Storm Charles Triggers Flooding and Flight Cancellations in Europe as Severe Weather Hits Canada

Storm Charles has brought severe flooding, high winds, and major transport disruptions across parts of southern Europe, while repeated storm systems have caused widespread power outages and landslides in British Columbia, Canada.

Storm Charles Impacts Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy

The storm initially impacted the Iberian peninsula, striking the Portuguese island of Madeira with heavy rainfall and strong south-westerly winds before moving toward the European mainland on November 11. Madeira's Funchal airport recorded wind gusts reaching 84.5 mph (136 km/h), while rainfall totals in the area reached 355 mm (13.97 in) within a 12-hour window.

The severe weather caused widespread aviation disruption across the region. Lisbon saw 183 flight cancellations on Wednesday, representing roughly one-third of its typical daily air traffic. In Spain, Madrid Barajas airport reported 155 cancelled flights due to the storm system.

After affecting Spain and Portugal, Storm Charles tracked north-east across southern France and toward northern Italy. In Cannes, severe flooding triggered rock falls and forced the closure of several roads along the French Riviera. In response to the advancing weather, the Italian meteorological service issued its highest-level red rainfall warning for regions stretching from Tuscany to Venezia. Forecasts indicate that parts of Italy and the Balkans could receive an additional 100 mm of rain, with mountainous regions facing localized totals near 200 mm.

Multiple Storm Systems Cause Blackouts and Flooding in British Columbia

Concurrently, British Columbia has experienced over a week of continuous heavy rain and gale-force winds, leading to flooding, landslides, and major infrastructure damage. Between Monday and Friday of last week, intense weather cut electricity to more than 400,000 customers across the Canadian province.

Unsettled conditions persisted into the weekend, leaving an additional 135,000 customers without power amidst fallen trees, road closures, and landslides. Peak wind gusts reached 72.1 mph (116 km/h) on Herbert Island and 60 mph (96 km/h) at Victoria International Airport on Sunday.

Heavy rain warnings were issued on Wednesday for Vancouver Island and southern coastal zones, where multiple weather stations logged precipitation exceeding 100 mm. The River Forecast Centre placed the south coast under flood warnings, citing ongoing high streamflows and an elevated risk of flash floods. Forecasters expect another low-pressure system to bring torrential rain and winds over 60 mph to central and southern Vancouver Island over the weekend, with rainfall potentially exceeding 100 mm on Saturday.