In early February 2026, Spain and Portugal were hit by a sequence of unusually intense Atlantic storms that caused deadly floods, mass evacuations, and heavy damage across the Iberian Peninsula.

Quick Scoop – What happened in Spain and Portugal?

Over several days, powerful storms such as “Leonardo” and “Marta” brought torrential rain, strong winds, and coastal rough seas to large parts of both countries.

Rivers overflowed, infrastructure failed in many areas, and authorities declared high alert as communities struggled with back‑to‑back extreme weather events.

Key facts at a glance

  • Multiple Atlantic storms hit Spain and Portugal in late January and early February 2026, with the worst impacts in early February.
  • Storm Leonardo caused severe flooding, especially in southern Spain (Andalusia) and southern Portugal.
  • At least two people were killed in the first wave of flooding (one in each country), with additional fatalities and missing persons reported as storms continued.
  • Around 11,000 people were displaced or evacuated in Spain and Portugal due to flooding and landslide risks, especially around Andalusia and low‑lying river areas.
  • Critical infrastructure was disrupted: roads and rail lines closed, some tunnels and river crossings were shut, and river transport in Lisbon was suspended over flood and falling‑tree risks.
  • Portugal’s meteorological service reported one of the wettest periods in decades, with some places seeing several months’ worth of rain in hours, and southern Spain saw rainfall totals comparable to a full year in just weeks.
  • Waves up to about 13 meters (over 40 feet) were forecast along parts of Portugal’s coast, prompting orange alerts for coastal danger.
  • The Portuguese government estimated storm damages at more than 4 billion euros, on top of losses from a previous storm (Kristin) that had already killed several people and knocked out power for tens of thousands.

Spain: floods, landslides, and evacuations

Spain’s south and parts of the interior were among the hardest hit.

  • Andalusia saw widespread flooding, landslides, and river overflows, with tens of thousands of residents evacuated at various points as saturated ground and swollen rivers threatened towns and farms.
  • Transport was heavily affected: many roads were blocked and some rail lines were suspended as floodwaters and debris made travel dangerous.
  • At least one person in Spain died after being swept away while attempting to drive through a flooded area.
  • Heavy snow also fell in some inland regions, adding to disruption and complicating emergency responses.

Portugal: coastal danger and record rain

Portugal faced both inland flooding and dangerous conditions along the coast.

  • Authorities warned of heightened flood risk nationwide after extremely intense rainfall, including one of the wettest Januarys since 2000.
  • In Lisbon and other major urban areas, parks and tunnels were closed and several river transport links were suspended due to risk from floods and falling trees.
  • The entire Portuguese coastline went under an orange alert because of powerful seas, with forecasts of very high waves battering coastal towns and infrastructure.
  • Prior to Leonardo and Marta, Storm Kristin had already killed five people and left tens of thousands without power, so the new storms arrived while the country was still in recovery.

Why people are talking about it online

The situation in Spain and Portugal became a major discussion point in news outlets and on forums because:

  • The storms came in quick succession, turning what might have been “just” a bad storm into a continuing crisis.
  • Video and eyewitness reports showed dramatic scenes of evacuations, flooded streets, and worry about what homes would look like once people returned.
  • Commentators linked the events to broader concerns about climate change, extreme rainfall, and whether existing infrastructure and planning are sufficient for future storms.

Simple HTML table of main points

[1][3] [3][5] [9][1] [9][1][5] [1][3] [3][5] [1] [8][5][1] [7][3][1] [3] [1] [5] [1] [3]
Aspect Spain Portugal
Main impacts Severe floods, landslides, evacuations in Andalusia and other regionsMajor floods, coastal danger, transport closures
Notable storms Storm Leonardo, followed by Storm MartaStorm Leonardo and Marta, after earlier Storm Kristin
Human toll Several fatalities, including a driver swept away in floodwatersAt least one person killed, more injured and displaced
Evacuations Tens of thousands evacuated in worst‑hit areas like AndalusiaPart of the roughly 11,000 total displaced across both countries
Infrastructure Roads cut, rail disrupted, local services under strainTrain suspensions, tunnel and park closures, river transport halted in Lisbon
Economic cost Heavy agricultural and infrastructure damage, multi‑million‑euro lossesDamage estimated above 4 billion euros, plus prior storm costs
Weather extremes Rainfall in some southern areas equal to about a full year in weeksSecond‑wettest January since 2000; several months of rain in hours in some places

Forum‑style takeaway

“Spain and Portugal have been hammered by storm after storm – deadly floods, huge waves, whole towns evacuated. People are safe in many places now, but recovery will take a long time.”

If you’d like, I can narrow this down to one specific angle (human stories, climate aspect, or travel/safety info) and expand just that part.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.