Portugal will shut schools and non-essential public services on Wednesday, with the government urging people to shelter from winds potentially reaching 140 kilometers (85 miles) per hour. "All those who can should stay at home," Interior Minister Luis Neves told a press conference on Tuesday at the civil protection service's headquarters. Eight of the country's districts, including the capital Lisbon, are on the highest red alert for extreme weather, with Storm Charles expected to reach mainland Portugal on Wednesday morning after passing the island of Madeira late Tuesday. Forecasts of downpours have raised fears of floods, especially in cities, like those which devastated the Iberian nation in early 2026. Between January 22 and February 16, Portugal was battered by six successive storms which authorities said left at least seven dead. Some Portuguese media put the toll higher at nearly 20 direct and indirect victims. The Iberian peninsula is especially exposed to extreme weather patterns, such as heatwaves and periods of heavy rains, supercharged by man-made climate change.
