The Canary Islands are facing one of the most changeable weather episodes of the season as a DANA (isolated high-altitude depression) moves across the archipelago. On Thursday, 26 February 2026, and extending into Friday 27 February, a combination of heavy wind, rain, snowfall, rough seas and suspended dust is keeping multiple alerts and pre-alerts active.
According to the latest update from the regional authorities, warnings remain in force for rain, storms, snow and calima, alongside coastal and wind alerts affecting several islands.
Rain and storm pre-alerts
A rain pre-alert has been in place since 11:00 a.m. on Thursday in northern Tenerife and northern Gran Canaria, as well as across Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, where locally persistent rainfall is possible.
From midday, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are also under a storm pre-alert, with the risk of electrical storms and even small hailstones.
Snow above 1,800 metres and risk of mud
Snowfall is expected in the high areas of Tenerife above 1,800 metres, with the pre-alert active since 03:00 a.m. on Thursday. Conditions on Mount Teide and surrounding high-altitude roads may be affected, and access restrictions are possible if snowfall intensifies.
At the same time, the Government is maintaining a calima pre-alert across the entire archipelago. The presence of suspended dust, particularly in mid-altitude and high areas, could combine with light rainfall, increasing the likelihood of muddy showers and surface deposits of fine sediment.
Wind alert from early Friday
The situation is expected to worsen from midnight into Friday, 27 February, when a formal wind alert comes into effect for the Western Islands and Gran Canaria.
Very strong north-easterly gusts are forecast, especially in summit areas and on south-eastern slopes of Tenerife, as well as on the north-western and south-eastern slopes of the other mountainous islands. Gusts may exceed 90 km/h and could locally reach or surpass 100 km/h in particularly exposed areas.
Dangerous sea conditions
A coastal alert is also active from 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Combined sea conditions are expected to generate waves exceeding four metres along northern coasts, creating hazardous conditions for maritime activity and coastal areas.
Outlook for Friday
Looking ahead to Friday, the forecast from the State Meteorological Agency, AEMET, indicates cloudy intervals in the north of the mountainous islands, with likely light rain during the first half of the day.
Elsewhere, skies will be mostly clear, although isolated early-morning showers in the eastern islands cannot be ruled out. Winds will remain moderate to strong from the north-east, with very strong gusts in high and exposed areas, again potentially exceeding 90 km/h.
High-altitude haze may reduce visibility and, in combination with rain, leave muddy deposits in some locations.
Overall, the archipelago is bracing for a volatile mix of winter conditions at altitude, powerful winds and rough seas, requiring close attention to official updates and safety recommendations.
