Spain is wet. Honestly, that’s an understatement. After the catastrophic events in Valencia back in late 2024, everyone is on edge whenever the sky turns grey. Right now, in January 2026, the question of where are the floods in spain isn't just about curiosity; it’s about safety. Just weeks ago, a massive weather system named Storm Francis tore through the southern coast, and the recovery is still very much a "work in progress."
If you are looking at a map of the Iberian Peninsula today, your eyes should be fixed on the south and the east. While the terrifying "red alerts" from early January have mostly been downgraded, the ground is saturated. In places like Malaga and Cadiz, a heavy afternoon shower can still turn a street into a stream in minutes.
The Current Hotspots: Andalusia and the Costa del Sol
Malaga bore the brunt of the most recent chaos. Specifically, the areas around the Guadalhorce Valley and towns like Cártama and Coín have seen significant damage. In Coín, the La Valenciana bridge literally snapped under the pressure of the Rio Grande earlier this month. Imagine a historic stone structure just vanishing into brown water. That's the reality there.
- Cártama: This town has been flooded four times in two years. Residents are exhausted.
- Monda and Tolox: These mountain-adjacent towns recorded over 250 liters of rain per square meter in a single day during Storm Francis.
- Alhaurín el Grande: Recent fatalities occurred here when rivers overflowed, reminding everyone that "flash flood" isn't just a buzzword.
Cadiz hasn't been spared either. Around 470 families were evacuated near the Guadarranque River just after the New Year. If you're planning to drive through these regions, you've got to be careful. Local roads (the ones starting with A- or MA-) are frequently closed due to mudslides or standing water that’s deeper than it looks.
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Is Valencia Still Flooding?
People keep asking about Valencia. It makes sense. The memory of the 220+ lives lost in late 2024 is a scar on the country. While Valencia isn't currently under a "red alert" as of mid-January 2026, the region remains incredibly vulnerable.
Storm Emilia doused the coastline in December 2025, proving that the drainage systems—many still being repaired—can’t handle the new "normal" of Mediterranean storms. If you're in the city of Valencia, things are mostly functional. However, in the "zero zones" like Paiporta, Chiva, and Alfafar, the infrastructure is still fragile. A heavy rain warning there still triggers a mass exodus to higher floors. It's a psychological trauma as much as a physical one.
Why Does This Keep Happening?
It’s a mix of bad luck and geography. Meteorologists call it a DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos). Basically, a pocket of cold air gets "stuck" over the warm Mediterranean. The result is a vertical chimney of moisture that dumps a year's worth of rain in eight hours.
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Climate change has doubled the likelihood of these events. In 2025 alone, Spain saw record-breaking rainfall in March and then again in the autumn. The Mediterranean is warmer than it used to be. Warm water equals more fuel for storms. It's a simple, albeit terrifying, equation.
Essential Advice for Travelers
Don't ignore the blue-light alerts on your phone. If you receive an ES-Alert (the emergency broadcast system in Spain), it means the danger is imminent.
- Check AEMET Daily: The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) is the only source you should trust. Their color-coded maps (yellow, orange, red) are updated in real-time.
- Avoid "Arroyos": In the south, many roads cross dry riverbeds called arroyos. They look like dusty paths until a storm hits. Then they become death traps. Never, ever try to drive through one if it's raining in the mountains nearby.
- The "Three Kings" Lesson: During the recent January floods, many people were out shopping for the Three Kings holiday (Jan 6th) and got trapped. If an alert comes, go home. The "bargain" isn't worth the risk of being swept away in your car.
The situation is currently stabilizing across most of the northeast and the Balearic Islands. Reports from mid-January show a "green" status for Catalonia and Ibiza, which is a relief after the floods they faced last October. But in Spain, the weather changes fast.
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Stay informed by following local "Protección Civil" accounts on social media. They often post road closures hours before they hit the international news cycle.
Next Steps for Safety:
- Download the AEMET app and enable location-based push notifications.
- If you are staying in a rural "finca" or airbnb in Andalusia, ask the host specifically about the history of the local access roads during heavy rain.
- Bookmark the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) live map to check for active road closures before any long-distance drive.