Portugal closes all schools and non-essential services ahead of a major Atlantic storm

Attendees retrieve their umbrellas from the Web Summit technology conference venue in Lisbon, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, as Portugal gets prepared for the arrival of Storm Charles, prompting the organizers to cancel the second day of the event on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

LISBON, Portugal — Portugal closed all schools and shuttered non-essential public services on Wednesday as a major Atlantic storm headed for the country’s mainland.

Streets remained largely deserted ahead of the arrival of Storm Charles after the government told people to stay at home as heavy rain and rough seas were expected to batter the Portuguese coast, with wind gusts of up to 140 km/h.

It was the first time in living memory that Portugal’s roughly 8,000 schools had cancelled classes nationwide over a storm forecast.

Buses without passengers drove through the country’s capital, Lisbon, where some streets flooded due to clogged drains. A national supermarket chain closed its stores, while an international technology conference in Lisbon attended by around 70,000 people called off the day’s events.

In January, the country’s centre-right government faced harsh criticism for its weak response when Storm Kristin hit central Portugal, felling thousands of trees and causing widespread property damage that is still being repaired.

The brunt of Storm Charles was expected to hit the Atlantic coast on Wednesday afternoon and evening, coming from the southwest after it had struck the Portuguese island of Madeira on Tuesday with 130 km/h winds.