminho dos Pretos

E.R. 230 - Campanário - Between the exit of the dual lane road and E.R. 229

E.R. 203 - Carreiras

E.R. 105 - Between Encumeada and the cross roads of Estanquinhos

Source: Regional Service of Civil Defense

Madeira Islands is under orange alert due to strong winds, rain showers and rough sea with 6 meter waves. Today the ferry that links Funchal and Porto Santo did not run the trip and it will probably not run it tomorrow as well. All fishing and touristy boats have stopped operations until the weather gets better which is predicted to be only Saturday, 20th December 2009.

For the mountains the wind will be strong, about 40 to 60 km/hour and with gusts reaching 120 km/hour, so tourists and levada walkers are warned not to go walking or trekking and if driving, be very careful on the roads as this weather is propitious to rock and tree falls.

So if you are a tourist in Madeira, until Saturday we recommend you to spend your days around Funchal, visiting the market place, doing Christmas shopping or visiting museums from which we highlight the Natural History Museum with an interesting collection of "Spiders of Madeira".