Storm Therese Lashes Canary Islands and Madeira with Snow and Heavy Rain

Storm Therese swept across the Canary Islands and Madeira on March 20, 2026, triggering emergency plans in Tenerife, generating over 300 incidents across the Canary Islands, and blanketing Mount Teide in snow on the first day of spring. Authorities activated emergency protocols as wind and rain swept through the archipelago, with three people rescued from a ravine after refusing to evacuate. The storm, also referred to in some reports as a depression, arrived simultaneously at Madeira, where it caused 35 separate incidents. The combination of a spring calendar date and wintry mountain conditions produced what observers described as an unusual scene for the subtropical islands.

Three rescued from ravine as 300-plus incidents logged The Canary Islands bore the brunt of the storm's impact, recording approximately 300 incidents across the archipelago, according to reporting by La Razón. Emergency services rescued three people from a ravine after the individuals refused to leave the area despite official warnings. Tenerife was placed under alerts as the storm brought a combination of strong winds, heavy rain, and snowfall to higher elevations. Authorities activated emergency plans specifically for Tenerife as conditions deteriorated, according to the BBC. The snowfall on Tenerife was described as particularly notable given the timing, coinciding precisely with the astronomical start of spring. 300 (incidents) — emergency incidents logged across the Canary Islands

Canary Islands: 300, Madeira: 35

Madeira records 35 incidents as depression moves through In Madeira, the storm — referred to locally as depression Therese — produced 35 recorded incidents, according to Notícias ao Minuto. The Portuguese autonomous island region experienced the same weather system that struck the Canary Islands, though with a lower reported incident count. No information on casualties or injuries in Madeira is available from the source articles. The parallel impact on both island groups underscored the broad geographic reach of the weather system across the eastern Atlantic. The Canary Islands and Madeira are both Atlantic archipelagos located off the northwest coast of Africa, subject to Atlantic weather systems that can bring unexpected winter conditions even during the spring and summer months. Mount Teide, at 3,718 metres, regularly receives snow at its summit during winter, but snowfall coinciding with the start of spring is considered unusual. Earlier in 2026, Storm Leonardo caused widespread flooding in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people, according to reporting from February 2026.

Sun-seekers ignore red flags at Las Canteras beach Despite storm alerts and red flags posted along the coast, beachgoers in Las Palmas were photographed enjoying sunshine at Las Canteras beach on the same day the storm struck, according to eldiario.es. The contrast between the wintry scenes on Mount Teide and the sun-drenched beach in Las Palmas illustrated the varied conditions across the islands during the storm's passage. Red flags on Spanish beaches signal that swimming is prohibited due to dangerous conditions, yet the presence of sunlight drew visitors to the shoreline regardless of official warnings. The juxtaposition of snow on Spain's highest peak and sunbathers on an urban beach on the same day and on the same archipelago drew attention across Spanish media. The incident highlighted the difficulty authorities face in enforcing safety measures when weather conditions appear benign at sea level while remaining hazardous elsewhere across the island chain.