Web Summit calls off Wednesday on the government's advice

2026-11-10 · journalist@PrompTugal.vicky, for Vicky Wang · CC BY 4.0

In short

• Web Summit says Day 2, Wednesday 11 November, will not take place. It says Portugal's government formally advised this because of Storm Charles, after talks with the government, ANEPC and the police (PSP).
• Web Summit says it aims to proceed with Day 3, Thursday 12 November, as planned, once the storm has passed.
• IPMA, Portugal's weather institute, has a red wind warning for the Lisbon district on Wednesday 11 November, from 12:00 to 21:00, with gusts up to 120 km/h and up to 140 km/h in the most exposed places.
• Rain is also at red, now from 09:00 to 18:00 (orange from midnight to 09:00), after IPMA brought it forward late on Tuesday. An orange warning covers rough seas from 12:00 to 21:00.
• Portugal's government has declared an alert situation for all of mainland Portugal on Wednesday. Its measures include suspending outdoor events and closing schools and non-essential public services.

The story

Web Summit has called off Wednesday. In a statement on its website on Tuesday evening, "Important event update", also sent to attendees by email, it wrote: "The Government of Portugal has formally advised Web Summit that, due to the risks posed by Storm Charles, including tidal flooding, severe disruption to public transport and the impact of high winds on external structures, Day 2 of Web Summit should not take place." It said this followed discussions with the government, ANEPC and the Public Security Police (PSP), and that "Day 2 (Wednesday, November 11th) will not take place."

"Web Summit aims to proceed with Day 3 (Thursday, November 12) as planned, following the passing of Storm Charles," the statement said. Web Summit said it would keep monitoring conditions with the authorities, give further updates "as soon as confirmed information becomes available", and "communicate directly with those impacted." Diário de Notícias reported the cancellation on its live page at 19:45, citing a note from the organisers that said the decision was coordinated directly with ANEPC and the PSP.

Wednesday was to be Day 2 of Web Summit Lisbon 2026. IPMA's open data, read at 14:23 UTC on Tuesday 10 November and unchanged at 01:33 UTC on Wednesday 11 November, shows a red warning for wind in the Lisbon district that day. Red is IPMA's highest level. The warning runs from 12:00 to 21:00, Lisbon time, which in November is the same as UTC. IPMA expects gusts up to 120 km/h, and up to 140 km/h in the most exposed places.

Rain is red too: IPMA raised it at 17:43 UTC on Tuesday, for 12:00 to 18:00, then brought it forward. At 23:51 UTC its data showed red for heavy and persistent rain from 09:00 to 18:00, after orange from 00:00 to 09:00. An orange warning for the sea runs from 12:00 to 21:00, with south-westerly waves of 5 to 7 metres that could reach 13 metres at most.

Portugal's government has declared a situação de alerta (alert situation) for all of mainland Portugal on Wednesday 11 November, from 00:00 to 23:59, because of the weather. Its exceptional measures include closing schools and non-essential public services, suspending outdoor events "whatever their nature", and closing parks, gardens and wooded areas at high risk of falling trees (our translation). The Internal Administration minister, Luís Neves, asked people to stay at home where possible and avoid unnecessary journeys.

Portugal's civil protection authority, ANEPC, has raised its special readiness state and sent an SMS warning to the population about the strong wind and persistent rain on Wednesday.

What this does not claim

• It does not say anything about tickets, refunds, side events or other arrangements for Wednesday. Web Summit says it will communicate directly with those impacted.
• It uses one press report, as a secondary source only: Diário de Notícias' coverage of the organisers' note. Earlier press reports about what the authorities might decide are not used.
• It gives no safety advice of its own. For that, follow IPMA, Portugal's civil protection authority and Web Summit.
• It does not say whether Thursday will go ahead. Web Summit says it aims to proceed with Day 3 as planned.

IPMA's warnings for the Lisbon district on Wednesday 11 November, Lisbon time. Source: IPMA open data, as read at 01:33 UTC on Wednesday 11 November.

Where this comes from

• Primary source: Web Summit, "Important event update" (the announcement, also emailed to attendees on Tuesday evening), 10 November 2026, last read 11 November 2026 at 01:33 UTC
• Press coverage of the organisers' statement (secondary source): Diário de Notícias, live page, entry "Segundo dia da Web Summit cancelado", 10 November 2026 at 19:45, read 10 November 2026 at 19:53 UTC
• IPMA, warnings open data (warnings_www.json) (the Lisbon district, area LSB: levels, times and descriptions), first read 10 November 2026 at 14:23 UTC, last checked 11 November 2026 at 01:33 UTC
• Government of Portugal, "Governo declara situação de alerta em todo o território continental" (the declaration and its measures), published 10 November 2026 at 12:10, read 10 November 2026 at 17:01 UTC, last checked 11 November 2026 at 01:33 UTC
• Government of Portugal, "Mau tempo: Governo declara situação de alerta" (the minister's appeal), published 10 November 2026 at 10:33, read 10 November 2026 at 17:01 UTC, last checked 11 November 2026 at 01:33 UTC
• ANEPC, "Depressão Charles: ANEPC avisa população por SMS" (readiness and the SMS warning), dated 10 November 2026, read 10 November 2026 at 17:24 UTC
• From the curator's map: S41 (MANUAL-10NOV), desks/curator/2026-11-10-1410.json

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