We had already warned you that there wouldn’t be a São Martinho summer this year. Now, the situation has worsened: the IPMA has raised the Lisbon district to a red alert due to Storm Charles, which is set to reach the mainland on Wednesday, November 11.
And the city is already feeling the effects of the bad weather: between midnight and 6 a.m. on Tuesday, the Lisbon Fire Department recorded about 130 incidents in Lisbon, mostly minor flooding, according to Lusa, as cited by ECO.
Lisbon is expected to be the hardest-hit region, IPMA meteorologist Bruno Café told Lusa, as cited by TSF. The weather is expected to worsen as early as Wednesday morning, and the expert admits that a scenario like that of Storm Kristin in January cannot be ruled out.
IPMA Alerts
The Lisbon district is under a red alert for wind—the most severe level—between noon and 9 p.m. on Wednesday, according to CNN Portugal. Wind gusts of up to 120 km/h are expected, which could reach 140 km/h in the most exposed areas, along with rain that will at times be heavy. The center of the low-pressure system is expected to make landfall between Sines and Cabo Carvoeiro, and south of this cape, the sea may have waves of 4 to 6 meters starting in the afternoon.
Since Bruna has not yet cleared the area, on Wednesday the country will be affected by both low-pressure systems at the same time. Flooding, falling trees, and power and communication outages are among the risks.
With the weather forecast to worsen on Wednesday, the government has declared a state of alert. Luís Neves, Minister of Internal Administration, emphasized that the country will be “put to the test” and called for the closure of schools and non-essential public services.
How should you prepare?
These are the main recommendations from the authorities:
- Clean out the gutters and secure anything the wind might blow away.
- Do not park in underground parking garages, areas prone to flooding, or under trees.
- Avoid flooded streets, the riverside area, beaches, and cliffs.
- If you have to drive, go slowly and be extra careful.
- Keep a flashlight and a fully charged power bank handy.
The warnings may change throughout the day, so follow the updates here or on the IPMA website.
Don’t miss out! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and now on WhatsApp too!