The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has issued a warning for Monday, December 2, forecasting the development of a DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos, or Isolated High-Level Depression) over the Canary Islands. This weather system is expected to create unstable conditions, particularly in the western islands, due to the passage of a front.
Weather Overview for Spain and the Canary Islands:
The front will traverse the Peninsula and Balearic Islands, moving west to east, causing increased cloudiness and scattered precipitation. While mainland areas like the Cantabrian Sea are expected to see heavy rain, and snowfall is forecast in the Pyrenees at elevations between 1,700 and 1,900 metres, the Canary Islands will experience the effects of the DANA.
The unstable conditions over the Canary Islands could result in significant rainfall and thunderstorms, particularly in the western islands. Aemet warns of the potential for heavy or persistent downpours, although uncertainties remain regarding the exact position of the DANA.
Regional Weather Highlights for the Canary Islands:
- Rainfall: Likely concentrated offshore but may affect land, particularly in western islands. Localised thunderstorms are also possible.
- Temperatures: A slight drop is expected, particularly in the highlands and exposed areas.
- Winds: Trade winds will dominate, with moderate to strong gusts on coastal areas exposed to the northeast and east.
- Haze: A light haze will linger but is expected to dissipate throughout the day.
Island-by-Island Forecast:
Tenerife:
- Morning: Cloudy in the north with a chance of light drizzle. Cloud cover will reduce later in the day.
- Afternoon: Increased cloudiness in the midlands with light, occasional showers possible. Clear skies elsewhere.
- Temperatures: Slight decrease.
- Winds: Moderate northeast winds on the coasts, stronger on the south-southeast. Breezy along the west coast.
La Gomera:
- Morning: Cloudy in northern areas with a slight chance of drizzle.
- Afternoon: Mostly clear with occasional high cloudiness.
- Temperatures: Slight decrease.
- Winds: Moderate northeast winds, stronger along the east coast. Breezes on southwest coasts.
La Palma:
- Morning: Cloudy in the north with drizzle possible, clearing to intervals of cloud.
- Afternoon: Showers possible in midland areas, with isolated thunderstorms in the west. Mostly clear elsewhere.
- Temperatures: Slight decrease.
- Winds: Moderate northeast winds, strong along northwest and southeast coasts.
El Hierro:
- Morning: Cloudy in the north with a low chance of light showers.
- Afternoon: Light and occasional showers expected in the midlands.
- Temperatures: Slight decrease or stable in higher areas.
- Winds: Moderate northeast winds, strong along trade wind-exposed coasts.
Gran Canaria:
- Intervals of high cloud. Northern areas may see some cloud cover at lower altitudes.
- Temperatures: Slight decrease, more pronounced in higher areas.
- Winds: Moderate northeast winds with breezes on the southwest coast.
Lanzarote & Fuerteventura:
- Intervals of high cloud.
- Temperatures: Slight decline, occasionally moderate in northern and western areas.
- Winds: Moderate northeast winds, with less intense easterly intervals during midday hours.
Mainland Spain Impacts:
- Fog Risk: Fog reducing visibility to 200 metres in Lleida, Tarragona, Huesca, Teruel, and Zaragoza.
- Swells: Girona may experience waves up to 3 metres due to strong north winds.
- Snow: Snowfall in the Pyrenees as temperatures drop and the freezing level lowers.
- Winds: Moderate to strong winds expected across coastal regions, with Tramontana winds strengthening in Ampurdán.
Key Takeaways:
Residents and visitors in the Canary Islands are advised to prepare for potential heavy rainfall, particularly in the western islands, and to exercise caution in areas exposed to strong winds. The Aemet emphasizes uncertainty in the exact impacts of the DANA but highlights the likelihood of notable weather disruptions in the affected regions.
