Storm Charles cancels 220+ flights in Portugal as red alert eases
More than 220 flights were cancelled at Lisbon and Faro airports as storm Charles weakened slightly, with IPMA easing its red wind warning for three districts.
Update ·
More than 220 flights were cancelled at Lisbon and Faro airports because of storm Charles.
More than 220 flights were cancelled at Lisbon and Faro airports on Wednesday because of storm Charles, Portugal Resident reported, as the storm continued to batter the country with heavy rain and strong winds.
Portugal's weather service, IPMA, downgraded its red wind warning to orange for the districts of Beja, Lisbon and Setúbal on Wednesday morning, while keeping the for heavy rain in those districts, Notícias ao Minuto reported. Évora, Faro, Leiria, Portalegre and Santarém remained on red wind warning.
IPMA meteorologist Jorge Pontes said forecast wind gusts for the country had been revised down to 90-110km/h, from an earlier forecast of 100-120km/h with local gusts up to 140km/h, as the depression split into two weaker cores than first expected, Sud Ouest reported. Heavy rain was still expected to continue through Wednesday, mainly in central and southern Portugal.
Forecasters said Greater Lisbon still faced the highest risk of a rare "sting jet", a narrow, fast-descending air current that can produce localised gusts above 160km/h, around midday and into the afternoon. A sting jet during storm Kristin earlier this year caused serious damage in Leiria district.
Of the 222 flights listed as cancelled, 208 were at Lisbon's Humberto Delgado Airport and 14 at Faro's Gago Coutinho Airport, Portugal Resident reported, adding that the number could rise. The Web Summit technology conference cancelled its second day of conferences in Lisbon because of the storm, Sud Ouest reported, though organisers planned to hold the third and final day as scheduled on Thursday.
Portugal had declared a state of alert across the mainland for Wednesday, closing schools and non-essential public services nationwide. Lisbon's city authorities closed tunnels, parks and some bridges from midnight and cut the speed limit to 60km/h on the Vasco da Gama and 25 de Abril bridges.
Storm Charles had already struck the island of Madeira on Tuesday, triggering floods, fallen trees and damaged buildings; no casualties were reported. Lisbon's civil protection service logged 642 weather-related call-outs that day, more than half of the 1,240 recorded across mainland Portugal.
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What we know
- 1 outlet · Portugal Resident More than 220 flights were cancelled at Lisbon and Faro airports because of storm Charles, Portugal Resident reported.
- Official · IPMA IPMA downgraded its red wind warning to orange for Beja, Lisbon and Setúbal, while keeping red warnings for heavy rain there and red wind warnings for five other districts.
- 1 outlet · Sud Ouest Forecast wind gusts were revised down to 90-110km/h from an earlier 100-120km/h forecast, as the storm split into two weaker cores, Sud Ouest reported.
- 2+ outlets · Euronews, Kronen Zeitung Greater Lisbon still faces the highest risk of a rare "sting jet", with possible gusts above 160km/h, forecasters said.
- 2+ outlets · Kronen Zeitung, Blick The Web Summit technology conference cancelled its second day in Lisbon because of the storm.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
A sting jet is rare but can be disproportionately destructive, striking a small area with extreme, sudden force and little warning. The previous occurrence, during storm Kristin, caused serious damage in Leiria district, one of the areas now back under red wind warning. Portugal's response, cancelling hundreds of flights and a major international conference while restricting bridge traffic, shows how seriously authorities are treating the threat even though officials stress the phenomenon may not materialise.
Updates
·
More than 220 flights were cancelled at Lisbon and Faro airports because of storm Charles.
First published.
Sources
Reported by 10 reports from 10 independent outlets in 3 countries.
- Euronews: Portugal on alert for rare "sting jet" winds above 160 km/h
- Kronen Zeitung: In Lissabon - Sturm und Sturzfluten: Austrias CL-Hit abgesagt!
- Blick: Heftiger Sturm fegt über Iberische Halbinsel
- Topky.sk: Portugalsko bije na poplach: Búrka Charles prinesie víchricu, záplavy aj zatvorené školy
- Sud Ouest: Tempête Charles : « On s’attend encore à de fortes précipitations »… le Portugal et l’Espagne en alerte rouge face aux vents violents
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- What is a sting jet?
- It is a rare, fast-descending air current inside a storm that can produce localised gusts above 160 km/h, according to Portugal's IPMA weather service.
- Which parts of Portugal are most at risk?
- Greater Lisbon is seen as most at risk of the sting jet, while Evora, Faro, Leiria, Portalegre and Santarém remain under red wind warning, officials said.
- How many flights were affected?
- More than 220 flights were cancelled at Lisbon and Faro airports, Portugal Resident reported.
This article was written with AI assistance from 11 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.