The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) named Storm Marta on February 6, 2026, at approximately 2:00 PM UTC, forecasting very heavy rainfall across the southern third of the Iberian Peninsula on Saturday, along with maritime storms and strong wind gusts in the south and east, according to Spain's AEMET meteorological agency. AEMET issued the update via X post during the 59-minute reporting window from 1:46 PM to 2:46 PM UTC, urging residents to check current warnings on their website and app. This follows Storm Leonardo, which caused one death in Portugal and flooding in Spain's Andalusia region, triggering thousands of evacuations, as reported by AFP. Storm Leonardo has eased but forecasters warn of short-lived relief with Storm Marta's approach, per the AFP video update shared within the reporting window. Separately, NOAA reported rapid ice cover increase on the Great Lakes over the last two weeks, with Lake Erie at 95% and combined lakes at 51%, unrelated to the Iberian storms.
