AEMET raises wind warning for La Palma to red

The Met Office AEMET has raised the wind warning for the whole of La Palma from orange to red, as the weather conditions are changing.

The highest alert level will be in force on Wednesday from 3.00 am to 11.59 am. Meteorologists are forecasting gusts of up to 130 kilometres per hour and estimate the probability of these occurring at between 40 and 70 per cent. According to the AEMET, the south-westerly wind will mainly affect the peaks, the north-western flank and the eastern and south-eastern sides of the island. A yellow warning will be in force on La Palma from 12.00, and gusts of up to 70 kilometres per hour are still possible until 15.59.

At the same time, the AEMET has issued an orange alert from 3.00 am to 1.59 pm for heavy rain on La Palma. Up to 30 millimetres in one hour and up to 60 millimetres in twelve hours are expected. An orange alert is in place on the east and west coasts until 9.59 am due to rough seas caused by westerly to south-westerly winds of 50 to 74 kilometres per hour, corresponding to wind force seven to eight. The east coast will then remain on yellow alert until 12.59 pm.

An orange warning for strong winds has been in force on Tenerife since Tuesday at 9.00 pm, covering the north as well as the east, south and west. The warning remains in place until Wednesday at 1.59 pm; the AEMET forecasts gusts of up to 120 and 110 kilometres per hour respectively. The areas most affected are the higher ground, the coasts in the far west and the south-eastern flank. On the peaks, gusts on Tenerife’s peaks may locally exceed 130 kilometres per hour.

Tenerife is expecting rain and rough seas until the evening

From 2.00 pm to 5.59 pm, the wind warning on Tenerife will be downgraded to yellow, with gusts of up to 70 kilometres per hour. In the greater Santa Cruz and La Laguna areas, this level is already in force from midnight to 5.59 pm, particularly at medium and high altitudes. Yellow rain warnings, with up to 20 millimetres of rain per hour, are in force in the north from 6.00 am to 3.59 pm, in the east, south and west from 6.00 am to 5.59 pm, and in the Santa Cruz and La Laguna areas from 12.00 pm to 5.59 pm.

Along the coast, Tenerife will remain on orange alert until 12.59 pm; on the north coast, until 6.59 am, with westerly to south-westerly winds of 50 to 74 kilometres per hour. This will be followed by a yellow alert for winds of 50 to 61 kilometres per hour, lasting longest in the east, south and west until 8.59 pm.

Canary Islands: Wind warnings on Gran Canaria and other islands

For Gran Canaria, an orange-level wind warning is in force island-wide from 00:00 to 17:59, with gusts of up to 100 and 90 kilometres per hour respectively. The warning mainly affects mid-altitude areas and long stretches of coastline in the north-west and south-west; on the mountain peaks, wind speeds may exceed 110 kilometres per hour. The north coast remains on orange alert until 12.59 pm due to rough seas. From 9 am to 7.59 pm, the AEMET has issued a yellow warning for up to 15 millimetres of rain in an hour.

An orange warning for wind has been in force on El Hierro and La Gomera since Tuesday at 9.00 pm; gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour are possible until Wednesday at 5.59 pm. On El Hierro, the south-westerly wind is affecting mainly the higher ground and the coasts at the eastern and western ends; on La Gomera, it is affecting large parts of the mid-altitude areas and peaks, as well as the coasts in the north-north-west and south-south-east. A yellow warning is also in force for both islands from 6 am to 3.59 pm due to rain of up to 20 millimetres in an hour.

Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are on orange alert from 6.00 am to 5.59 pm due to winds with gusts of up to 90 kilometres per hour. The AEMET estimates the probability of this occurring there at between 10 and 40 per cent. The wind is affecting both islands across the board, particularly the northern and north-western coasts. From 3.00 pm to 9.59 pm, a yellow warning is in force due to rain of up to 15 millimetres in one hour.

If it rains in the higher elevations of La Palma and Gran Canaria, or if thunderstorms break out, flash floods may occur. These rush through the barrancos all the way to the coast, so particular caution is advised in and around the ravines.