Caring for the Earth also means understanding it: lessons from a winter of storms

Throughout January and February, we've been adding names to the list: Kristin (with impact from January 27-28, 2026), Leonardo (from February 2) and Marta (with its most intense phase around February 5-6) and others, almost without respite. It was that feeling of looking at the weather forecast and thinking: "Again?" Rivers at capacity, reservoirs being drained as a precautionary measure, roads closed, and municipalities monitoring river levels almost hourly. Spain and Portugal were hit by a seemingly endless series of storms. It was probably storm Kristin that marked the turning point. It intensified rapidly in the Atlantic and entered Portugal with unusual force, leaving very strong winds and persistent rain that then moved westward and southward across Spain. There was significant damage to infrastructure, power outages and damage to coastal and river areas. And while the effects were still being assessed, Leonardo arrived, followed by Marta, adding more rain to the already saturated ground. That's where things get tricky: it's not just the intensity at any given moment, but the cumulative effect over weeks.

As the weeks go by and spring is well underway, this episode offers a broader perspective: we aren't dealing with isolated events, but rather with dynamics that require us to view atmospheric behavior and its impacts from a broader perspective.

In situations like this, one understands better what the European prediction and observation systems are really for. These are not distant technical concepts. They are tools that directly influence operational decisions.

ECMWF, the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, is the intergovernmental body responsible for some of the world's most advanced weather models. From its headquarters in Europe, it integrates millions of observations - including a huge amount of satellite data - to generate multi-day forecasts and even seasonal trends. In this episode, their models already showed in advance an atmospheric pattern favorable to the successive entry of Atlantic squalls towards the Iberian Peninsula. This information is the basis on which national meteorological agencies, water managers and civil protection authorities work.

 Then there is Copernicus, the European Earth observation program. Sometimes we mention it as if it were just an institutional label, but in these episodes it becomes quite concrete. Sentinel satellites, for example, make it possible to observe the surface even in dense cloud cover - thanks to Sentinel-1's radar - and this is essential when mapping floods in the middle of a storm.

 Within Copernicus, the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS) activates rapid mapping when requested by a Member State. In response to this series of storms, Operation EMSR861 was launched, focusing on areas affected by flooding in various regions of Spain and Portugal during the first few days of February 2026, following the successive impacts of Kristin and subsequent weather systems.

 The activation covered areas with river overflows and significant water accumulations, including areas in the center and west of the peninsula where the increase in water flow was especially marked. The period analyzed was concentrated in the days immediately following the most intense rainfall events, when the risk of flooding and damage was highest. Using satellite imagery acquired during those critical days, maps were generated to delineate the extent of the floodwaters, provide a preliminary assessment of the impacts, and identify potentially affected infrastructure.

 These are products that are delivered in a matter of hours or a few days. They are not a substitute for field assessment, but help to prioritize when the situation is changing and information is fragmented.

 And beyond emergency mapping lies early warning. The European Flood Awareness System (EFAS), also integrated into Copernicus, combines weather forecasting, hydrological models and observed data to anticipate river floods several days in advance. It is not foolproof - no system is - but it provides an early signal to prepare resources and activate protocols before water peaks.

 Perhaps the most significant aspect of this winter wasn't a single storm, but the series of them. Ten systems in a few weeks. Accumulated precipitation that in some areas beat recent records. The feeling that these patterns may repeat themselves. In this context, the European observation infrastructure - meteorological models, satellites, operational services - ceases to be something abstract and becomes an everyday risk management tool.

And on Mother Earth Day, which is celebrated on April 22, such episodes reinforce a key idea: better understanding of our environment is not only a scientific question, but also a practical necessity. Earth observation, supported by technology and international cooperation, is one of the most valuable tools for anticipating, responding and adapting to increasingly complex phenomena.

 Watching from space won’t stop the storm. But it helps us understand it while it is happening and to measure with some objectivity what has happened afterwards. And when it comes to rebuilding, planning or adjusting infrastructure, that information weighs heavily. Much more than it sometimes seems.

Author: Antonio Tabasco