Charles leaves 124 km/h winds, students without classes, flights canceled and rivers on alert

Storm Charles left its first effects in Spain this Wednesday, with wind gusts of more than 120 kilometers per hour in the Canary Islands, flights canceled and classes suspended, while on the peninsula the flooding of the Tormes River has raised the alert to red level in Salamanca.

The storm, "small but very deep and adverse", began to be felt this morning in the Canary Islands, where all the islands are on alert due to strong winds, especially in La Palma and the peaks of Tenerife, with a more adverse situation and declared on maximum alert by the regional government.

During the early morning, gusts of 124 km/h have been recorded in Izaña, in Tenerife; 117 km/h at La Palma airport; 110 km/h in Roque de los Muchachos, also in La Palma, and 109 km/h in Alto Igualero, in La Gomera, according to data from the Meteorological Agency (Aemet).

Likewise, the strong storm has forced the cancellation of eight flights at La Palma airport, one from Madrid and seven departing from the island, five to Tenerife North and two to Gran Canaria, and a flight from Gran Canaria that was scheduled to land in Tenerife North has had to return to its airport of origin due to the weather conditions.

The Government of the Canary Islands has suspended in-person classes in Tenerife, La Palma and La Graciosa due to the risk of strong winds, which in La Palma could reach 130 km/h.

The Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA) has announced that the shipping companies operating from the Port of Tarifa have canceled the departures scheduled from 2:00 p.m. this Wednesday due to the storm that is being recorded in the Strait as a result of Storm Charles.

In addition, a cruise ship that was scheduled to arrive this Thursday at the Port of Cádiz has also canceled this stopover due to the storm. This is the cruise ship 'Le Bougainville', which has capacity for almost 200 travelers in addition to its crew.

In Castilla y León, the Duero Hydrographic Confederation (CHD) keeps the episode of floods open in the Tormes River as it passes through Puente del Congosto (Salamanca), where a flow of 942.1 cubic meters per second and a level of 5.27 meters have been recorded.

The flood occurs after the intense rainfall associated with Storm Bruna, which during the previous day caused the flow of the Tormes to multiply by thirty at the El Barco de Ávila station.

Meanwhile, in the north of Cáceres, where the red warning remains due for heavy rains, the reduction in rainfall during the last few hours has given a respite to the rivers.

The capacity of the Tiétar in Valverde de la Vera, which at midnight was at the red level due to the risk of flooding in areas close to the channel, has dropped to orange, according to the Hydrological Information System (SAIH) of the Tagus.

The capacity of the Tiétar in Talayuela, the Jerte in El Torno and the Rivera de Gata in Moraleja have also left the yellow level, after the rains associated with Bruna and Charles decreased.

The strong storm has also forced to postpone the exhibition in Cáceres of the World Cup trophy won by the Spanish team in the United States, Mexico and Canada World Cup and which was going to be shown today in the Plenary Hall of the City Council, within the "Kings of the World" exhibition, which has already passed through Mérida.

The "El Horcajo" dam, in the Avila town of Piedralaves (2,200 inhabitants), which yesterday was at risk of collapse, has dropped 3 meters tonight, as confirmed by the territorial delegate of the Regional Government of Castilla y León, José Francisco Hernández, after the celebration of the CECOPI.

While waiting for the evolution of the storm in the coming hours, which in addition to rain also includes strong winds, Hernández has opted for caution in statements to the media, while confirming that the residents of this town in the south of the province will continue outside their homes.

Given the forecast of strong gusts of wind in the capital, El Retiro and five other historic parks in the city - El Capricho, Rosaleda del Parque del Oeste, Quinta de Fuente del Berro, Quinta de los Molinos and Quinta Torre Arias - will remain closed from 12:00 p.m. due to adverse weather conditions.

Also in the city of Ceuta, the Government has decided to suspend educational activities and reduce the in-person activity of Administration workers scheduled for this Wednesday and proceed to close sports facilities and parks.

In the next few hours, the storm will move from south to north across the peninsula and will begin to move away on Thursday, although the rains and intense winds will continue to affect a good part of the territory.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.