The Canary Islands have been experiencing one of the most intense weather events in recent decadesThe high-impact storm Therese has left a trail of rain, wind, snow on the peaks and a string of incidents on all the islands, with a special impact on the higher ones.
While the rest of Spain is only experiencing moderate effects from the storm, the archipelago remains under Orange and yellow warnings for rain, wind, coastal phenomena and even snow, in a long and very changeable episode that keeps the administrations and the population on permanent alert.
An unusual storm: center over the Canary Islands and full-blown weather
Therese is no ordinary storm. According to the Meteorological Agency, It is a Isolated cold low that has even located its center near the ArchipelagoThis hadn't happened for over a decade. This positioning has facilitated the transition of successive very active fronts that have swept the islands from west to east since Wednesday.
The result has been a cocktail of persistent rains, torrential downpours, gusts of wind that have exceeded 120 km/h on the peaks, heavy swells and snowfall above about 1.900-2.200 meters in Tenerife and La Palma. AEMET has even estimated that some areas of the western islands could see accumulations between 300 and 400 liters per square meter in just a few days.
The rainfall figures speak for themselves: in Gran Canaria More than 267 mm of rain have already been measured in summit areas, with records of 55,4 l/m² in San Mateo, almost 50 l/m² in Las Tirajanas, and more than 45 l/m² in Cuevas del Pilar in just a few hours. TenerifeSouthern stations like Granadilla or Vilaflor have accumulated more than 200 l/m², while in the Canyons of Teide Rainfall has exceeded 40 l/m² accompanied by snow and sub-zero temperatures.
En El Hierro and La Gomera There have also been very significant rainfall totals, with episodes exceeding 70 l/m² in 24 hours and an unusual winter atmosphere, while the wind has reached or exceeded 110-116 km/h in Sabinosa, Alto Igualero or IzañaAll this, with swells of more than 4-5 meters that have forced the activation of the alert for coastal phenomena along much of the Canary Islands coastline.
Historic rainfall: dams overflowing and ravines at full capacity
The most striking—and in some ways positive—aspect of Therese's passage is the water accumulated in reservoirs and riverbeds. Gran CanariaThe Cabildo estimates that More than 14 million cubic meters of water have entered the dams in just three days.Virtually all the major infrastructures in the west of the island are at 100% capacity and are releasing water in a controlled manner.
Dams like Los Pérez, Lugarejos, Parralillo, Caidero de Las Niñas, La Gambuesa or El Mulato They have begun to release water through their spillways, a phenomenon that in some cases had not been seen for more than 15 years. At the dam of The SorruedaLocated in the interior of the island, the level is approaching 70% and the evolution of the reservoir is being closely monitored in case it also has to release water.
This historic filling has its counterpart downstream. ArguineguÃn ravineIn southern Gran Canaria, the river has become a major cause for concern. The increased flow due to rainfall and water released from a series of dams has led to flooding, road closures and the isolation of nearly a thousand residents in areas such as Cercado de Espino, El Horno or the upper neighborhoods of Mogán.
On the other side of the island, the Agaete ravine It is also falling with unusual force after the relief in Los Pérez, to the point that the city council has requested avoid mass migrations to the area to contemplate the scene and has requested additional personnel in case of further incidents.
Similar situations are repeated in La Gomerawhere the dam of The Enchantress has overflowed for the first time in a decade, and in La Palmawhere ravines like Las Angustias have had a constant flow of water for several days thanks to the rains in the Caldera de Taburiente.
Hundreds of incidents: closed roads, isolated residents, and damage to infrastructure
The other side of the storm is its impact on daily life. Only the 112 Emergency Coordination Center has been able to manage over 1.000 incidents related to Therese across the ArchipelagoMost of them have to do with landslides, falling trees and branches, sinkholes, sewage problems, and power outages.
En Gran CanariaThe Cabildo (Island Council) has kept key roads closed due to landslides or structural damage, such as the GC-505 in the vicinity of the ArguineguÃn ravine, the GC-608 towards La Culata, the GC-400 in Ariñez, sections of the GC-210 between Tejeda and Artenara and of the GC-60 between Ayacata and the Tejeda ravine...among many other island roads. The situation has left hundreds of residents cut off from communication in summit and mid-altitude areas.
To guarantee a minimum level of mobility, the The Civil Guard has organized escorted convoys at various points on the island. In one of the most significant operations, 17 convoys were coordinated, allowing the transit of 324 vehicles and approximately 490 people, in collaboration with local firefighters and police.
It's not just the roads that have suffered. The force of the water has caused the sinking of sections of road in some municipalities, such as access to the hamlets of Erque and Erquito in Vallehermoso (La Gomera), where about fifteen residents have been isolated, or damage to local roads in rural neighborhoods in both Tenerife and La Palma.
The provisional assessment from the Emergency and Security Coordination Center indicates that in La Gomera More than a hundred incidents have been handled, most of them due to landslides on roads, objects washed onto the road and anomalies in basic services electricity and telecommunications. In El Hierro More than 70 incidents have been recorded, mainly due to power outages and specific problems on roads in the island network.
Education, transport and daily life: an island running on half speed
The impact of Storm Therese has forced a radical change in the islands' routines. The Canary Islands Government's Department of Education decided suspend in-person classes on all islands during periods of greatest risk and to switch to online teaching where possible. Previously, classes had already been cancelled in Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, La Graciosa and partially in Gran Canaria in the face of a succession of warnings for rain, wind and coastal phenomena.
Some centers have also had additional problems: in Gran Canaria, the CEO Tejeda and the CEIP Cercados de Espino They have not been able to open due to landslides on the access roads; others, such as the CEIP La Ladera In La Aldea, they have opted to maintain remote learning for those students with difficulties in getting around.
In the transport sector, the Canary Islands airports have experienced several days with dozens of cancellations and diversionsThe most affected airfield has been that of La Palmawith numerous canceled flights, both inter-island and those connecting to the Spanish mainland and Europe. In total, on different days, more than thirty cancellations and over a dozen diversions have occurred across the archipelago.
The situation forced the La Palma Island Council to to coordinate the relocation of some 200 tourists who were stranded on the island. After their flights were suspended, they were distributed in hotel accommodations and, if necessary, an emergency reception device was activated in a pavilion in Breña Alta, equipped with beds, blankets and basic services.
El maritime traffic It has also suffered alterations. Some inland connections, such as the coastal route to La Gomera, have had to cancel departures During periods of rough seas, and in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, ferry services have been temporarily suspended or ports closed due to the waves and wind, especially in exposed locations such as Los Hervideros, Playa Quemada or the port of Arrecife.
Emergency plans activated and calls for caution
In response to this situation, all levels of government have activated their civil protection mechanisms. The Government of the Canary Islands activated the Specific Emergency Plan for Adverse Weather Phenomena (PEFMA)Declaring an alert for rain, winds, coastal phenomena, risk of flooding and, at certain times, a pre-alert for snowfall in La Palma and Tenerife.
The island councils have followed the same line. Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura have activated their respective Island Emergency Plans (PEIN)which has led to the preventative closure of trail networks, forest tracks, recreational areas, high mountain access routes and certain bathing areas, in addition to restrictions on roads considered high-risk.
The municipalities, for their part, have been declaring Municipal Emergency Plans (PEMU) and adopting very similar measures: suspension of outdoor sports, cultural and leisure activities; closure of parks, urban beaches and cemeteries; and enabling of shelter resources for homeless people in municipalities such as Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria or Adeje.
Since the beginning of the incident, authorities have emphasized several key messages: Avoid unnecessary travel, do not approach ravine beds or exposed coastal areas, do not park in ravine beds, and follow information from official channels at all times.The Directorate General of Emergencies and the island councils have emphasized, in particular, the risk of flash floods in ravines and landslides on the secondary road network.
Hurricane-force gusts, snow on the peaks, and thermal contrast
Beyond the rain, Therese has produced rare images, even for islands accustomed to changeable weather. In the early hours of one of the most critical days, the following were recorded: Gusts of 123 km/h in Suerte Alta (Gran Canaria), 122 km/h in Izaña (Tenerife), 119 km/h in Alto Igualero (La Gomera) and 110 km/h in Cruz de TejedaAt other summit points in Gran Canaria and Tenerife, speeds exceeded 100 km/h again.
On the summits of Tenerife and La PalmaThe storm has turned the Teide and the Roque de los MuchachosTemperatures have plummeted to -4,6 ºC on the Tenerife summit and -3,3 ºC on the palm tree At peak times, snow depths in some areas exceeded 20 centimeters. As a result, All access points to the higher areas have remained closed for several days due to the presence of ice and landslides.
This cold at high altitude contrasts with the conditions in coastal areas, where the Spain's highest maximum temperatures have been recorded precisely in the Canary Islands.On some mornings, temperatures have reached over 20ºC in coastal neighborhoods of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, reflecting the strong thermal gradient between peaks and coast characteristic of these episodes.
Forecast: When is Therese expected to give a break?
The big question is how much longer this scenario will continue. AEMET (the Spanish State Meteorological Agency) and the meteorology department of the regional public broadcaster agree that we are facing a situation where this is the current situation. a long episodeThe models indicate that the storm It will begin to weaken from the end of Saturday and, especially, during Sunday, when the center of the low moves away towards the south of the Archipelago.
Even so, meteorologists emphasize that The instability will not dissipate overnight.Rain is likely to continue into early next week, although with increasingly lower and more spread-out intensitiesMeanwhile, the wind will gradually shift to the northeast and a more typical seasonal pattern will be restored.
Internal forecasts from the Civil Protection agency of the Canary Islands Government estimate that It will not be until well into Wednesday that a clear atmospheric stabilization can be observed.provided that no new depressive systems develop, such as Storm Francis in the area surrounding the archipelago. Until then, emergency services will keep their protocols activated and road closures, access to risk areas, and temporary restrictions will continue to be reviewed daily.
With the islands still grappling with Damaged roads, isolated residents, dozens of rescheduled flights, dams monitored down to the millimeter, and a very high number of incidents attended to.The general feeling is that the worst of the storm is beginning to be behind us, but that it will take time and work to restore normality in all regions and, above all, to assess the true extent of what Therese has meant for the Archipelago.
