What does Storm Charles mean for visitors and residents now?
The Cabildo has set no restrictions on Gran Canaria and cancelled no activities so far. That is its position as of Tuesday 10 November, and it may change as the storm develops.
Charles reaches the island on Tuesday afternoon and evening and stays until Wednesday night, 11 November. Cabildo president Antonio Morales said the storm could move off earlier than first forecast, but it must still be watched.
The Cabildo expects the strongest wind on the summits and on the north-west and south-east slopes. It named no individual resorts in the south, so guests there should follow the wind and coastal warnings themselves.
Morales advises careful driving, because trees can fall and rocks can come loose. Anyone on mountain roads or the GC-1 should allow more time, as media reports already show delays on the GC-1 heading north.
For current advice, turn to the Cabildo, the 112 Canarias emergency number and AEMET, the state weather service. In heavy swell, keep away from pier ends and breakwaters, as the authorities advised in earlier storms.
Which warnings apply to Gran Canaria?
The Cabildo lists orange for wind and coastal hazards and yellow for rain on the island. The AEMET warning text also lists yellow for the sea, with a south-westerly wind of force 7.
The wind figures differ: Morales spoke of gusts up to 90 km/h that could top 100 km/h in places. AEMET gives 100 km/h in the north, on the summits and on the east, south and west slopes.
On the summits the wind can exceed 110 km/h, according to the AEMET text. For rain, AEMET gives up to 15 litres per square metre an hour and up to 60 litres in twelve hours on summits and slopes.
The Cabildo does not rate the rain as particularly significant and expects only isolated showers around thunderstorms. According to Morales, the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria should be less affected than other parts of the island.
The timings differ between sources, so check them directly with AEMET, as they may have been updated. One version gives Wednesday wind from 00:00 to 23:59 and rain from 09:00 to 23:59, another wind 00:00 to 18:00 and rain 09:00 to 20:00.
Who are the 1,000 emergency staff and what will they do?
The Cabildo says it has put about 1,000 people from its services on standby to deal with incidents. Soldiers are not mentioned in the Cabildo's statements, and no breakdown of the forces has been published.
Morales briefed the press on Tuesday with Raúl García Brink, the Cabildo's environment councillor, and emergency technician Federico Grillo. The Cabildo also plans to meet the island's municipalities.
The Canary Islands government's public works department (Consejería de Obras Públicas) and the island water council (Consejo Insular de Aguas) will also join the talks. The Cabildo gave no date for the meeting.
During Storm Bruna on Sunday 8 November, the Cabildo had suspended all activities in public and private centres. It later lifted that suspension and kept only the wind warning for the summits and the north and north-west slopes.
Why is the Cabildo so cautious this time?
Storm Therese cost Gran Canaria 28.5 million euros in March 2026, according to the Cabildo's figures. Of that, 3,857,000 euros fell to the Consejo Insular de Aguas.
A regional emergency applied on the island at the time, and residents near the Ayagaures reservoir were evacuated. That explains why the authorities take Charles seriously, even though the rain is rated low this time.
Bruna reached the Canaries on 7 and 8 November weaker than forecast. AEMET called it a “more unstructured and weakened” storm, and the result was 16 incidents and one injured person on La Palma.
During Bruna, seven flights at La Palma airport diverted or turned back. The highest gusts were 112 km/h at Izaña, 106 km/h at Roque de los Muchachos and 103 km/h at Alto Igualero.
According to AEMET, Charles is set to deepen explosively (explosive cyclogenesis), as its core pressure drops 19 hectopascals in 24 hours. That explains the warning levels on the western islands, which are well above those on Gran Canaria.
What about the other islands and flights?
La Palma takes the brunt of Charles, with orange from 18:00 on Tuesday and red from 03:00 to 12:00 on Wednesday. Gusts of at least 130 km/h are expected.
Tenerife has orange for wind, with gusts up to 110 km/h from 21:00 on Tuesday to 14:00 on Wednesday, plus orange for the sea. La Gomera and El Hierro have orange for gusts of 100 km/h.
Lanzarote and Fuerteventura have orange from 06:00 on Wednesday, with gusts of 90 km/h. On Wednesday, La Palma holds no in-person classes because of the wind, and neither does La Graciosa because of the swell.
Officials are considering a further suspension of classes, but nothing is confirmed. Neither the Cabildo nor the Canary Islands government has announced school closures for Gran Canaria.
There is no information on flight or ferry cancellations due to Charles. Flights to and from La Palma and Tenerife are more likely to be affected, so ask your airline if you travel between islands.
What is still open and what happens next?
It is unclear whether the Cabildo or the Canary Islands government will still suspend classes or activities on Gran Canaria. No announcement had come by Tuesday midday.
According to the reports available, the Canary Islands government declared a wind warning for all islands from 18:00 on Tuesday. The reports name no separate alert level from the regional government for Gran Canaria.
Nobody has yet said how many incidents there have been on the island. Where exactly the 1,000 staff will be deployed is also open.
Charles is due to move off by Wednesday night, 11 November. A review of damage and operations will follow, but no date has been set.