© Siahay Photo CornerVehicles drive through floodwater on a street in Spain after record winter storms brought the heaviest rainfall in nearly 50 years.
Between late December and mid-February, eleven consecutive storms swept across the Iberian Peninsula, bringing record rainfall, flash floods and landslides. According to Spain's national weather agency AEMET, the rainfall recorded during this period is the highest seen in 47 years, marking a dramatic shift for a country far more used to worrying about drought than overflowing rivers.
For many residents and expats living in southern Spain, the scenes have been striking. Regions famous for sunshine and dry landscapes suddenly found themselves dealing with swollen rivers, damaged roads and communities cut off from the outside world.
A chain of storms that changed the Spanish winter
The turning point came when Storm Leonardo hit the south of the peninsula, particularly Andalusia, bringing intense rain and powerful winds.
