Locals and tourists batten down hatches as ‘Red Alert’ Storm Nuria to smash Canary Islands TODAY – latest weather maps
TOURISTS and residents in Spain’s Canary Islands are bracing for the worst as Storm Nuria’s “hurricane-force” winds are set to make landfall today.
Authorities have issued severe weather warnings for the holiday hotspots of Tenerife and La Palma with maps of the region revealing the areas set to be hit the most.
The Canaries usually enjoy sunny weather and average daily temperatures of 18 degrees around this time of year.
This makes them a popular holiday destination for British holidaymakers looking to soak up the sun before summer.
But tourists out on the islands are now expected to be hit by hurricane-force gusts of up to 80mph.
These high winds will also bring along dangerous sea conditions which are expected to batter the coastal regions of the islands.
The worst winds are expected to hit La Palma island, where Spain’s Met Office (AEMET) issued a red alert earlier today untill 3pm local time.
It is one of the most visited islands in the Canaries and is very popular among tourists, including the Brits.
Amber and yellow alerts have also been issued for many other tourist hotspots expected to take severe hits.
This includes Spain’s western islands of Tenerife, El Hierro and La Gomera.
High-altitude zones like the Teide National Park and the parts of Tenerife where the south airport is located, will also be hard hit.
The other islands on the archipelago including Gran Canaria are braced for strong wind gusts ranging from 43 to 62 miles per hour.
To prepare for Storm Nuria, schools in Tenerife, La Palma and La Graciosa remain closed today.
The agency said in a tweet: “Storm Nuria will leave hurricane-force wind gusts, exceeding 130km/hr, between 5am and 5pm (Canary Islands time) on Thursday, April 3.
“The danger is extraordinary. Extreme caution.”
Brit tourists have been urged to avoid the danger zones until after April 3.
Nuria is the fourteenth high-impact storm of the season.
Along with the Canary Islands, the storm will bring rain, strong winds and cooler temperatures to much of Spain.
Heavy rainfall is also expected to hit Galicia, the Balearic Islands and the Cantabrian mountain range.
Authorities have also announced yellow warnings in the provinces of Cadiz, Huelva and Seville.
The arrival of storm Nuria will interrupt the period of dry and warm weather that Spain has experienced in the previous weeks.
The Canary Islands were ravaged by flooding last month – with Gran Canaria battered by torrential rain.
Tourists and locals saw their cars swept away in devastating flash floods as they were told to stay indoors.
Shocking pictures and videos from the time showed dangerous waters destroying homes and covering streets with piles of mud.
Terrifying footage showed a woman being rescued from a car engulfed in floodwater in Gran Canaria.