Weather review January 2026: More rain, more questions — Is Mallorca prepared?

Weather review January 2026: More rain, more questions — Is Mallorca prepared?

Key question: How well are our towns, roads and coasts prepared for such series of rain and storms?

January left figures that do not feel good: on the Balearic Islands, the monthly average was about 115.2 liters per square meter, meaning almost twice the usual precipitation. Six distinct storm systems brought rough seas, strong gusts and locations with values well above the island average, a pattern noted in Why Mallorca's Weather Isn't What It Used To Be: A Reality Check.

AEMET data also show: there were four days with snow, six foggy days and seven storm days on Mallorca. Palma airport registered 15 days with strong winds — normally there are only five in January. The strongest gust hit 158 km/h in Alfàbia. At sea, the buoy at Dragonera reported three days with more than four meters of significant wave height; the highest single wave was measured at 4.7 meters, and AEMET warnings and the question of municipal readiness are examined in Severe weather on Mallorca: When it really becomes critical — and what's still missing.

In short: it was a month with high precipitation amounts, wild winds and unusual temperature swings — the average temperature was around 11 °C, with individual warm days like 20.6 °C in Artà and cold nights down to -3.7 °C in Escorca. At the same time, frost days locally decreased compared to the long-term average; in Lluc frost occurred less often than before.

Critical analysis: numbers are one thing, impacts another. Heavy rain hits infrastructure at its weak points: clogged drains, bridges with openings that are too small over torrents, damaged road edges; these local weak spots are outlined in Storm Alert: Is Mallorca Prepared for the Deluge?. On the Passeig Marítim and in old town alleys leaves and plastic collect, which can quickly make gutters overflow. In rural areas overflowing barrancos trigger landslides; on the Ma-10 and small access roads mudslides form, which can endanger the supplies of entire villages.

What is often missing in the public debate: it is not only about statistics. Not all places are equally prepared. Some municipalities clean their drains regularly, others do not. Some property owners let terraces and slopes fall into disrepair so water runs off faster than before. There is often a lack of networked measuring systems for torrents and a coordinated prioritization of repair resources after storm damage, a need highlighted in Restless week in Mallorca: How well is the island prepared for heavy rain?.

An everyday scene: on a rainy morning at the Mercat de l'Olivar traders straighten tarpaulins, taxis honk, and the tour guide opposite mutters about pebbles washed up in front of the café. Further out, at the port of Sóller, fishermen wipe saltwater out of the boat and check the moorings. These small images show: people experience the consequences directly, often before authorities react.

There are concrete solutions — and most are technically and organizationally feasible. First: consistent maintenance of sewage and stormwater drains, combined with mandatory cleaning cycles before the rainy season. Second: promote permeable surfaces in towns; rethink sealed parking lots and wide sidewalks so they slope toward the drainage system. Third: targeted renaturation of torrents and reconnection of floodplains, for example inland and in wetlands like the Albufera near Alcúdia, to retain more water. Fourth: a network of local gauges and sensors in critical torrents, connected to a central alarm platform that informs municipalities and fire services in real time. Fifth: expansion of retention basins and holding areas in the Tramuntana, where especially heavy rain falls.

There are also adjustable coastal measures: temporary beach accesses that can be closed during storms, and cooperative planning between municipalities and the port authority so facilities do not depend on one-off repairs. Financial resources should not only be granted after damage, but preventively: a local fund model for preventive measures would be conceivable.

What matters now: we do not just need abstract debates about “climate change”, but pragmatic local steps. More measuring stations, fewer clogged drains, more retention areas — and a clear priority list of which roads, schools and hospitals are to be protected first. That costs money, but it also prevents expensive emergency repairs and the daily outages that annoy residents and businesses.

Conclusion: the January figures are a wake-up call. Mallorca has places that are robust and many that remain vulnerable. Those who invest early enough in maintenance, spaces for infiltration and a networked warning system save nerves and money. The next storm does not come with an announcement; it comes from the sea and hits first the spots we have been ignoring for years.