Portugal shuts schools and services as Storm Charles nears
The gist
Portugal declared a state of alert and closed all schools and non-essential public services ahead of Storm Charles.
Eight mainland districts faced red wind warnings, with gusts up to 140 kph.
How it unfolded
- Nov 10, 2026Portugal braced for Storm Charles; the government declared a state of alert across the mainland for Wednesday 11 November, closing schools and non-essential public services and suspending outdoor events.
- Nov 10, 2026Eight districts — Lisbon, Setúbal, Santarém, Leiria, Portalegre, Évora, Beja and Faro — were placed under the highest-level red warning for strong winds, with gusts of 120 to 140 kph in exposed locations.
- Nov 11, 2026IPMA downgraded Lisbon, Beja and Setúbal from red to orange warnings, with gusts of up to 120 km/h until 9pm; Faro stayed under a red warning until 9pm with gusts potentially reaching 140 km/h.
Key terms
- state of alert
- A situation in which a government gains special powers to act for public safety, often declared during disasters or crises.
- red wind warnings
- Notices from weather agencies: warnings flag approaching dangerous weather, while watches indicate conditions favorable for it.
- sting jet
- A narrow, short-lived airstream descending from the mid-troposphere to the surface in some extratropical cyclones, producing strong localized wind gusts.
Source: Wikipedia