Emergency declared in Tenerife over 60mph Storm Therese
Authorities have declared a state of emergency in Tenerife ahead of Storm Therese’s landfall on the island.
An emergency warning is in place from today until the foreseeable future ahead of forecasted dangerous road conditions, heavy rain and winds.
Major roads are also being shut down, along with bans on hiking trails and Teide National Park, and the suspension of all outdoor events.
Blanca Pérez, the councillor for Security and Emergencies, said authorities are hoping to anticipate any emergencies and respond quickly, even in stormy conditions.
The government is monitoring the coast, infrastructure and known risk points, but is advising residents and those visiting to avoid any unnecessary travel and to secure outdoor items which could blow away.
Wind gusts could reach 60mph, and some areas of the island could see up to 11 inches of rain.
Tenerife President Rosa Dávila said: ‘Starting today at 3pm, the island emergency response system is put into operation to prepare for an episode of adverse weather that will affect Tenerife over the coming days.’
Yellow weather warnings stretch across all of the other Canary Islands as well, with intense winds and rough seas expected.
In the UK, however, warmer weather across much of England and Wales today has been a welcome break from the miserable cold.
The hottest day of the year so far was 19.2°C in London earlier in March, according to the Met Office.
Temperatures are set to peak today, potentially reaching 20°C in the west of Wales.
In the UK, meteorological spring begins on March 1 and ends on May 31.
The sunny forecast is also driven by warm southerly winds and high pressure, as well as a phenomenon known as the Foehn effect, forecasters said.
The Foehn effect is caused by a passage of east to south-easterly winds which move over areas of higher ground.
It will be a welcome break from the recent cold snap in the UK, which saw the Met Office issue a yellow weather warning for snow and ice covering an area north of Stirling and around Fort William.
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