Storm Marta Hits Unrepaired Portugal: Flood Alerts, Aid Fund & Travel Disruptions

The Portugal Civil Protection Authority has activated nationwide weather alerts ahead of storm Marta, a decision set to further strain regions that have yet to patch roofs or restore power after January’s deadly cyclone Kristin.

Why This Matters

• Fresh flooding risk: Saturated river basins along the Douro, Tejo and Sado could overflow again as Marta’s rainfall arrives.

• Financial relief clock is ticking: Applications for the new €2.5 B reconstruction fund open next week—missing the window means waiting months for cash.

• Travel disruptions likely: Orange warnings for wind and snow cover key motorway links between Lisboa, Setúbal and Algarve starting Saturday morning.

• Insurance deadlines: Homeowners have only 15 days left to file simplified photo-based claims for Kristin damage.

A Third Blow in Two Weeks

Portugal entered 2026 already reeling from Kristin, the most destructive extratropical cyclone on national record—12 fatalities and an estimated €4 B in losses. Barely 72 hours later, storm Leonardo soaked the same catchments, finishing off levees and knocking out power to 69,000 customers. Marta, spinning in from the Atlantic this weekend, completes what meteorologists are calling a “storm conveyor belt” aimed straight at the western Iberian coastline.

Where and When the Worst Will Hit

Forecast models from the Portugal Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) place Marta’s core over the southern coastline at dawn Saturday, sliding east by late afternoon.

• Rain: Up to 60 mm/24 h south of the Tejo; flash-flood prone neighbourhoods in Greater Lisbon top the danger list.

• Wind: Gusts could touch 120 km/h in Algarve hill ranges, 90 km/h along the central shoreline.

• Snow: Above 900 m from Minho to Serra da Estrela; accumulations above 25 cm risk road closures on the A25.

• Seas: West-facing beaches from Peniche to Sagres bracing for 7 m significant wave height, peaking at 13 m sets.

Municipalities in Faro, Beja, Braga, Vila Real and Guarda already hold orange or yellow warnings. Lisbon City Hall has pre-emptively shut the Castelo de São Jorge and cancelled weekend street markets.

Government Relief: Money on the Table

Facing mounting criticism over slow payouts after Kristin, the Portugal Cabinet cleared a €2.5 B emergency package on Wednesday:

Up to €10,000 grants for primary home repairs, including temporary rentals.

Agriculture & forestry vouchers covering 100 % of uninsured crop loss, capped at €10,000.

Two Banco Português de Fomento credit lines worth €1.5 B combined, backed by a 70 % state guarantee and partial conversion into grants after 3 years.

Social-security contribution holidays for affected firms—six months full, six months 50 %.

Mortgage moratoria: 90-day payment freeze starting 28 January, extendable to 12 months for homes declared uninhabitable.

Applications open 8-14 February through municipal portals or commercial banks; documentation under €5,000 can rely on photo evidence only.

What This Means for Residents

Power crews are still reconnecting outer suburbs of Coimbra and Leiria, so another round of outages is plausible. Keep mobile-phone power banks charged and verify that sump pumps and roof gutters are clear. If your parish was listed in the 68-municipality calamity decree, you qualify for toll exemptions on the A8, A14, A17 and A19 until two days after the emergency ends. Businesses eyeing the lay-off scheme must notify Portugal Social Security within ten days of the first lost work hour.

Climate Signals and Future Exposure

Most Portuguese climatologists, including Francisco Ferreira of NOVA FCT, link the rapid-fire sequence of Marta-Leonardo-Kristin to warmer Atlantic waters and a northward-shifted jet stream. While some scientists caution against attributing any single storm to climate change, the statistical trend—heavier rainfall clusters and stronger coastal wind maxima—dictates that Portugal’s public-works budget will have to tilt decisively toward adaptation.

Checklist: Securing Your Property Tonight

• Tie down loose items on balconies and gardens—winds may exceed 100 km/h.

• Park uphill and away from trees; falling branches accounted for 3 of Kristin’s 12 deaths.

• Clear street drains near your doorway; municipal services are overstretched.

• Stock a 72-hour kit: torches, batteries, medication, bottled water, pet food.

• Photograph rooms now—timestamped images simplify insurance claims if Marta floods your ground floor.

A final note of caution: emergency responders logged over 3,300 call-outs during Kristin. Dial 112 only for life-threatening incidents; local fire brigades have set up dedicated flood hotlines for non-urgent assistance.