Storm Charles Soaks City Overnight
Storm Charles brought widespread and heavy rain to Barcelona and Catalonia during the night of Wednesday 11th November and into the early hours of Thursday 12th November 2026. Central and low-lying districts received the highest volumes, with 40.4 litres per square metre recorded in Raval according to Meteocat data. Unofficial stations in Sant Andreu reported similar levels. Areas including Sants, Les Corts, and betevé’s headquarters in Poblenou saw rainfall just below that figure. Higher-altitude zones such as Tibidabo, the Fabra Observatory, and Rectoret recorded slightly less, though most still exceeded 30 litres.
Autumn Rain Total Nears Historic Record
At the Fabra Observatory – RACAB, 27.2 litres fell during this single weather event, bringing the November total to 38.2 litres so far. Since 1st September, the observatory has recorded a provisional 496.0 litres of rain, just under 3 litres short of the all-time autumn record of 498.9 litres set in 1987. This year’s total already surpasses the 480.1 litres recorded in 1994 and more than doubles the climatological average of 226.7 litres for the September–November period. With 18 days still remaining in November, the possibility of reaching 500 litres for the first time in a single autumn season remains within reach.
The autumn is proving extraordinarily rainy, to the point that we are less than 3 litres from the absolute record in the centennial series dating back to 1913.
Earlier data from the Fabra Observatory showed that by 25th October 2026, Barcelona had already received 781.6 litres of rain, 61% above the historical average, despite experiencing five fewer rainy days than usual. The trend reflects increasingly intense but less frequent rainfall events, consistent with regional climate change projections. Meteocat, the Catalan meteorological service, confirms that by October 2026, a quarter of its monitoring stations across Catalonia had exceeded their average annual rainfall totals. Residents and city planners are advised to remain alert to flash flooding risks during heavy downpours.
What It Means for Residents
Commuters should expect wet conditions to persist, with further rain forecast over the coming days. The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) provides daily updates on precipitation levels via its official portal.
Sources: betevé, Barna.News News Desk.
