Canary Islands Tourists Frustrated by Stormy Spring Weather
Scores of Brits holidaying in the Canary Islands have been left frustrated as Storm Oliver battered the normally sunny region. Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote were hammered by the worst of the weather on Wednesday night (April 9), leading British travellers to lament their luck and admitted it felt like being at home. The unfortunate spell follows closely behind the chaos wreaked by Storm Nuria last week.
It prompted numerous British tourists and expats to flood social media with images and videos of the dreary conditions they were facing. In Tenerife, singer Lisa Bridge uploaded dashcam footage onto TikTok showing her journey up a hillside road turned into a raging waterway. Storm Oliver has arrived in Tenerife - our road is like a river,' she cautioned others about the treacherous situation.
Similarly, Keiran Harris captured scenes from his accommodation in Lanzarote. 'Waking up to thunder and lightning,' he noted. Storm Oliver has arrived here in Lanzarote. It's cleared up now, but apparently back again later and all tomorrow - we shall see.' On another note, Kent-born guitarist Paul Lawrence updated followers from his resort on the same island. 'After a few beautifully hot days, we have been treated to a storm overnight, still about 19 degrees though,' he commented.
In his video, Paul swept his camera around the area, capturing resort staff diligently pushing water towards drains, while a few brave guests navigated their way around the pool. 'Good morning from Playa Blanca,' greeted Paul. 'We've had a bit of a storm overnight, and it's still pouring down heavily. If you're coming here on holiday, there is some good news - the weather is expected to improve later today and over the next few days, but it seems like today will be spent in the hotel room.'
Olympus Pool Bar in Tenerife - a favourite spot for Brits run by Andrew and Jane Banks - also joined in on the social media platform on Wednesday night. 'Well, here we go again - welcome to Tenerife,' sighed Paul. 'But hey-ho, tomorrow's a new day. The weather has been so strange, but we are well over it now - it needs to clear off! Fingers crossed it does.' Yesterday, the General Directorate of Emergencies of the Government of the Canary Islands issued a pre-alert for strong winds and persistent rain, warning of potential flooding. Large waves are also expected. In a statement, the regional government advised against driving and urged those who must travel to take extreme caution, paying special attention to water levels, moderating speed, and checking brakes.
Meanwhile, the Spanish state meteorological agency (Aemet) has issued a warning about the potential consequences of Oliver. Experts have declared orange warnings for heavy rain and storms in the archipelago for both Wednesday and Thursday. In a video, Aemet spokesperson Ruben del Campo cautioned: 'The danger is significant. Stay away from ravines even if they are dry. The first few days of Easter 2025 are shaping up to be unstable due to the presence of Storm Olivier, which will bring heavy rain to the Canary Islands before then.' Del Campo's forecast predicts that the first festive days 'will be cool' and 'rainy' across much of the country. 'Temperatures are going to drop, and there will also be rain in much of the Peninsula,' he noted.
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