Snow has hit the Canary Islands as flights are cancelled in Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria.
10:00, Sat, Mar 21, 2026 Updated: 10:00, Sat, Mar 21, 2026
Snow hit the Canary Islands this week (Image: Local media)
Tenerife and other Canary Islands have been hit by snow as Storm Therese sparks disruption. The intensity of Storm Therese is forecast to peak today, with severe winds, torrential rain and dangerous sea conditions expected across parts of the Canary Islands.
More than 36 have been cancelled across the Canary Islands earlier in the week, with Spain's weather agency has issued weather warnings for people in the region. Spain's national weather agency, Aemet, warned: "Starting today, it is causing a period of adverse weather in the Canary Islands that will extend over the next few days with the passage of successive fronts and lines of instability. Winds will intensify, producing very strong gusts from the west that could cause branches or trees to fall, as well as damage to property and infrastructure." Many outdoor events have been cancelled, including Tenerife's Bluetrail by UTMB.
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Multiple disrupted landings reported in Gran Canaria
Strong gusty winds and wind shear have caused several aircraft to abort landings in Gran Canaria, forcing pilots to perform safety "go-around” manoeuvres.
According to Canarian News, air traffic controllers said sudden changes in wind intensity or direction during descent are regarded as "critical."
They explained "when an aircraft is in landing configuration, it flies at a relatively low and stable speed." They further added, "wind shear disrupts that balance in two ways."
Controllers also noted that powerful tailwinds linked to the storm have pushed some departing flights to record unusually high ground speeds of more than 1,100km/h, stressing that this does not pose a safety risk and simply reflects aircraft travelling within a fast-moving air mass.
Icicles and snow pictured
This shocking image shows icicles and snow blanketing a viewing platform high in the mountains of Tenerife as Storm Therese brings rare wintry conditions, strong winds and poor visibility to parts of the Canary Islands.
Tenerife hit by snow (Image: Tenerife Island Council)
Many outdoor events cancelled
Many outdoor events across the Canary islands have been cancelled, including the Tenerife Bluetrail by UTMB.
The race director recognises the efforts of runners and institutions and thanked them for their understanding, adding: "See you in 2027."
Over 36 flights cancelled
More than 36 flights cancelled particularly affecting Tenerife North (TFN) and Tenerife South (TFS) airports. Most cancellations have involved inter-island services, although some international flights have also been diverted due to strong winds, poor visibility and heavy rain linked to the storm.
Tenerife North has seen the greatest impact, with multiple routes between islands including El Hierro, La Palma and Lanzarote affected, while several international flights - including services from Frankfurt, Zurich and Madrid originally bound for La Palma - were rerouted to Tenerife South or Gran Canaria.
Airlines have warned passengers to check flight status before travelling, as orange weather warnings remain in place through Saturday, March 21, with conditions expected to gradually improve from Sunday.
Tenerife South Airport Reina Sofia TFS GCTS in Tenerife island, Canary Islands, Spain (Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
When will the orange warning end for Storm Therese?
For Saturday
Although conditions may begin to ease slightly, significant disruption is still expected.
Rain: Orange alerts remain in place for Tenerife and La Palma (100mm) and Gran Canaria (80mm). El Hierro and La Gomera drop to yellow warnings. Wind: Strong gusts of up to 90 km/h are expected to continue, with peaks over 100 km/h possible in Tenerife’s highlands. Sea conditions: Some improvement is expected, but yellow warnings remain for rough seas and winds, with waves still reaching up to 5 metres.
The orange weather warning in Tenerife are expected to remain in force until later on Saturday, before being gradually downgraded as Storm Therese begins to ease.
Latest Storm Therese update from Spain’s weather service
Aemet has warned that while Storm Therese is expected to reach its peak on Saturday, conditions will only gradually improve from Sunday, with further rain, strong winds in exposed areas and disruption still possible across the Canary Islands.
Spain's weather agency says the most severe impacts will include very strong gusts, large waves and locally intense, persistent downpours, particularly in areas already affected by earlier heavy rain. Although instability is forecast to decrease from Monday, showery weather could continue into early next week, with rainfall totals expected to be lower than during the storm’s peak.
\u26a0\ufe0f AVISO ESPECIAL | Precipitaciones, viento y oleaje en Canarias.
\u27a1\ufe0f Continuar\u00e1 el temporal en el archipi\u00e9lago durante el fin de semana, aunque a partir del domingo el viento perder\u00e1 intensidad y las lluvias ser\u00e1n menos abundantes.
Saturday:Storm Therese is expected to continue bringing severe weather across Tenerife and other Canary Islands, with strong winds, heavy rain and dangerous coastal conditions.Orange warnings remain in force in some areas, with a risk of flooding, travel disruption and landslides.
Sunday:Forecasters say conditions should begin to gradually improve, although disruption may still continue in places.Some lower-level yellow weather warnings could remain active, particularly for showers and rough seas.
Monday:The storm system is forecast to move further away, but the weather will remain unsettled with scattered showers and breezy conditions across the islands.
Early next week:Showery outbreaks are expected to linger into the first half of the week, although severe storm conditions are not expected to be as intense as the weekend peak.
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Snow in Tenerife pictured
Tenerife Island Council has released images of the snow being battered by snow as Storm Therese barrels in.
Tenerife hit by SNOW as Storm Therese barrels in cancelling holiday flights as Brits gear up for Eas (Image: Tenerife Island Council)
Statement from Spain’s national weather agency
Aemet warned
“Starting today, it is causing a period of adverse weather in the Canary Islands that will extend over the next few days with the passage of successive fronts and lines of instability. Winds will intensify, producing very strong gusts from the west that could cause branches or trees to fall, as well as damage to property and infrastructure.”
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