A significant weather warning for Storm Francis has been issued for the Canary Islands, forecasting powerful winds, heavy thunderstorms, and even potential snowfall. However, the reality on the ground in Lanzarote has left at least one local resident thoroughly bemused.
Blue Skies Defy Ominous Forecast
While tourists planning trips to the popular Spanish archipelago were cautioned about the incoming storm from January 2nd, expat Mr Travelon shared a TikTok video revealing a starkly different scene. Filmed on a beach under clear blue skies, he questioned the severity of the forecast, stating, "Where's this storm Francis? Because it hasn't arrived yet in Lanzarote."
Dressed in sunglasses and a fleece—notably without a heavy winter coat—he reported temperatures of around 14 degrees Celsius. Although he acknowledged breezy conditions and a red flag warning against swimming due to choppy seas, the anticipated severe weather was conspicuously absent on New Year's Day and the morning of the 2nd of January.
AEMET's Stern Warning Amid Local Uncertainty
Despite the calm experienced by the local, Spain's meteorological agency, AEMET, maintains its serious advisory. The agency forecasts that Storm Francis will affect the Canary Islands with southwesterly winds bringing very strong gusts and locally heavy, persistent thunderstorms moving from west to east throughout the day and into the early hours of January 3rd.
AEMET has explicitly urged travellers to stay informed, citing a "high level of uncertainty" regarding the storm's development and impact. The agency warned that strong winds would persist in exposed areas until the middle of Saturday the 3rd.
Broader Impact for the Iberian Peninsula
The weather system is expected to influence mainland Spain significantly in the following days. From the 3rd of January, increased instability is likely in southern and southeastern areas, with potentially heavy showers.
More remarkably, AEMET's forecast indicates that on January 4th and 5th, the interaction with a cold air mass could bring snowfall to mid- and low-lying elevations in the southeastern quadrant of the Iberian Peninsula. The eastern Iberian System and the mountain ranges of the Valencian Community are expected to see the highest probability and accumulations.
For British holidaymakers, a staple visitor group for Lanzarote, the advice remains clear: exercise caution and monitor official updates closely over the coming days, as conditions can change rapidly.
