Many holidaymakers book trips to Spain seeking sunshine, but some are now opting to cancel their plans as Storm Therese wreaks havoc across the Canary Islands, especially Tenerife and La Palma.
The storm is presently bringing an unusual mix of torrential rain, 100 km/h (62 mph) gales, and significant snowfall at higher elevations. Officials have issued a full-scale emergency for Tenerife, calling it one of the most serious storms to strike the archipelago in more than a decade. Spain's weather service, AEMET, has issued multiple alerts that will remain in place throughout the weekend. Orange (high risk) warnings have been issued for northern Tenerife and sections of La Palma owing to wind gusts of 90–100 km/h and intense rainfall.
Meanwhile, yellow warnings are active across all seven islands for rain, thunderstorms, and rough seas with waves reaching up to 6 metres (20 feet).
Unusually for this season, considerable snowfall has also blanketed Mount Teide and surrounding peaks above 1,800–2,000 metres.
The extreme weather has led many Tenerife tourists to admit they 'can't wait' to return home.
One Tenerife resident, known as @theknightstrider1 on TikTok, posted to his account on Saturday (21st March) to discuss the 'wild' weather conditions in the region.
The car hire and bar owner recorded himself saying: "The Tenerife weather is just wild at the moment. It's on for another at least four days this crazy weather."
He explained the Santa Cruz de Tenerife area had just experienced a "torrential downpour", before turning around to reveal "blue skies with the sun shining". Despite this, he noted that within moments, the rain is "bouncing down" once more.
The Tenerife local also pointed out that the drains "just can't handle" the volume of rainfall, resulting in them "bursting up" on a fairly regular basis.
He went on to say: "The good news is, it is mixed. I suppose that's kind of good news, you can get a bit of sunshine, but it was absolutely hammering it down a minute ago.
"So there you go, another four days or so of this. If you're here, expect a mixed bag - heavy rain, a bit of sunshine now... towards Las Americas looks alright. But you're going to want to do your indoor activities."
He revealed that when the sun does appear, temperatures reach "about 22 degrees", dropping to "around 18 degrees" in the shade, the rain and the wind.
Several followers among his 115,000-strong audience, who had upcoming Tenerife holidays booked, admitted they were worried about their trips.
One person wrote: "When will it be finished? We come Friday."
Whilst another added: "Praying it passes by Tuesday."
A third chimed in: "I'm coming Monday, really hope it picks up!"
Despite this, some holidaymakers admitted they were cancelling their trips as the Tenerife resident posted another clip of the torrential rain, with one person writing: "We cancelled our week away at the last minute."
Another responded: "Snap – we've rebooked for April 12 onwards."
The storm has caused widespread cancellations and safety shutdowns across the islands. Over 40 flights were cancelled or diverted by Friday, 20 March, predominantly at Tenerife North and South airports. Travellers are advised to check their flight status through Flightradar24 or directly with their airline.
Numerous users on TikTok and Facebook have described Tenerife South Airport as 'chaos', claiming that baggage queues are taking hours and passengers are missing their flights.
Others have alleged that the E-gates are out of service, with hundreds of people queuing "to see one passport officer who was having to re-scan face/finger prints".
Posting a further video from Tenerife South Airport, @theknightstrider1 described it as "rammed" in the caption, noting that the arrivals area was particularly congested and warning holidaymakers to "be prepared".
He added in the clip: "If you're wondering if Tenerife is busy, it certainly is. This is the arrivals area and it's absolutely rammed. People are still pouring in.
"If you come to the airport, I do recommend you get here nice and early if you're leaving, there's bound to be queues when you've got this many people around."
Aena said in a comment: "In Spain border control is the responsibility of the National Police, not the airport. The airport has provided the necessary infrastructure for the implementation of the Entry Exit System but its availability depends primarily on the number and performance of police officers at the border post."
When will Storm Therese end?
Storm Therese is anticipated to ease across the majority of its impacted regions by Monday, 23 March 2026. Whilst the most severe conditions struck between Thursday and Saturday, certain effects and weather warnings will continue into early next week.
Storm impacts are presently ongoing today (Sunday March 22) with rainfall and powerful winds. Orange wind warnings (up to 100 km/h) remain active for Tenerife, La Gomera, El Hierro, and western La Palma.
Conditions are predicted to "ease off" on Monday (March 23) with wind speeds declining and rainfall reducing considerably. Nevertheless, yellow and orange warnings remain in force for several islands, and some schools in El Hierro, La Gomera, and parts of Tenerife will remain shut as a precautionary measure. Conditions are expected to improve throughout the week.
