For several days in early February 2026, Córdoba and much of Andalucía watched the sky with unease as one Atlantic storm after another rolled in from the west. First came Storm Leonardo, soaking hillsides and river basins and pushing soil, reservoirs and aquifers to their limits. Before the region could recover, Storm Marta arrived with new bands of intense rain. By the time skies finally began to clear on February 9, the Guadalquivir had burst its banks around Córdoba, thousands had fled their homes, and images of submerged fields and marooned villages had circled the world. The twin onslaught of Leonardo and Marta has left a transformed landscape and a long road to recovery for residents and travelers alike.
Córdoba Under Water: When the Guadalquivir Broke Its Banks
The drama of this flooding has been most visible on the wide plains around Córdoba, where aerial footage shows a patchwork of brown floodwater stretching from the outskirts of the city deep into the countryside. After relentless rain from Storm Marta fell on already saturated ground, the Guadalquivir River surged beyond its channel, spilling into adjacent neighborhoods, industrial estates and farmland. Police and emergency services drones documented entire streets reduced to watery corridors, with roofs barely emerging above the muddy expanse.
Residential areas near Córdoba Airport were among the worst affected, with homes and warehouses partially submerged. Authorities in the city had already halted access to the iconic Roman bridge as water levels rose, turning the normally tranquil riverfront into a boiling, debris-filled torrent. By the night of February 8, regional officials confirmed that several communities near the river had been evacuated as a precaution. Flood defenses performed unevenly across the province, with some embankments holding while others were quickly overtopped.
Inside Córdoba itself, the danger was measured less in dramatic rescues than in slow, persistent encroachment. Water crept into basements, garages and ground floors, disrupting small businesses and cutting off access to roads that link the provincial capital to surrounding towns. City authorities imposed strict restrictions on entry to flooded districts, allowing evacuated residents to return only briefly and under supervision to collect essential belongings.
The emotional toll has been profound. For many Cordobeses living along the valley, the Guadalquivir is a defining presence and a source of pride. In early February it became a threat, advancing by the hour and creating a sense of helplessness among residents watching the river climb step by step up quays and embankments.
Storm Leonardo and Storm Marta: A One-Two Punch
The catastrophe in Córdoba cannot be understood in isolation from the broader pattern of storms that have battered the Iberian Peninsula this winter. Storm Leonardo, which intensified in early February, first set the stage. It brought days of torrential rain to western Andalucía, particularly in the Sierra de Cádiz and the Serranía de Ronda. In places like Grazalema, already known as one of Spain’s rainiest villages, rainfall totals soared to extraordinary levels, saturating slopes, filling aquifers and forcing evacuations.
As Leonardo swept across Spain and Portugal, rivers rose steadily and reservoirs approached security limits. In the Guadalquivir basin, emergency planners were already monitoring vulnerable stretches of levee and low-lying settlements. Small landslides, temporary road closures and localized floods foreshadowed what was to come. Yet there was cautious hope that the system would move on before reaching a tipping point.
Instead, Storm Marta arrived close on Leonardo’s heels, drawing on a deep plume of Atlantic moisture often described by meteorologists as an atmospheric river. Where Leonardo had weakened the region, Marta delivered the decisive blow. This second storm unleashed intense rainfall across much of Andalucía, including the provinces of Cádiz, Seville, Córdoba, Huelva, Málaga and Almería. For Córdoba, already wrestling with a swollen Guadalquivir, Marta’s additional downpours turned concern into crisis.
Local officials emphasize that it was the cumulative effect of consecutive storms that overwhelmed defenses. Ground that might normally have absorbed a portion of the rainfall acted instead like a saturated sponge. Every new shower translated directly into run-off, racing into tributaries and main channels. By the time Marta’s core passed, the hydrological system of southern Spain had little remaining capacity to cope.
Evacuations, Road Closures and a Region on Edge
Across Andalucía, the human geography of the storm is measured in closed roads, disrupted rail lines and hastily erected shelters. Regional emergency services report that more than 10,600 incidents have been recorded in connection with Storm Marta alone, from flooded homes and downed power lines to landslides and stranded motorists. At the height of the crisis, more than 11,000 people were evacuated across the region, including hundreds in the flood zones of Córdoba province.
Road infrastructure has been hit especially hard. Around 170 roads have been cut by floods, river overflows or structural failures. In mountain and rural areas, entire stretches have collapsed or been undermined. Dramatic images from the Serranía de Ronda and other highland zones show yawning sinkholes where carriageways once ran, hard shoulders scoured away and bridges left unstable. While some primary highways remain open, secondary routes so vital to village life have become impassable, isolating communities and forcing long detours for essential services.
Within Córdoba province, the closures have had serious knock-on effects. Agricultural cooperatives have struggled to move produce out of flooded fields. School buses have been unable to reach certain hamlets. Emergency vehicles often must take indirect routes to reach vulnerable residents or to ferry evacuees to temporary accommodation. For travelers, what would normally be an easy drive between historic towns has become a logistical puzzle, and authorities advise checking local advisories before attempting any overland journey.
As skies began to brighten on February 9, officials cautiously allowed some evacuees to return home, including more than 700 people in Córdoba’s flooded districts. Yet the regional emergency minister has warned that the damage to roads and housing is severe and that full normalization will take weeks if not months. Even as Marta’s rainfall subsides, forecasts suggest more unsettled weather ahead, keeping nerves on edge across a region that has already endured a bruising start to the year.
Agricultural Heartland Under Threat
Beyond the immediate human displacement, one of the starkest legacies of Leonardo and Marta is the damage to agriculture. The wide plains around Córdoba are part of Andalucía’s breadbasket, home to extensive fields of winter vegetables, olives, citrus fruits and cereals. Drone footage taken during the height of the floods shows large tracts of land transformed into temporary lakes, with furrows and access tracks disappearing beneath the surface.
Farmers’ associations across the region have described the situation as a natural catastrophe. In low-lying areas, crops such as broccoli, carrots and cauliflower have been submerged for days, effectively wiping out the current harvest. Standing water not only kills plants but also delays replanting, compressing the agricultural calendar in a sector already pressured by previous seasons of drought and heat.
For Córdoba’s rural communities, the economic implications are sobering. Many small producers operate with narrow margins and limited reserves. Months of work have been lost in a single week, and with roads and irrigation infrastructure damaged, the recovery of the next growing cycle is far from guaranteed. Livestock farmers also face challenges, from ruined feed stocks to the risk of disease associated with stagnant water and muddied grazing lands.
There is a bitter irony here. After several years of water stress, reservoirs and aquifers have at last been replenished, potentially securing medium-term irrigation supplies. Yet the manner in which that water arrived has inflicted enormous short-term harm. For visitors driving through the countryside in the coming weeks, the contrast will be stark: brimming reservoirs alongside flattened fields bearing the imprint of receding floodwaters.
Life in Córdoba: Cancellations, Closures and Quiet Streets
In Córdoba city, life in early February has been marked by abrupt cancellations and an eerie quiet in normally bustling spaces. Schools across much of Andalucía closed temporarily as the storms intensified, with dozens of facilities remaining shut in the hardest-hit municipalities. Although most are expected to reopen as conditions stabilize, families have faced days of uncertainty, juggling childcare and work amid transport disruptions and power interruptions.
Sporting and cultural events have also suffered. High-profile football matches elsewhere in the region have been postponed due to unplayable pitches and safety concerns, and local fixtures in smaller stadiums and municipal grounds around Córdoba have shared the same fate. Outdoor festivals, markets and guided tours have largely been suspended, with organizers prioritizing safety and freeing up public spaces for emergency access.
For travelers, the atmosphere in Córdoba’s historic center has been subdued. The famous mosque-cathedral, Roman bridge and riverside promenades remain central to the city’s identity, but with the Guadalquivir in spate and riverbanks flooded in nearby districts, visitor numbers have fallen sharply. Many hotels and guesthouses have reported cancellations as tourists reconsider itineraries or delay trips until the situation becomes clearer.
Yet amid the disruptions there have also been moments of solidarity. Residents have opened their homes to friends and family displaced by the floods, while local restaurants and cafés that escaped the worst of the damage have offered free meals or safe spaces for those unable to return home. For travelers still in the city, these acts of community support have been a powerful counterpoint to the images of destruction circulating in international media.
Emergency Response and the First Steps Toward Recovery
Andalucía’s emergency services, backed by national authorities, have been stretched but largely effective in avoiding even greater tragedy. According to official figures, more than 10,000 incidents related to Storm Marta have been handled across the region, ranging from water rescues and building evacuations to the clearing of fallen trees and debris. Helicopters, high-clearance vehicles and specialized flood units have all been deployed to reach isolated settlements.
In Córdoba, coordination between municipal, provincial and regional agencies has focused on three priorities: safeguarding life, stabilizing key infrastructure and preparing the ground for reconstruction. As floodwaters recede, inspectors are assessing the structural integrity of bridges, embankments and public buildings. Utility companies are working to restore electricity and water services where they have been interrupted, while engineers examine levees and drainage systems to identify weak points exposed by the storms.
Senior government officials, including Spain’s first deputy prime minister, have toured affected areas, promising that financial aid and technical assistance will be made available. There is an acknowledgment that the scale of damage to homes, roads and agricultural land is vast and that a coordinated, long-term response will be required. For local councils already managing tight budgets, external support will be crucial to rebuilding in a way that increases resilience rather than simply reinstating the status quo.
In the short term, however, residents are focused on the basics: cleaning mud from floors, salvaging furniture, and documenting losses for insurance and compensation claims. For many families in Córdoba’s floodplains, this is not the first time they have cleaned up after the river, but the speed and depth of this event have left a particular mark. Conversations on street corners often turn quickly from the practical to the psychological, as people grapple with the shock of seeing familiar landscapes reshaped overnight.
Travel to Córdoba After the Floods: What Visitors Need to Know
For travelers considering Córdoba and broader Andalucía in the coming weeks, the picture is mixed but not uniformly bleak. The historic heart of Córdoba has escaped the worst of the physical damage, and core cultural attractions are expected to return to normal operations relatively quickly once access routes are secure. Hotels and tourism businesses are eager to welcome visitors back, viewing tourism as a vital part of the region’s economic recovery.
However, the wider transport network remains fragile. Numerous regional and local roads are still closed or partially restricted due to flooding, landslides or structural concerns. Even as main highways reopen, diversions may lengthen journey times substantially. Rail services through affected stretches may run reduced schedules while track inspections and repairs continue. Travelers are strongly advised to build extra time into itineraries and to monitor regional advisories through official channels, particularly when planning journeys that cross river valleys or mountain ranges.
Rural tourism, including stays in cortijo farmhouses and guesthouses along river valleys, is likely to be more affected than urban city breaks. Some countryside accommodations have suffered direct water damage, while others are temporarily cut off by damaged access roads. Guests with existing reservations should maintain close contact with property owners or booking agents, as availability and access can change quickly as recovery work progresses.
There is also a longer-term question about seasonality and climate resilience that both travelers and hosts are beginning to confront. With extreme weather episodes becoming more frequent across southern Europe, the traditional shoulder seasons of late winter and early spring may require new contingency planning, from flexible booking policies to more robust infrastructure and early-warning protocols.
Looking Ahead: Climate Signals and a Changing Andalusian Landscape
The double impact of Storms Leonardo and Marta on Córdoba arrives in the midst of an ongoing debate about how climate change is reshaping weather extremes in the Mediterranean. Scientists caution against attributing any single event solely to global warming, yet there is growing evidence that a warmer atmosphere can hold and release more moisture, amplifying heavy rainfall episodes when conditions align.
In Andalucía, the contrast between years of intense drought and sudden deluges has become especially stark. Reservoir levels that had prompted concern among water managers and farmers have surged in the wake of these storms, providing welcome relief for future irrigation and urban supply. At the same time, the violent variability between scarcity and excess exposes vulnerabilities in land use planning, river management and infrastructure design.
For Córdoba and its surrounding municipalities, the current floods may prompt a thorough reassessment of development patterns along the Guadalquivir floodplain. Questions are already being raised about where new housing should be permitted, how to better protect existing neighborhoods and how to integrate natural floodplains and wetlands into a more flexible defense strategy. Ideas such as setting back levees, restoring riparian forests and improving early-warning systems are likely to feature prominently in the policy debates to come.
For travelers, the message is not that Córdoba and Andalucía have become no-go zones, but that the reality of visiting southern Spain is evolving. The region remains one of Europe’s great cultural crossroads, with cities and landscapes that continue to enchant. Yet the story of Storms Leonardo and Marta is a reminder that even the most familiar destinations are living, changing environments, shaped by forces far beyond the control of residents or visitors. In the weeks and months ahead, as Córdoba dries out and rebuilds, it will offer not only its usual riches of history and hospitality, but also a front-row view of how Mediterranean societies adapt to a rapidly changing climate.