Spain & Portugal Drenched; Morocco Floods Force Evacuations

Storm Leonardo is currently causing severe weather across the Iberian Peninsula, with Spain and Portugal experiencing torrential rain and high winds. In southern Spain's Grazalema, rainfall has exceeded the annual average, leading to the evacuation of approximately 3,500 people across Andalucía. Roads and schools have been closed, and transport networks disrupted. Emergency services are searching for a girl reported missing after being swept away by a river.

Portugal, still recovering from a previous storm, is also severely impacted, with over 200 people evacuated due to flooding and landslides. Tragically, a man died in the Alentejo region after his car was washed away. The storm's influence extends to North Africa, where flash floods in Morocco have necessitated the evacuation of over 100,000 residents, with Ksar El-Kebir being particularly affected.

The extreme weather is attributed to an unusually southward jet stream and an "atmospheric river" carrying tropical moisture. With saturated soils and swollen rivers, the risk of further flooding and landslides remains high, especially in southern Spain. Leonardo is expected to persist near the Iberian Peninsula into early next week, continuing unsettled conditions. Separately, Tropical Storm Penha made landfall in the Philippines, bringing storm surges and heavy rainfall.