Achada do Teixeira Live-Webcam - Madeira

Achada do Teixeira is located at 1592 meters altitude in Madeira's central massif, constituting the privileged access point to Pico Ruivo (1862m), the highest point of the Portuguese archipelago. This high mountain plateau results from differential erosion of complex volcanic formations, including Miocene pyroclastic breccias (12-8 Ma) and more recent trachytic basalts (5-3 Ma) that configure the current morphology of Madeiran central peaks. The area integrates the core of the Central Volcanic Complex, characterized by unique geological structures like radial dikes, fossilized volcanic chimneys, and avalanche deposits that witness the geodynamic evolution of the island. Rocky outcrops expose complete stratigraphic sequences of Madeiran volcanism, with intercalations of tuffs, scoria, and paleosols recording periods of eruptive quiescence and pedogenetic development. Quaternary cryoclastic and periglacial action sculpted characteristic forms like tors, stone fields, and granulometric classification circles, rare phenomena in the subtropical Atlantic context evidencing more rigorous past climatic conditions during Pleistocene glacial maxima.

The high mountain climate of Achada do Teixeira is characterized by extreme conditions with significant daily thermal amplitudes (15-20°C), elevated orographic precipitation (>2500mm annually), and frequent frost formation between November and March. The average annual temperature is 8.4°C, with recorded absolute minimums of -4.2°C (January 2019) and maximums of 28.1°C (August 2003), configuring an oceanic temperate mountain climate (Cfb according to Köppen). Predominant trade winds undergo orographic acceleration, reaching velocities exceeding 120 km/h during intense meteorological events, contributing to accelerated mechanical erosion and relief form modeling. Snow cover, although sporadic, occurs regularly during winter thermal inversions, creating exceptional landscapes documented by webcams installed on site. Relative humidity remains elevated (85-95%) due to constant orographic condensation, favoring development of specific bryological communities and endemic mosses adapted to mountain conditions.

Achada do Teixeira harbors unique plant communities adapted to extreme high mountain conditions, representing the last stronghold of endemic Madeiran flora above 1500 meters altitude. Dominant vegetation includes oro-Mediterranean scrubland formations with emblematic species like Erica platycodon subsp. maderincola (Madeira heather), Vaccinium padifolium (Madeira blueberry), and Chamaemeles coriacea (Madeira whitebeam), all classified as Madeiran endemisms with distribution restricted to central peaks. Specialized herbaceous communities include Plantago famarae, Rumex maderensis, and Agrostis castellana var. madeirensis, endemic grass forming extensive alpine meadows above 1600m. Invertebrate fauna presents elevated endemism levels, notably Hogna maderiana (endemic wolf spider), Trichoniscus madeirensis (cave isopod), and multiple beetle species of genus Trechus adapted to saxicolous life. Entomofauna includes endemic lepidopterans like Hipparchia maderensis (Madeira grayling) and Leptidea diniensis, butterflies with biological cycles synchronized with phenology of endemic host plants.

High mountain avifauna centers on resident species adapted to extreme conditions, notably significant populations of bis-bis (Regulus madeirensis), small endemic passerine representing a biogeographic relict of palearctic fauna. The Madeira chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs maderensis) presents here its highest altitude populations, exhibiting specific behavioral adaptations like seasonal vertical migration between peaks and laurisilvae zones. The kestrel population (Falco tinnunculus canariensis) uses rocky escarpments as nesting sites, taking advantage of orographic thermal currents for hunting micro-mammals and insects. During migratory periods, the area functions as corridor for palearctic species in transit, including occasional observations of rare species like alpine accentor (Prunella collaris) and ring ouzel (Turdus torquatus). Continuous monitoring through webcams allows documentation of seasonal behaviors, altitudinal movement patterns, and fauna responses to extreme meteorological variations characteristic of this high mountain zone.