Consequences of Storm Kristin on the Portuguese Coast

At the end of January 2026, Storm Kristin hit Portugal, causing five casualties, as well as flooding and strong swell along the coast. The Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS) Rapid Mapping was activated (EMSR861) to provide flood extent mapping for the affected areas.

This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 31 January 2026, shows the coastal area near Peniche. The Atlantic Ocean is marked by long, bright white lines of breaking waves and light brown plumes of suspended sediments. Inland, near the town of Ferrel, flooded areas appear in dark brown tones, indicating fields and wetlands which have been inundated by the storm.

Following the severe weather caused by Storm Kristin, Portugal faced a new major weather event, Storm Leonardo, on 3 February 2026, which led to a further CEMS activation (EMSR864).