Portugal implemented sweeping precautionary measures on Wednesday in preparation for Storm Charles, canceling more than 300 flights across four international airports and shutting down schools, businesses, and non-essential public services throughout the country. The nationwide school closures marked the first such occurrence in living memory for the Atlantic storm system.
The national weather agency recorded wind gusts surpassing 120 kilometers per hour in various regions as the storm made landfall. Authorities advised residents to remain indoors as a precautionary measure, resulting in largely empty streets across major cities. In Lisbon, some areas experienced street flooding linked to drainage issues, while the Web Summit technology conference, which was drawing approximately 70,000 attendees, suspended activities for the day. Major retail chains also ceased operations ahead of the storm’s arrival.
Storm Charles had previously impacted Portugal’s island of Madeira on Tuesday with winds of 130 kilometers per hour. By mid-afternoon Wednesday, only the Algarve region in the south remained under red alert status, the highest emergency warning level, after the alert had initially covered more than half of the country.
Interior Minister Luis Neves defended the government’s response, stating that authorities had organized their preparations in accordance with weather forecasts and dismissed claims of overreaction. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro oversaw a crisis management unit comprising eight government ministers and additional officials to monitor developments.
The storm subsequently advanced toward Spain, where a general strike was scheduled for Wednesday. Strike organizers in several southern Spanish cities, including Cordoba, Huelva, and Cadiz, opted to cancel or postpone demonstrations in response to weather conditions. Portugal’s preparedness reflected experiences from earlier severe weather events, including Storm Kristin in January and Storm Leonardo in February, the latter of which resulted in a fatality in the Alentejo region.
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