Two low-pressure systems, Bruna and Charles, have converged over Spain, putting most of the country under weather warnings for heavy rain, strong wind and rough seas. According to The Local Spain, the state weather agency AEMET has placed a red warning over the north of Cáceres and the south of Ávila.
What happened
AEMET (Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, Spain’s state meteorological agency) issued a special warning on Wednesday for heavy and persistent rain, very strong gusts and rough seas in many parts of the country. The Local Spain reports that the south and west of the peninsula and the Canary Islands were seeing particularly severe conditions, with potentially hurricane-force winds.
The storm comes from the meeting of two systems. The first, Bruna, sits to the northwest of Spain and has been bringing rain, wind and rough seas to the Atlantic coast and the Canary Islands for several days. The second, Charles, is moving quickly and was expected to gain strength in the following hours. It was due to reach the mainland on Wednesday afternoon, after passing the Canary Islands and Madeira. Charles is also carrying warm tropical air, which means heavy rain, especially in mountainous areas.
The Local Spain describes AEMET’s alert map as showing most of Spain under yellow or orange warnings. The whole of the mainland except Asturias and Cantabria was on alert for heavy rain or gale-force winds.
In the Canary Islands, gusts of up to 130 km/h were forecast on La Palma. The report says a dozen flights have been cancelled and classes have been suspended on Tenerife, La Palma and La Graciosa.
What it means for you
Rain. Rain was expected across almost the entire country, at times with storms, though intensity falls further towards the north-east. The Pyrenees are the exception. In large areas of the west, south and centre, more than 40 to 60 litres per square metre could fall. In the mountain ranges of north-western Andalusia, including the Sierra Nevada, Grazalema, the Ronda mountains and the Sol and Guadalhorce areas, rainfall could exceed 80 litres.
Where the risk is highest. If you live in or are travelling through the north of Cáceres (Extremadura) or the south of Ávila (Castilla y León), the red warning applies to you. Residents of Andalusia’s mountain areas and the Canary Islands should also take the alerts seriously.
Travel and schools. If you are flying to or from La Palma, check with your airline before leaving home, as a dozen flights have already been cancelled. Parents in Tenerife, La Palma and La Graciosa should note that classes have been suspended.
What to do.
- Follow AEMET’s warnings for your area and the recommendations of Protección Civil (Spain’s civil protection service). AEMET urged people to stay informed.
- Check the colour of the warning for your province before travelling, particularly in mountain areas and on the Atlantic coast.
- Expect rough seas on the Atlantic coast and around the Canary Islands.
The Local Spain also points readers to its guide on what orange and red alerts mean for the public. Yellow, orange and red are AEMET’s warning levels, with red the most serious.
What to watch next
The article was written on Wednesday afternoon, when Charles was due to reach the mainland and strengthen. Watch AEMET’s updated warnings for your province, as colours and areas can change as the storm moves. Asturias and Cantabria were not on alert at the time of writing, but that could change. The source does not give a date for when the warnings will end, so check AEMET and Protección Civil for the latest information.
Source: The Local Spain
Sources
- The Local Spain: Spain under weather warning for storms and hurricane-force winds, accessed 12 November 2026
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