If you were planning a warm, still first night of Carnaval… you might want to rethink the outfit.
Aemet has activated a yellow weather warning for wind in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and in Gran Canaria. It kicks in on Friday… which just happens to be the first proper day of Carnaval in the street.
Classic.
What to expect
Strong winds, especially in higher areas and exposed slopes. The warning specifically highlights very strong gusts in summit zones and open-facing areas.
On top of that, temperatures inland are set to drop noticeably. So if you’re heading up towards the interior before coming down to the coast, it’s going to feel colder than it has done recently.
The rest of the forecast is fairly typical for this time of year. More cloud in the north of the mountainous islands, plus Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. There’s a low chance of light, occasional rain, but nothing dramatic.
In other words, it’s mainly the wind that’s the issue.
Carnaval + wind = potential chaos
If you’ve lived here long enough, you’ll know that wind changes everything.
Wigs don’t stay put. Costumes that looked brilliant indoors suddenly become engineering problems. And anything lightweight becomes airborne.
For those heading to Santa Cruz, Las Palmas or local street events, it’s worth bringing an extra layer. Once the sun drops and the wind picks up, it can feel surprisingly chilly, especially if you’re standing around for hours.
If you’re driving through exposed roads or higher routes, take care with crosswinds. Some of those stretches can catch you out quickly.
Carnaval will go ahead. It nearly always does.
It just might be a slightly windswept version this year.
Very Canary Islands. Sunshine, samba… and a yellow weather warning thrown in for good measure.