Storm Harry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Storm Harry on 21 January | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 16 January 2026 |
| Dissipated | 23 January 2026 |
| Extratropical cyclone | |
| Highest gusts | 81 mph (36 m/s; 70 kn; 130 km/h) at Mount Teide, Tenerife[1] |
| Lowest pressure | 995 hPa (29.38 inHg) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 390+[2] |
| Areas affected | Canary Islands, Spain, Portugal, France, Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, Malta |
| Power outages | Unspecified |
Part of the 2025–26 European windstorm season | |
Storm Harry, also known as Cyclone Harry, was a catastrophic and deadly extratropical cyclone that impacted countries surrounding the Mediterranean in mid January 2026. It was responsible or partially responsible for upwards of 380 deaths of migrants who were trying to cross the Mediterranean sea by boat which capsized during the storm. The death toll could be much higher: according to the NGO Mediterranea, around 1,000 migrants are believed to have lost their lives attempting the crossing.[3] The storm caused as well the 2026 Gelida train derailment and the 2026 Niscemi landslide.
Harry was named by the South-Western Group (Météo-France, AEMET, and IPMA) as the eighth high-impact storm of the 2025-26 season.
The storm formed as a "cut-off low" or DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos) over the Iberian Peninsula. High-pressure blocks further north caused the system to remain nearly stationary, leading to prolonged and intense impacts.
Spain and Portugal
AEMET issued Yellow Warnings for persistent rain and localised thunderstorms in northeastern Spain, particularly across the Barcelona and Girona regions, with some areas expecting up to 20 mm of accumulation in a single hour. Meanwhile, the Canary Islands are under a Coastal Alert as a northwest swell is generating waves of 4 to 5 meters, coinciding with spring tides that increase the risk of coastal flooding.
AEMET issued orange torrential rain warnings as rain was pumped toward Catalonia and Valencia, with expected accumulations over 150 l/m² and severe flooding risks. Maritime conditions are critical, with waves reaching 10 meters along the eastern coast and historic snow depth (up to 90 cm) hitting the Pyrenees.[4] A red warning for rain was issued on 20 January 2026, for Empordà for up to 180 mm in 12 hours.[5]
Italy and France
Italy issued red warnings A high-intensity red alert was issued for Tuesday, 20 January, as stationary bands of rain were expected to dump over 100mm in 24 hours.[6] This posed a major threat of landslides and flash floods in the steep terrain of Sicily and Calabria, accompanied by 60 mph gale-force winds.
Meteo France also issued, orange warnings for Eastern Corsica as the island went on high alert for intense easterly gales with gusts reaching 100 km/h and heavy localised rainfall. The storm generated hazardous maritime swells along the coast, particularly disrupting travel and caused significant overtopping in exposed northern and eastern harbours.
Malta
Maltese Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri and the Maltese Civil Protection Department (CPD) urged residents of Malta to stay indoors and avoid coastal areas due to the severe weather, in addition to various services such as ferry transport and garbage collection being suspended by the government.[7] Schools in Mellieħa, St Paul's Bay and Qawra, as well as MCAST and the University of Malta's Junior College, were temporarily closed as a precautionary measure.[7] The Malta International Airport Met Office issued a red warning for level 9 gale-force winds on 19 January 2026, persisting through the 20th.[8][7]
