EXTREME WEATHER WARNING FOR ANYONE HEADING TO HOLIDAY HOTSPOT OVER EASTER

Tourists heading to Spain’s Canary Islands over the Easter holidays have been warned to expect extreme weather – as snow, rain and lightning storms are expected to batter the region.

Storm Nelson is set to continue heaping more misery on the Canary Islands throughout the Bank Holiday, which has been hit with heavy rain and flooding in recent weeks.

Spanish meteorological service AEMET, who named the storm, say it will have ‘great relevance’ during Easter weekend, and said it will ‘give rise in the coming days to strong gusts of wind and rain in large areas of the territory in a period of great social relevance such as Semana Santa [Holy week].’

A spate of weather warnings- including some Status Orange – are currently in place throughout the islands, with ‘widespread rainfall’ and a ‘sharp drop in temperatures’ forecast over the coming days.

Last weekend saw emergency services respond to 124 extreme weather incidents, after rockfall and landslides caused severe disruption to major roads throughout the islands.

Icy conditions and snowfall had caused blockages too, with Tenerife and La Palma suffering the worst conditions. Roads in Tenerife have since reopened, however council members are urging caution when outdoors.

Parts of the Canary Islands have seen more rainfall over the weekend than they had throughout the entire winter season, local news reports. Tourists and locals have been warned to stay away from coastal areas and avoid sheltering under trees as the storms continue to rage.

AEMET said today: ‘The influence of low Atlantic pressure and its fronts is expected on the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, with a predominance of cloudy skies and widespread rainfall, less likely on the southeastern coast.

‘They are expected to be more abundant in the northern third, especially in the Pyrenees and western Galicia, where they can be locally strong or persistent. They may occasionally be accompanied by storms and hail.

‘In the Canary Islands, the tails of the fronts will leave a predominance of cloudy skies and precipitation, more abundant in the north of the mountainous islands and less likely in the south.

‘Temperatures will drop almost universally and sharply, even noticeably on the northern plateau, except in the extreme east of the peninsula, where they will remain with little change.

‘Moderate winds with a westerly component in the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, with strong intervals in coastal and mountain areas, as well as in the interior of the eastern third of the peninsula. In the Canary Islands it will blow from the north, with strong intervals in the western islands.’

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2024-03-27T08:43:53Z dg43tfdfdgfd