Sturm Bruna brings gusts over 100 Stundenkilometer and an orange alert on five islands

Storm Bruna reached the Canary Islands during the night leading into Sunday. The AEMET weather stations reported the strongest gusts on the mountain peaks: 109 kilometres per hour at Roque de los Muchachos on La Palma, 107 in Izaña and 101 at the Parador in the Cañadas del Mount Teide on Tenerife. The Alto de Igualero station at the top of La Gomera recorded 96. Even down at La Palma airport, winds reached 80.

However, the heavy rain has not yet set in. By 6 am, the heaviest rainfall had been recorded on La Palma: 15.8 millimetres in San Andrés y Sauces, 12.2 millimetres each in El Paso and Fuencaliente, and 11 millimetres at the airport. On the other islands, rainfall remained at just a few millimetres; in Izaña, it was 5.2 millimetres.

Orange rain warning in effect on four islands until 6.00 pm

An orange alert for heavy rain is in force until 6.00 pm across the whole of Tenerife, as well as on La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. The AEMET is forecasting up to 25 millimetres in one hour, up to 30 on La Palma, and up to 100 millimetres in twelve hours. Most of the rain is likely to fall on the western and southern slopes, whilst on La Palma it will be more prevalent at medium altitudes. The weather service is not entirely certain: 40 to 70 per cent.

Gran Canaria is next at 12 noon. The summit, east, south and west will then be on orange alert until midnight, with up to 25 millimetres per hour and 80 millimetres in twelve hours possible there. In the north of the island, conditions warrant a yellow warning, as is the case on Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Thunderstorms? A yellow warning is in place across all seven islands, although hail may also occur in the north of Gran Canaria.

And the wind won’t die down before midnight. La Palma and the north of Tenerife remain on orange alert, with gusts of 90 kilometres per hour, and over 100 on the mountain peaks. For La Gomera, El Hierro, the rest of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, the alert is yellow with winds of 70, although in the mountains of La Gomera they may reach 90 in places.

Tenerife has activated the island’s emergency plan

As reported by the EFE news agency on Saturday, Tenerife’s emergency plan has been in force since midnight. The first consequences have already been felt: the basketball match between La Laguna Tenerife and Joventut will take place this Sunday behind closed doors.

On a day like this, it’s best to steer clear of the Barrancos. If it’s raining heavily higher up, the water can quickly and frequently reach areas where the sun is still shining down below. Hiking on the peaks of Tenerife and La Palma isn’t a good idea in these gusts, nor is the drive up there. You can find out what the conditions are like for each island in the weather overview.