A small rock in the Atlantic

I Don't Believe It!

(said in my best Victor Meldrew impersonation.)

We're on orange alert again, because there's yet another storm headed our way.

This one is small and intense and due to hit tonight with wind gusts up to 160 km/h on the peaks and possible heavy rain. The only good bit is that it's zipping along so fast that it should be over by lunchtime Saturday.

The observatory has been evacuated, the Octopus's funeral tonight has been postponed again, along with the hiking club's coast-to-coast walk on Saturday.

I haven't heard anything definite about the Sardine's Funeral on Saturday in Los Sauces. The storm may well have gone by then.

Labels: Carnival, La Palma, octopus's funeral, Sardine's Funeral, Weather

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Weather Forecast

Well the storm's gone, thank goodness, but there's more rain due on Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy Friday, quick!

We've had a lot more bad weather than usual this winter.

On a happier note, there's a children's carnival party at La Polvacera Sports Ground, with dancing, games, art workshops and murgas. Come in fancy dress if you can, at 5 pm.

Children's Carnival party, La Polvacera, Breña Baja, La Palma

Labels: Breña Baja, Carnival, La Palma, Weather

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Orange weather alert

Today we have a yellow weather alert for the whole island, and most of the sea around it (the exception is the sea immediately east of the island). Tomorrow it becomes an orange alert for the whole island with a yellow alert for the sea. And for Thursday we have an orange alert again for the island, and an orange alert for the sea, except for the same patch of sea off the east of the island.

Labels: Weather

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It's Raining on La Palma

Some people think it never rains in La Palma. Well, it's the greenest of the Canary Islands for a very simple reason. And right now, it's busy getting greener. In fact, we have an official orange weather alert, and all school is cancelled for tomorrow, for the whole archipelago.

The thing is, it's not raining all that much, at last not here. It's just like a wet day in Wales.

I suppose it's rather like the way Britain grind to a halt with the sort of snowfall that wouldn't bother a Siberian at all. And of course here, the rain is at last warm.

Labels: La Palma, La Plama, Weather

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Road to the Roque Blocked

The road from Santa Cruz to the Roque is blocked by snow at least until midday tomorrow. It's open on the Garafía side, but only to 4-wheel drive vehicles.

Years ago, when I was on duty overnight at the Roque in winter, it was part of my job to check the road in the morning to see whether or not it was safe for cars to come up to site. One morning, I found two German tourists who had driven past the "road closed" sign, ignored all the snow and ice they could see out of the car windows ("It can't be really bad. We're in the Canaries!") and kept going until they slid into the ditch at the side of the road and couldn't get out.

They'd spent the whole night there, turning on the engine every now and then to run the heater, and they were very pleased to see me.

So I very seriously suggest that you don't try and get to the Roque in a normal car at the moment. Hypothermia could really spoil your holiday.

Labels: road, Roque de los Muchachos, Weather

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Weather Pre-alert

A pre-alert means don't panic yet, but check before you go out.

High winds are expected tomorrow (Thursday) in the eastern Canaries: Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuertaventura, and the day after (Friday) in all the islands. They expect gusts up to 75 km/h / 46 mph. That's Force 8 on the Beaufort Scale: "Twigs broken from trees. Cars veer on road."

So Friday might not be the best day for ridge walks or a boat trip.

Labels: Canaries, Canary Isands, La Palma, La Plama, Weather

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The cloud waterfall.

Because the island sits in the trade winds, damp air hits the northeast of the island and has to rise, where it turns into clouds. Because La Palma has a north-south spine called the Cumbre Nueva, the cloud quite often reaches up to the ridge and then tumbles over as the cloud waterfall. This is extremely pretty, and best viewed from around the western side of the tunnel. You can also look down on it from the Los Andennes mirador on the road to the observatory.

Sometimes, when the winds blow from the west, the waterfall tumbles down the eastern side of the ridge.

Occasionally, it keeps going after sunset, and you can see it lit by the full moon, which makes you wonder if you've slipped through to Narnia or Middle Earth.

Just once, I saw a spectacular sunset illuminate it candyfloss-pink.

I didn't have a camera.

I swore.

Labels: Canaries, Canary islands, La Palma, Weather

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A Blustery Day

Some people reckon that the Canaries have the best climate in the world, but right now, it's blowing a gale out there. Yesterday was bad, and today is worse - we've had gusts up to force ten. The schools in Mazo, the Breñas and Santa Cruz were all shut this morning (my son was delighted, of course). The dentist didn't open either. Since the gale is from the west, the airport is shut.

It wouldn't seem nearly so odd in the UK. But the island normally sits in the trade winds, which means that we have steady winds from the north-east. It also tends to create a cloud that steadily builds up on the east side of the island. Today, with the wind coming the other side, the cloud was on the west and the east was mostly sunny - with occasional pouring rain.

Of course that means that we also got rainbows.

Labels: Canaries, Canary islands, La Palma, Weather

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What to put in your suitcase

The Palmeran climate's a lot less predictable than it used to be. We had an unusually dry winter, but so far spring is wetter than usual. In any case, at this time of year, the weather's very changeable. It's not like Ireland - if you don't like the weather just wait five minute and it'll change - but half an hour ago it was pouring, and now it's just cloudy.

So do bring the waterproofs if you're planning to go walking. Bring good boots too, unless you're planning to walk mainly on roads. The trails vary, and some are very rough. Do NOT try to hike round the Caldera rim in high-heeled shoes! (I did see someone trying once. She didn't get far!)

Then there's the change in climate due to altitude. Down at the airport (260 ft, or 80 m above sea level) it's currently 15ºC. Up at the Roque, (7,900 ft or 2464 m) it's just below zero (-0.6ºC). So unless you're planning to sit on the beach for the whole holiday, you'll want a jumper or even a fleece. Bring the swimsuits too - they don't take up much space, and we've been getting intervals of glorious sunshine. Ten years ago, we only got the calima - the wind off the Sahara - for a few days in the middle of summer. But we had it for a few days in January, and even the locals headed for the beach.

Very often, the west of the island (including Cancajos) is sunny in the morning, and the cloud builds out from the mountain as the day goes on. So the beach is the last place to cloud over. The East of the island (including Puerto Naos and the Princess hotel) is much sunnier and drier.

I've created a page with links to weather stations around the island here. At the moment, it's still very basic, but it will improve as I find more weather stations and webcams.

Labels: Canaries, Canary islands, La Palma, Weather