What We Know About Storm Charles's Flooding in Southern Europe

Storm Charles flooded parts of Portugal, Spain, southern France and northern Italy this week, grounding hundreds of flights and prompting Italy's highest-level rainfall warning, according to the Guardian's Weather Tracker, compiled by meteorologists Ed Walton and Alice Nightingale-Smith for MetDesk, published Nov. 13.

How strong was Storm Charles when it hit Madeira?

The system brought heavy rain and strong south-westerly winds to the Portuguese island of Madeira before turning toward mainland Portugal on Nov. 11, the Guardian reported. Funchal airport recorded a wind gust of 84.5mph (136 km/h), while rainfall totals reached 355mm (13.97in) in 12 hours — enough to trigger widespread flooding across the island and mainland. Photographs from the Portuguese coast showed waves crashing into a fort near Estoril as the storm made landfall, underscoring the swell driven by the system's winds.

How many flights were cancelled in Lisbon and Madrid?

Lisbon airport cancelled 183 flights on Wednesday, roughly a third of its normal daily traffic, the Guardian reported. Madrid's Barajas airport cancelled 155 flights over the same stretch as the storm pushed into the far south of Spain, causing flooding there as well.

Where did the storm move after leaving Iberia?

Storm Charles tracked north-east through southern France and into northern Italy, according to the report. Flooding in Cannes triggered rock falls and forced the closure of roads along the French Riviera. Italy's national weather service issued a red rainfall warning — its highest alert level — for an area stretching from Tuscany to Venezia.

What is the forecast for Italy and the Balkans?

Forecast models cited by the Guardian point to another 100mm of rain accumulating widely across Italy and the Balkans in the coming days, with totals near 200mm likely in mountainous terrain. The warning signals a continued risk of flooding and landslides as the system lingers over the region.

Is the flooding in British Columbia connected to Storm Charles?

No. The Guardian's report treats the two events separately. Successive rounds of heavy rain and strong wind battered British Columbia, Canada, over roughly the past week, unrelated to the Iberian storm system. Severe weather between Monday and Friday last week left more than 400,000 customers without power, the Guardian reported, and renewed rain over the following weekend cut power to another 135,000 customers while downing trees, flooding roads and triggering landslides. A gust of 72.1mph (116 km/h) was recorded on Herbert Island on Sunday, with a 60mph (96 km/h) gust logged elsewhere in the province.

What do the numbers show?

• Funchal airport wind gust: 84.5mph (136 km/h)
• Madeira 12-hour rainfall: 355mm (13.97in)
• Lisbon flight cancellations: 183 (about a third of normal traffic)
• Madrid Barajas cancellations: 155
• Forecast additional rainfall, Italy/Balkans: up to 100mm, 200mm in mountains
• British Columbia power outages: 400,000, then 135,000 a week later

What is a "red rainfall warning"?

Italy's weather service uses a red alert as its highest-level rainfall warning, signaling a heightened risk of severe flooding and landslides and typically prompting local authorities to close roads or advise against travel in the affected zone — in this case the stretch from Tuscany to Venezia.

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