British tourists holidaying in the Canary Islands this weekend have been warned to brace for adverse weather conditions by the coast.
The Government of the archipelago, through the Directorate General of Emergencies, has declared a pre-alert status for the adverse conditions starting from midnight on Saturday (February 15).
The pre-alert will affect the northern and western coasts of El Hierro, La Palma, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, as well as the northern coasts of La Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
Wave heights are expected to reach two to three metres on Saturday and Monday and up to four metres on Sunday. Winds, meanwhile, will range from force three to four (7.5-17 mph), with gusts reaching force five (18–24 mph) in some areas.
The wind direction will shift over the weekend, starting from the northwest on Saturday, turning north and northeast on Sunday, and eventually veering east to southwest on Monday.
Authorities advise caution to residents and tourists, particularly those near coastal areas, and urge the public to stay informed about weather updates.
The pre-alert is expected to remain in place until conditions improve on Monday.
The decision to declare the pre-alert has been made based on data provided by the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) and other sources, per the Canary Islands’ Specific Emergency Plan for Adverse Meteorological Phenomena (PEFMA).
Large waves are a common phenomena in the Canary Islands due to their geographic location off the coast of Africa, which exposes them to powerful swells from the North Atlantic Ocean, combined with their volcanic topography creating reef breaks that generate fast, hollow waves.
While this makes for less than-ideal conditions for tourists looking to have a gentle swim on their holiday, it does make the archipelago a popular surfing destination, with consistent surf throughout the year.
On this occasion, however, it may be best to leave those surfboards at the villa and steer clear of seaside walks this weekend.
According to Canarian Weekly, the Canary Islands had nearly 18 million tourists in 2024, a 10% increase from the previous year. This included 15.5 million international tourists and two million domestic tourists.
Tenerife was the most popular destination, with over 7 million visitors, followed by Gran Canaria with 4.5 million visitors. The majority of tourists came from the UK, France and Germany.
The Canary Islands’ tourism success in 2024 was despite anti-tourism protests that highlighted concerns about the impact of tourism on the environment and housing market.