Canary Islands storm: winds beat the forecast, but rain stays light

In the Canary Islands, the AEMET recorded wind gusts of 117 kilometres per hour on Wednesday morning between 6.38 am and 7 am at the La Palma Airport weather station. The Roque de los Muchachos station, also on La Palma, recorded gusts of 107 kilometres per hour. The highest red alert has been in force across the whole island since 3.00 am due to strong winds; it is due to end at 11.59 am, and the meteorological service is forecasting gusts of up to 130 kilometres per hour with a probability of 40 to 70 per cent. The south-westerly wind is hitting the peaks, the north-western flank and the eastern to south-eastern flank in particular. A ‚Yellow‘ warning will then be in force there from 12.00 pm to 3.59 pm, with gusts of up to 70 kilometres per hour.

The second-highest reading was recorded on La Gomera, where the Vallehermoso-Alto Igualero station reported 109 kilometres per hour. This exceeds the gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour cited by AEMET in its orange warning for La Gomera, El Hierro, as well as the peaks and the north Gran Canaria. This warning is in force from 7.00 am to 5.59 pm. On La Gomera, the wind is blowing across large parts of the mid-altitude areas and the peaks, as well as along the north-north-western and south-south-eastern coasts; on El Hierro, the high-altitude areas and the coasts at the eastern and western ends are particularly affected.

Rainfall remained in the single-digit range over the same period. The highest amount was recorded at the Las Manchas Aridane station on La Palma, with 3.3 litres per square metre, followed by Hermigua-Ayuntamiento on La Gomera with three litres. Puntagorda recorded 2.2, La Palma Airport 1.7 and Tijarafe-Mirador Time one litre per square metre. On La Palma, there had been hardly any rain even before the red alert was issued. From 7 am, an orange alert for rain is in force across the whole island until midnight, with up to 30 millimetres in one hour and up to 60 millimetres in twelve hours.

Tenerife: Orange warning for strong winds until Wednesday lunchtime

An orange alert has been in force for the north, east, south and west of Tenerife since 9.00 pm on Tuesday; it will end at 1.59 pm on Wednesday. The AEMET forecasts gusts of up to 120 and up to 110 kilometres per hour. According to the weather service, the south-westerly wind will mainly affect higher ground, the coasts in the far west and the south-eastern flank; on the peaks, it may locally exceed 130 kilometres per hour. In the greater Santa Cruz and La Laguna areas, a yellow warning is in place until 17.59, with gusts of up to 70 kilometres per hour, particularly at medium and high altitudes; the same warning applies to the rest of the island from 14.00 to 17.59.

An orange warning due to rough seas is in force until 12.59 pm along the coasts of the Santa Cruz and La Laguna areas, as well as in the east, south and west, and also along the north coast of Gran Canaria. Winds from the west to south-west will reach speeds of 50 to 74 kilometres per hour in these areas, corresponding to wind force 7 to 8. This will be followed by a yellow warning for wind force 7, valid until 15.59 in the Santa Cruz and La Laguna areas, and until 20.59 in the east, south and west. The north coast of Tenerife is under a yellow warning from 7.00 am to 12.59 pm. On the eastern and western coasts of La Palma, an orange warning is in force until 9.59 am, followed by a yellow warning on the east coast until 12.59 pm.

On top of that, there will be rain. In the north, east, south and west of Tenerife, a yellow warning is in force from 7 am until midnight, with up to 20 millimetres of rain expected in one hour; in the Santa Cruz and La Laguna areas, the warning comes into effect from 12 noon. The same rain warning is in force from 7 am for El Hierro and La Gomera. Due to rough seas, the coast of La Gomera is on yellow alert until 9.59 am, and the coast of El Hierro from 7 am until 9.59 am.

Gran Canaria and the eastern islands under a wind warning

An orange alert for wind, with gusts of up to 90 kilometres per hour, has been in force for the east, south and west of Gran Canaria since midnight until 17.59. It mainly affects mid-altitude areas and long stretches of coastline in the south-west. A yellow warning for rough seas is in place along the eastern, southern and western coasts until 15:59; from 12:00, there is also a yellow warning for rain, with up to 15 millimetres expected in one hour. As the Met Office has recently raised the wind warning for Gran Canaria, an Orange warning or higher is in force across all the Canary Islands.

On Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, an orange alert is in force from 6.00 am to 5.59 pm due to winds with gusts of up to 90 kilometres per hour, with the AEMET estimating the probability of this occurring at between 10 and 40 per cent. Both islands will feel the south-westerly wind across their whole area, particularly on their northern and north-western coasts. A yellow warning for rough seas is in force along the coast of Lanzarote from 7.00 am to 3.59 pm, and along the coast of Fuerteventura until 12.59 pm. From 5.00 pm until midnight, a yellow warning for rain is in force on both islands, with up to 15 millimetres expected in one hour.

Rain and thunderstorms can cause flash floods in the higher elevations of La Palma and Gran Canaria. The water flows down through the barrancos to the coast, so particular caution is advised in and around the ravines.