From 19 to 22 January 2026, a storm system raged over the southern Mediterranean, the intensity of which was more reminiscent of the Caribbean than European waters. The sheer numbers alone are enough to take any skipper's breath away. Between the southern tip of Sicily near Portopalo di Capo Passero and the island of Malta, buoys registered a maximum wave height of 16 metres. Some of the images are reminiscent of the destruction caused by the Flood of the century on the coast of Schleswig-Holstein in 2023.
Malta and Sicily are particularly affected, but also the mainland coasts of Italy and Spain as well as parts of Mallorca.
Extreme weather values
The Mediterranean low pressure system Harry developed a very compact, at times hurricane-like appearance in the central Mediterranean; meteorologically, it was a powerful Mediterranean cyclone. It soaked up the still warm water and rotated against the coastline with wind speeds of up to 130 kilometres per hour.
Cyclone "Harry" did not simply hit the central and southern Mediterranean like a "storm", but with a combination of strong winds and exceptional swell that undermined the protection of many harbour facilities.
The most visible measurement signal comes from the Sicilian Channel. A buoy from the Italian Rete Ondametrica Nazionale, supervised by ISPRA, registered a maximum wave of 16.6 metres between Portopalo di Capo Passero and Malta.
Even apart from this record, the swell was of an unusual magnitude. Reports speak of waves of around eight to ten metres off Malta, as well as heavy surf on exposed stretches of coast. At the same time, the wind peaks reached enormous levels. On Malta, wind speeds of around 104 kilometres per hour were measured at the weather point in Valletta, which corresponds to 56 knots.
Harbours became a danger zone
In the harbour, however, it is not so much the wind speed that counts as the movement in the basin. If swell comes over the piers and is reflected into the basin, a yacht suddenly works as if on a spring. Lines are jerkily loaded, cleats and bollards are hit, fenders slide up or are squeezed out. Pontoons are then no longer calm pontoons, but rather beating components.
By the way: We explain how you should secure your yacht in the event of an impending storm in this special article.
Severe damage on the coast of Sicily
In Palermo, in the Arenella area, the damage situation is particularly well documented. Local reports speak of at least 20 boats destroyed, with many more damaged and pontoons torn from their moorings. Videos and photos show not only capsized boats and boats pressed against each other, but also the real weak point: the jetty infrastructure, which gave way under the force of the sea and then became a danger itself.
The situation was similar in Siracusa at Porto Piccolo near Ortigia. There, floating jetties were destroyed and material subsequently floated in the water, making the situation even more difficult. Several reports also mention sunken boats despite reinforced mooring lines.
In Milazzo, on the Santa Maria Maggiore pontoon in the Vaccarella district, it was mainly the harbour facilities that were hit. Reports describe destroyed office units in the tourist harbour area and damage to the floating docks. The boats had apparently been removed in time.
Malta: Boats ashore, concerns about the coastal harbours
In Malta, "Harry" left behind images that one would expect from Atlantic storms, especially in the south. In Birżebbuġa, badly damaged yachts were washed ashore. There are reports from Marsaxlokk that smaller boats were pushed onto the road. There are also reports of closed areas and cancellations of traffic and ferry services.
Severe devastation - not an isolated case
Weather events similar to "Harry" have occurred repeatedly in the Mediterranean in recent years. Sometimes as a compact thunderstorm, sometimes as a large-scale storm depression with long swells, and almost always with the same consequences for water sports: harbours and anchorages suddenly become unsafe, jetties and boats suffer.
So with the Corsica storm with peaks of up to 90 knotswhich devastated marinas and anchorages with stranded and sunken yachts.
On the Croatian Adriatic near Rovinj 30 boats agroundalso with the Medicane Ianos yachts ran aground. The fact that not only wind but also water can become a harbour trap is shown by the Flood chaos on the Sporadesin which harbours were closed and flotsam became a risk for crews after continuous rain. Just how brutal short, violent squalls can be was demonstrated by numerous strandings off Formentera and the Clean up afterwardswith yachts running aground and being pushed ashore in a matter of minutes. And even isolated extreme phenomena can devastate marinas, as the report on Waterspouts in Salerno and Marmaris where yachts overturned in winter storage and jetties were damaged. Last but not least, such an event also triggered the Downfall of the "Bayesian" from.
