On Wednesday, November 11, Madrid will face worsening weather conditions with the arrival of Charles, a subtropical storm that will compound the storm caused by Bruna. According to the forecast by meteorologist José Miguel Viñas, published Tuesday on eltiempo.es, the system will quickly cross the interior of the Iberian Peninsula, and its most intense effects in the capital will be concentrated during the afternoon and evening. The forecast calls for heavy rain and very strong winds, although their intensity and distribution will depend on the storm’s final path.
The most severe period forecast for Madrid is expected between 6:00 p.m. and midnight on Wednesday. Viñas identifies this time frame as when Storm Charles will pass over the city, bringing the heaviest rainfall, intense downpours, and southerly wind gusts that could reach or exceed 70–80 km/h. The rain, however, will not be limited to those six hours: as the forecast correctly predicted, the skies have been very cloudy or overcast since the early hours of the day, and precipitation has continued.
The Guadarrama Mountains will be particularly affected
The new front will arrive as the ground is already saturated from Bruna’s rainfall, especially in the Central Mountain Range. Ávila is being particularly hard hit, and areas such as Piedralaves are currently being evacuated due to the overflowing of the Horcajo Dam. On Tuesday, Aemet is maintaining red alerts for rain in southern Ávila and northern Cáceres—a situation distinct from that in Madrid and one that should not be automatically extrapolated to the capital. In the Guadarrama Mountains, the aforementioned forecast also calls for accumulations exceeding 40 liters per square meter on Tuesday.
Charles will bring a significant amount of moisture associated with an atmospheric river, which will lead to very heavy rainfall as it passes through. The heaviest rainfall could occur further west, in areas of Castile and León, Extremadura, Castile-La Mancha, and Andalusia, with a risk of flooding. Yellow alerts are in effect for the Community of Madrid on Wednesday, although some meteorologists are already discussing the possibility of upgrading them to orange or red. Before making travel plans, it is advisable to check official updates, especially for Wednesday afternoon and evening.