Storm Leonardo has caused severe flooding, evacuations and travel problems in Andalusia in particular, and although it’s expected to dissipate somewhat on Friday, the eighth named storm of the year will bring more heavy rain to Spain over the weekend.
Storm Leonardo has hit Spain hard over the past three days, leaving more than 7,000 people displaced in Andalusia and a critical situation in towns like Grazalema.
Torrential rains and overflowing rivers triggered red weather alerts on Thursday, while Spain’s Military Emergency Unit (UME) and other emergency services have worked on rescues around the clock.
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Leonardo is expected to give some respite to Andalusia on Friday, but that’s not to say there won’t be heavy rain or the risk of flooding in the southern region and elsewhere in Spain. The storm front will spread to Extremadura and Castile and León on Friday, where orange weather alerts are in effect.
Worryingly, the eighth named storm of 2026 in Spain – Storm Marta – will bring more bad weather to Spain on Saturday.
Spain’s high-speed rail services, already undergoing the biggest reputational problems in their history following two recent deadly accidents, face more disruptions on Friday.
Classes will resume this Friday throughout Andalusia , except in the evacuated areas affected by the flooding of riverbeds, as reported by the Minister of Health, Presidency and Emergencies, Antonio Sanz.
The search continues in Málaga for the woman who went missing after falling into the Turvilla River while trying to rescue her dog. The dog was later found safe and sound.
In the town of Huétor Tájar in Granada, four young people were rescued from the roof of a car, after being trapped by the Genil River. With the help of a local resident who lent his excavator, they were brought to safety.
On Thursday night, 400 residents of Córdoba were evacuated because of the rising waters of the Guadalquivir River.
María José García Pelayo, mayor of Jerez de la Frontera, on Friday morning asked residents of the Andalusian city not to leave their homes.
“We are going to send out an ES-Alert specifying the areas that must be isolated. We ask that people not leave their homes,” he announced on RNE.
Storm Marta arrives this Saturday, with a particular impact on the south and east of the Iberian Peninsula.
Spain’s national weather agency Aemet forecasts Storm Marta will bring even more heavy rainfall and strong gusts of wind to the regions already badly hit by Leonardo.
