New Year brings waves, wind, rain and storms as Francis passes over the Canary Islands

The Canary Islands will welcome 2026 with southerly weather as the Atlantic low‑pressure system Francis moves toward the Iberian Peninsula. The Canary Islands Government has activated alerts and pre‑alerts for coastal hazards, wind, rain and storms from the early hours of Thursday, 1 January. While the centre of the cold front will not reach the archipelago, it will affect the western islands on 1 January and could impact the province of Las Palmas later that afternoon.

Alerts and pre‑alerts on all islands

• Coastal‑phenomena alert – in force from 02:00 h on Thursday, covering extensive stretches of coastline.

  • Southwest winds of force 7 are expected, with combined sea heights of 2.5–3 m on the 1st, rising to 4 m or more from Friday 2.
  • Sea conditions will deteriorate toward the weekend, coinciding with a full moon and spring tides.

• Wind – an alert for Tenerife and La Palma and a pre‑alert for the remaining islands from 03:00 h on Thursday.

  • Strong or very strong gusts are forecast for mid‑levels and summits, potentially exceeding 90 km/h on Tenerife’s peaks and affecting exposed slopes.

• Rain – an alert for Tenerife and La Palma and a pre‑alert for the rest of the archipelago from 07:00 h on Thursday.

  • A front will sweep the Canaries west‑to‑east, bringing locally strong and persistent precipitation to the western islands and to the western and southern parts of Gran Canaria.
  • In Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, rain is expected mainly during the night, with lower probability and intensity.

• Storms – a pre‑alert for the entire archipelago, due to the possibility of stormy showers linked to the front, especially over El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera and the western slopes and summits.

Yellow warnings for the whole archipelago as Francis passes

AEMET forecasts indicate that the episode will concentrate mainly on 1–2 January, with southwest winds, widespread rain and a marked deterioration of sea state. Consequently, yellow warnings are in force across all islands for the first day of the year.

Authorities advise extreme caution in coastal zones: avoid approaching breakers and dikes, suspend recreational nautical activities, and refrain from walking through ravine beds during rain episodes. Warnings will be updated as the front evolves and new predictions become available.

Francis low‑pressure system at noon on Thursday 1 January (NOAA GFS model).