Portugal’s weather agency lowered its wind forecast for Storm Charles on Wednesday, but kept severe rain and coastal alerts in effect as the system moved toward the mainland. The updated outlook marks a change from the previous forecast while the government’s daylong state of alert and closures remain in force.

IPMA lowers the wind outlook, but heavy rain remains

In its 12:07 UTC update, Portugal’s Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) said Storm Charles had passed north of Madeira and split into two low-pressure centers. That change was expected to reduce the storm’s deepening and wind intensity compared with the forecast issued the previous day. IPMA still forecast persistent, at times heavy, rain moving from southwest to northeast across mainland Portugal.

IPMA’s warning page, updated at 12:33 UTC, kept a red rain warning for Lisbon through 15:00 UTC, followed by a yellow warning until 18:00. An orange coastal warning was in effect through 21:00, with southwest waves forecast at 5 to 7 meters and maximum heights potentially reaching 13 meters. An orange wind warning ran through 18:00, with gusts around 90 km/h and up to 110 km/h in exposed places. Warning levels and times vary by district.

Nationwide closures remain in place for Wednesday

The Portuguese government declared a state of alert across mainland Portugal from midnight to 23:59 on November 11. Its order closed schools and non-essential public services, suspended outdoor events and restricted access to parks, forests and vulnerable coastal or flood-prone areas. The decree also raised readiness for emergency services.

The Associated Press reported that schools and non-essential services had closed as the storm approached, while Reuters reported the government’s closure order and preparations for rescue operations. The newer IPMA bulletin changes the expected wind strength; it does not cancel the government’s alert measures. Portugal’s official warning pages remain the source for district-level updates as conditions change.

Sources

Associated Press: Portugal closes schools and services ahead of Storm Charles · Reuters: Portugal braces for Storm Charles, orders school closures · IPMA: Storm Charles bulletin No. 3, issued Nov. 11 · IPMA: Lisbon weather warnings, updated Nov. 11 · Portuguese government: mainland state-of-alert decree

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