Storm Charles: gusts of up to 180 kilometres per hour hit the Canaries

With gusts of up to 180 kilometres per hour, Storm Charles swept across Mount Teide on Wednesday. The Cabildo de Tenerife reported this figure for an exposed spot in the national park at an altitude of over 2,000 metres; the forecast for that location had been around 136. According to the 112 emergency call centre, no one was injured. There have been no weather warnings in place since Thursday, as the Canary Islands government has lifted its warnings, and schools have also reopened.

Within a week, Charles was the second storm following Bruna on Sunday, although it turned out to be considerably more severe. The peak readings at the AEMET stations remained below those recorded on Mount Teide, but in some cases clearly exceeded the warning thresholds.

Izaña on Tenerife recorded 148 kilometres per hour, Vallehermoso-Alto Igualero on La Gomera 130, and Tejeda-Cruz de Tejeda on Gran Canaria 124. At La Palma Airport, the Met Office recorded 117 kilometres per hour on Wednesday morning. The highest red alert was in force for this island from 3 am to 11.59 am, whilst the rest of the islands were on orange alert. It was already apparent on Wednesday afternoon that the gusts were exceeding the forecasts.

Storm Charles: strongest gusts on Tenerife, La Gomera and Gran Canaria

Tenerife received the most rain. The Cañadas Parador station recorded 77 litres per square metre on Wednesday between 6.38 am and 11 pm. This was followed by Hermigua on La Gomera with 64.8 litres, San Mateo on Gran Canaria with 57.6 litres and La Palma Airport with 53.2 litres. According to AEMET, the heaviest downpour was recorded at Tenerife South Airport, with 16 litres in one hour.

The Cabildo recorded around 20 call-outs on Tenerife, mostly due to fallen trees, broken branches and metal and plastic debris blown about by the wind. Los Realejos was the worst affected, with six reports. There were traffic disruptions on the TF-1, the TF-5 and several country roads, as well as on the TF-21 leading up to Mount Teide. The national park and hiking trails remained closed, and lessons on the island were held online.

Two palm trees fell onto Avenida de Los Indianos in Santa Cruz de La Palma. In the island’s capital, the 112 emergency call centre co-ordinated around ten call-outs, most of them due to falling rocks. The road to Roque de los Muchachos and the access roads to La Cumbrecita and Los Brecitos were closed, and there was a power cut in El Paso. As the Barranco de Las Angustias swelled, the Cabildo stood by to carry out an evacuation in Puerto de Tazacorte, but this proved unnecessary. The flood warning has since been lifted.

As early as Tuesday evening, a large boulder had come loose in Patalavaca, near Mogán, on Gran Canaria; the area had already been cordoned off. Apart from that, the local Cabildo reported only minor damage caused by trees and stones on the roads.

Canary Islands storms: 18 flights cancelled, schools back to normal

By Wednesday lunchtime, the airport operator Aena had cancelled 18 flights, and ten aircraft had been diverted. On La Palma alone, 14 flights were cancelled, and three flights from Munich, Zurich and Berlin landed elsewhere. Tenerife North recorded six diversions and two cancellations. In addition, there were cancellations due to the general strike on the same day.

On Wednesday, the Canary Islands government suspended face-to-face teaching on Tenerife, La Palma and La Graciosa. Since Thursday, teaching has resumed as normal, and the AEMET has not issued any further warnings for today.