EXPATS and tourists in the Canary Islands are on high alert as Storm Therese makes landfall today.
AEMET has issued yellow warnings for wind and coastal phenomena in parts of the Canary Islands, including tourist hotspots Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
Gale-force winds of up to 90km/h, monstrous four-metre waves, and torrential rain of up to 60mm in just 12 hours are set to lash the Canary Islands today.
Temperatures are also forecast to plunge to 13C after days of sun and calm skies have sent temperatures soaring to 24C.
Storm Therese will also bring snow to the islands: now could start falling late Thursday and continue into Friday, turning the island’s peaks into a wintry spectacle amid the wild Atlantic winds.
Storm Therese marks the nineteenth named storm of the 2025-26 season surpassing the record of 17 storms set in 2023-24.
It comes as the Canaries have experienced a surge in tourist bookings following Trump’s war in Iran.
Tour operators say travelers are canceling trips to traditional hotspots like Egypt and Turkey.
A TUI spokesperson told El Pais: “Given the current situation, we’re seeing a surge in short-term bookings for Mediterranean destinations such as Spain, Portugal, and Italy.”
A Canary Islands hotel owner also told El Pais that he expected a switch to the Canaries in ‘coming weeks’.
For tourists and expats in the Canary Islands, the alert doesn’t mean trips must be canceled, but it does call for some precautionary adjustments.
Authorities are advising that everyone on the islands avoids unnecessary journeys, takes extra care when driving and secures loose outdoor items that could blow away in gusty winds.
Tourists may encounter travel delays, particularly on flights to exposed airports such as Tenerife North.
Showers and blustery winds are forecast until Sunday.
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