Spain experienced its wettest January and February in nearly half a century, according to the national weather agency Aemet, as a series of storms brought record rainfall and widespread disruption.
Eleven major storms impacted the country between late December and mid-February, delivering heavy precipitation and strong winds, AEMET spokesman Rubén del Campo stated Thursday. “January and February 2026 has been the rainiest in the last 47 years, highlighting the extraordinary nature of these events,” he told reporters.
The intensity of the storms led to significant flooding and prompted authorities to evacuate the entire town of Grazalema, in southern Spain, after it received more than a year’s expected rainfall in just a few days during the passage of Storm Leonardo in February. Tragically, two deaths were attributed to the storm, according to reports.
The Iberian Peninsula is increasingly recognized as a region particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, experiencing prolonged heatwaves and more frequent episodes of intense rainfall. Del Campo characterized the severity of Storm Leonardo as “the footprint of climate change,” explaining that warmer ocean temperatures contribute to increased evaporation, while a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, resulting in heavier precipitation.
Neighboring Portugal also recorded its wettest February in 47 years, as reported by the Portuguese meteorological agency IPMA on Tuesday. This extreme weather follows a pattern of warming trends in Spain, which has now endured eight consecutive warm or very warm winters, with temperatures consistently above average – an unprecedented streak in AEMET records.
Aemet forecasts a 50 to 70 percent probability that the coming spring will also be warmer than usual. The agency’s data indicates a clear shift in weather patterns, with the recent rainfall significantly exceeding average levels for the period between 1991, and 2020.
The storms have also disrupted transportation networks, with road and rail lines cut in several areas, as reported by news sources earlier this week.
