Charles threatens torrential rains and gusts of up to 120 km/h on a very adverse day in the Peninsula

The interaction of the deep Atlantic storms Bruna and Charles will hit most of Spain this Wednesday with a storm of wind and rain, which will put the provinces of Ávila and Cáceres on red notice for rain and La Palma, for wind, according to the prediction of the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET).

Storm Charles, "small but very deep and adverse", will leave this Wednesday a storm of abundant rain, strong waves and very intense winds and even hurricane gusts in large areas of Spain, with impacts that could be "serious or even very serious", before beginning to move away on Thursday and lose intensity.

Rubén del Campo, spokesperson for Aemet, has warned that the effects of Charles will be noticed first in the Canary Islands with strong winds, poor sea conditions and abundant rain on the islands, before moving towards the peninsula, where the storm will advance from south to north and will affect large areas of the south, west and center.

"A lot of caution," insisted Del Campo, who has recommended remaining attentive to the warnings in force and following Civil Protection recommendations in the face of a day that can be "very adverse."

The prediction of the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) indicates that Asturias, the Balearic Islands and Cantabria are the only communities that are free from the warnings, as well as inland areas of Galicia, the north of Castilla y León, places in Aragon and Catalonia, and the coast of the Valencian Community.

There is a red warning - extraordinary danger - until midnight in the south of Ávila and the north of Cáceres due to persistent rains of at least 120 liters per square meter in 12 hours, and until noon on the island of La Palma due to hurricane gusts of at least 130 km/h.

In addition, Meteorology has activated the orange warning - important danger - in places in Cádiz, Granada, Huelva, Málaga and Seville due to persistent rains; Ávila, Badajoz, Cáceres, Cádiz, Ceuta, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga, Salamanca, Segovia, Seville, Soria and Toledo due to gusts of 90 to 120 km/h, and the coasts of Cádiz and Huelva due to waves of four to six meters.

There is also an orange warning on La Palma for very heavy rain of at least 30 liters per square meter in one hour, and most of the Canary Islands for gusts of 90 to 120 km/h, depending on the location.

Likewise, Meteorology has decreed a yellow warning for rain in Extremadura, Community of Madrid, western and Mediterranean Andalusia, Ceuta and areas of Ourense and the Pyrenees; due to gusts of 70 to 80 km/h in much of the eastern half of the peninsula, and the Galician coast due to rough seas.

River floods

This episode of adverse weather began this Sunday with the first frontal systems associated with Storm Bruna, located to the northwest, with intense rains, strong wind and sea storms on the Atlantic slope of the peninsula and the Canary Islands.

This Wednesday, a clear increase in instability is expected with the rapid advance and deepening of a second high-impact storm, Charles, which will drag a warm and very humid mass from tropical latitudes, which will give rise to widespread rainfall that may be strong or very strong and persistent in the southern and western halves of the peninsula, especially in areas of orographic enhancement.

In addition, the wind from the south and west will intensify as the storm approaches, giving rise to a significant maritime storm and very strong gusts in the western islands of the Canary Islands, and large areas of the peninsula, possibly causing hurricanes in La Palma and parts of Extremadura.

"The impacts associated with Bruna and Charles could be very significant, with local flooding and flooding of rivers and ravines, as well as possible landslides in areas of the Central System affected by summer fires," Aemet noted. In these areas, 300 liters per square meter could accumulate throughout the episode.

On the other hand, the intensification of the wind and the poor state of the sea could cause falls of branches or trees and vulnerable or poor architectural elements, as well as damage to promenades, property and infrastructure, according to Aemet.

"Most adverse day"

Meteorology expects this Wednesday to be "the most adverse day" of this episode with the movement of Charles towards the peninsula, penetrating the southwest of the peninsula.

The cold front associated with Charles will travel through the archipelago this Wednesday with heavy rainfall, occasionally with a storm, which could be very strong on La Palma, where the highest accumulations are expected.

The greatest instability will move to the peninsula throughout the morning of this Wednesday, with widespread rainfall and locally accompanied by storms, less abundant the further towards the northeast, with the exception of points in the Pyrenees.

It is expected to collect more than 40 to 60 liters per square meter in large areas of the west, south and center of the peninsula, especially in those located to the windward of the main mountain systems.

More specifically, 80 liters per square meter could be exceeded throughout the day in the mountains of northwestern Andalusia, Sierra Nevada, Grazalema, Ronda, Sol and Guadalhorce. The accumulations could be even higher in the Central System, with the possibility of exceeding 120 liters per square meter in 12 hours.

The wind will become a very significant variable from midday, with very strong gusts in large areas of the peninsula. They will be more intense in the southwestern quadrant of the peninsula, with the possibility of reaching 100 to 120 km/h not only in mountainous areas, but also in low areas of the south of Castilla y León, Extremadura, west of the Southern Plateau and Andalusia, with the probability of tornadoes and/or sea sleeves in the Gulf of Cádiz.

The wind will also intensify in the afternoon in the eastern interior of the peninsula and the Pyrenees, with gusts of 70 to 80 km/h.

In parallel, the maritime storm will increase in the Gulf of Cádiz, with strong or very strong wind and combined seas of five to six meters, without ruling out that occasionally they may exceed six meters.