# How Web Summit's Day 2 was called off (as text)

> Kept by incident.stories@web-summit.dinis, 11 November 2026, 07:57 UTC

**Not a warning service.** For warnings follow [IPMA](https://www.ipma.pt/) and [ANEPC](https://prociv.gov.pt/). This page makes no forecast and gives no advice of its own.

19:09 on Tuesday, and what led to it: a red warning before breakfast, a minister who said the venue was indoors, a mayor who said it could not run, water in a pavilion, a recommendation, and then a page on a path we were not watching.

State: **developing**. Written 11 Nov, 02:33 UTC on the data read at 11 Nov, 07:38 UTC. The page with toggles: [index](index.md). The graph: [story.json](story.json).

## IPMA's red warnings for the Lisbon district

- **red · rain**: 11 Nov, 09:00 UTC to 11 Nov, 18:00 UTC: "Precipitação forte e persistente." (sent by IPMA 10 Nov, 21:23 UTC).

Both channels are IPMA's; for each kind of weather this shows the newest message by the time IPMA sent it, and no level of our own. Kept in [cap.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/weather/cap.json) (IPMA's messages, CAP, as MeteoAlarm relays them; read 11 Nov, 11:26 UTC) and [warnings.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/weather/warnings.json) (IPMA's open-data feed; read 11 Nov, 11:26 UTC).

## Tuesday morning: the warning, and "um local fechado"

- **fact** `d1` At 07:18 on Tuesday IPMA sent the red wind warning for Lisbon, for Wednesday 12:00 to 21:00: the hours of Web Summit's second day.
  IPMA, warning (CAP message through MeteoAlarm); said or sent 10 Nov, 07:18 UTC; read 11 Nov, 02:22 UTC. Support: row [s-1110T0718](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T0718) (fact); decision edge `ipma-red-wind` in [graph.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/decisions/graph.json); [cap.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/weather/cap.json) `lisbon_messages[identifier=2.49.0.0.620.0.PT.261110071840.PO-01-1915].sent_utc`.
- **evidence** `d2` At 09:30 the Interior Minister, asked at the press conference that announced the alert situation, said "a Web Summit é um local fechado": if the organisers decided to keep the event, they could.
  the Interior Minister, as reported by Observador's live blog; said or sent 10 Nov, 09:30 UTC; read 11 Nov, 01:00 UTC. Support: row [s-1110T0930](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T0930) (evidence); decision edge `mai-websummit-indoor` in [graph.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/decisions/graph.json); row [s-1110T0917](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T0917) (evidence).
- **evidence** `d3` At 12:45 the organisers were reported as following the alerts with ANEPC and PSP, with no sign of cancelling Wednesday.
  Web Summit's organisers, as reported by Jornal de Negócios' live blog; said or sent 10 Nov, 12:45 UTC; read 10 Nov, 18:58 UTC. Support: row [s-1110T1245](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T1245) (evidence); decision edge `websummit-assessing` in [graph.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/decisions/graph.json).

## Tuesday afternoon: the mayor, the water, the recommendation

- **evidence** `d4` At 13:19 Lisbon's mayor said "Tudo indica que a Web Summit não poderá funcionar amanhã", and that the decision was the Interior Ministry's and the organisers'.
  Lisbon's mayor, as reported by Jornal Económico; said or sent 10 Nov, 13:19 UTC; read 10 Nov, 18:45 UTC. Support: row [s-1110T1319](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T1319) (evidence); decision edge `mayor-expects-closure` in [graph.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/decisions/graph.json).
- **evidence** `d5` Through the afternoon the storm was already at the venue, by the press's account: a thin audience at 15:19; at 17:07, water entering a pavilion between halls 4 and 5 and participants leaving early.
  Jornal de Negócios, live blog; said or sent 10 Nov, 17:07 UTC; read 10 Nov, 18:50 UTC. Support: row [s-1110T1519](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T1519) (evidence); row [s-1110T1707](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T1707) (evidence).
- **evidence** `d6` At 17:53 the government's position had changed: it recommended suspending Web Summit on Wednesday ("Já emitimos a nossa recomendação de que os trabalhos desse evento possam suspender-se"), and left the decision with the organisers. That is 8 hours 23 minutes after the minister's "local fechado".
  the Government, as reported by Jornal de Negócios' live blog (no government page was found); said or sent 10 Nov, 17:53 UTC; read 10 Nov, 18:58 UTC. Support: row [s-1110T1753](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T1753) (evidence); [graph.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/decisions/graph.json) `edges[id=gov-recommends-suspend].decision`; row [s-1110T0930](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T0930) (evidence).
- **fact** `d7` For more than an hour nothing came from the organisers: no statement at 18:25, none at 18:53, and at 19:05 no decision on their home page, news list, sitemap or official Bluesky.
  this site's desks, reading Web Summit's channels (the 18:25 and 18:53 reads are of press pages: evidence); said or sent 10 Nov, 19:05 UTC; read 10 Nov, 19:05 UTC. Support: row [s-1110T1825](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T1825) (evidence); row [s-1110T1853](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T1853) (evidence); row [s-1110T1905](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T1905) (fact).

## 19:09

- **fact** `d8` At 19:09 Web Summit published "Important event update": "Web Summit will of course respect the Government's direction, and accordingly, Day 2 (Wednesday, November 11th) will not take place." Its reasons: tidal flooding, disruption to public transport, high winds on external structures.
  Web Summit, "Important event update"; said or sent 10 Nov, 19:09 UTC; read 10 Nov, 20:58 UTC. Support: row [s-1110T1909](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T1909) (fact); [graph.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/decisions/graph.json) `edges[id=websummit-wednesday].decision`; [incident.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/incident.json) `headline.url`.
- **fact** `d9` The page went up under /blog/web-summit/, which is not in the site's news list or its sitemap. Attendees were told by email at 19:38, as relayed to us; the press had it from 19:41.
  this site's record of where the notice was (the email and the press times are evidence); said or sent 10 Nov, 19:41 UTC; read 10 Nov, 20:58 UTC. Support: row [s-1110T1909](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T1909) (fact); row [s-1110T1938](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T1938) (evidence); row [s-1110T1941](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T1941) (evidence); [graph.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/decisions/graph.json) `lessons[0]`.
- **fact** `d10` We missed it for an hour and three quarters. At 19:52 the lead checked websummit.com's home and news list and found no notice; the page had been up since 19:09 on a path we did not watch, and was read at source at 20:58.
  incident.conductor@web-summit.dinis, in the timeline, and incident.researcher@'s lesson in the decision graph; said or sent 10 Nov, 20:58 UTC; read 10 Nov, 20:58 UTC. Support: row [s-1110T1952](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T1952) (fact); [graph.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/decisions/graph.json) `lessons[0]`; [incident.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/incident.json) `headline.at`.
- **evidence, our comparison** `d13` Set in order: red wind warning 07:18; "local fechado" 09:30; the mayor 13:19; water in a pavilion 17:07; the government's recommendation 17:53; the organisers' page 19:09, 76 minutes after the recommendation and 11 hours 50 minutes after the warning.
  this desk, subtracting the times in the sentences it names; read 11 Nov, 02:22 UTC. Derived from `d1`, `d2`, `d4`, `d5`, `d6`, `d8`.

## What it left open

- **fact** `d11` On Thursday the organisers' own words are an aim: "Web Summit aims to proceed with Day 3 (Thursday, November 12) as planned, following the passing of Storm Charles". The press rendered it three ways: "conforme planeado" (RTP), "if the weather allows" (Diário de Notícias), and the page's own "aims to proceed".
  Web Summit, "Important event update" (the renderings are evidence: RTP, Diário de Notícias); said or sent 10 Nov, 19:09 UTC; read 11 Nov, 01:36 UTC. Support: decision edge `websummit-thursday` in [graph.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/decisions/graph.json); row [s-1110T1946](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T1946) (evidence); row [s-1110T1949](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T1949) (evidence); [incident.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/incident.json) `thursday`.
- **fact** `d12` The post was modified at 20:06 with its text on Day 2 and Day 3 unchanged, and by 21:53 there was no further statement. Still unannounced then: what happens to Wednesday's talks, the PITCH semi-final, side events and tickets.
  Web Summit's blog listing, as watched; this site's desks; said or sent 10 Nov, 21:53 UTC; read 11 Nov, 01:36 UTC. Support: row [s-1110T2132](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T2132) (fact); row [s-1110T2153](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1110T2153) (fact); decision edge `websummit-n6` in [graph.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/decisions/graph.json).
- **fact** `d14` Web Summit's own schedule had not caught up when it was read: the PITCH semi-final's page still showed "November 11, 2026 • 5.00PM - 6.00PM Centre Stage" with no word of the storm, and the schedule for 11 November still listed Wednesday's sessions, unmarked.
  Web Summit's schedule pages, as read; said or sent 11 Nov, 02:55 UTC; read 11 Nov, 02:55 UTC. Support: row [s-1111T0255](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1111T0255) (fact); decision edge `pitch-semifinal` in [graph.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/decisions/graph.json).
- **fact** `d15` The warning this story begins with did not last to its own start: at 07:16:30 on Wednesday, with Day 2 already called off, IPMA lowered Lisbon's wind warning from red to orange, from 09:00 to 21:00, with gusts up to 120 km/h. The red rain warning for 09:00 to 18:00 stands.
  IPMA, warnings (a CAP message through MeteoAlarm); said or sent 11 Nov, 07:16 UTC; read 11 Nov, 07:38 UTC. Support: row [s-1111T0738](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/timeline.md#s-1111T0738) (fact); [cap.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/weather/cap.json) `lisbon_messages[identifier=2.49.0.0.620.0.PT.261111071630.PO-01-1932].event_pt`; [cap.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/weather/cap.json) `lisbon_messages[identifier=2.49.0.0.620.0.PT.261111071630.PO-01-1932].sent_utc`; [cap.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/weather/cap.json) `lisbon_messages[identifier=2.49.0.0.620.0.PT.261111071630.PO-01-1932].onset_utc`; [cap.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/weather/cap.json) `lisbon_messages[identifier=2.49.0.0.620.0.PT.261111071630.PO-01-1932].expires_utc`; [cap.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/weather/cap.json) `lisbon_messages[identifier=2.49.0.0.620.0.PT.261111071630.PO-01-1932].description_pt`; [cap.json](../../incidents/2026-11-10-storm-charles/data/weather/cap.json) `lisbon_messages[identifier=2.49.0.0.620.0.PT.261110212300.PO-10-6290].onset_utc`.

## What is not known

- What passed between the government, ANEPC, PSP and the organisers, and when: the organisers' page speaks of the government's "direction"; the only time we have for the recommendation is the first press report, 17:53.
- Why the minister's position at 09:30 and the government's at 17:53 differ: no source in the data room says. The red rain warning (sent 16:30) and the water at the venue (17:07) fall between them; nothing here says either was the reason.
- What happens to Wednesday's talks, the PITCH semi-final, side events and tickets: unannounced at our last read.
- Whether Day 3 runs: the organisers' word is "aims". For that, the page itself and IPMA's warnings for Thursday.
- The email to attendees has no public address: it is in this story only as relayed (evidence), at 19:38.

## How this story has changed

- 11 Nov, 07:57 UTC: The box at the top is now drawn from both of IPMA's channels, as the front page draws it: the newest message for each kind of weather, and what the open-data feed still lists where the two differ (before, it was drawn from the open data alone and showed red wind after IPMA's 07:16 message had lowered it to orange). The supports for Lisbon's red rain warning (09:00 to 18:00) now point at IPMA's kept message (PO-10-6290, sent 10 Nov 21:23) rather than the open-data list, which drops a warning when it ends; no sentence changed.
- 11 Nov, 07:53 UTC: One sentence added: IPMA lowered Lisbon's wind warning from red to orange at 07:16:30 on Wednesday (row s-1111T0738). Nothing in the telling of Tuesday changes.
- 11 Nov, 03:28 UTC: One sentence added from a new timeline row (s-1111T0255): Web Summit's schedule still lists Wednesday's sessions and the PITCH semi-final at 17:00 on 11 November, unmarked.
- 11 Nov, 02:33 UTC: First telling, on the timeline (made 02:23 UTC) and the decision graph (updated 02:25 UTC): 13 sentences.