What changes for visitors in the south?
Visitors in the south and south-west will first notice Charles as a burst of cloud and perhaps a single shower, according to the forecast of 9 November. The wind blows harder in the Anaga mountains and on the east coast.
A second forecast, citing AEMET, expects thicker cloud from midday and possible heavy, lasting showers in the south and west. How wet the south gets is therefore open, because the reports disagree.
AEMET expects waves of 3 to 4 metres with a west to south-westerly wind. The forecast also reports rough seas on the north and west coasts, where waves may top 3 metres.
The sources so far confirm no closures of beaches, ferries, flights, Teide or schools because of Charles. If you plan a boat trip or a beach day, ask the provider and stay out of the water in heavy swell.
How strong will the wind be on Tenerife?
AEMET has issued an orange wind warning for Tenerife from 21:00 on Tuesday 10 November, with gusts up to 110 km/h. Orange is the middle of three colours in the Meteoalerta warning system and means considerable risk.
At orange level the advice is to avoid unnecessary journeys. Anyone on the road on Tuesday evening or overnight into Wednesday should drive more slowly.
The Canary Islands government has updated its wind warning for the whole archipelago, valid from 18:00 on Tuesday. Tenerife and La Palma are hit hardest, with gusts above 120 km/h possible.
In the mountains AEMET cites gusts up to 90 km/h, mainly on the north-western and south-eastern slopes. The figures therefore range from 90 to over 120 km/h, depending on place and source.
The wind turns from south-west to west-north-west and should ease on the afternoon of Wednesday 11 November. On La Palma, gusts above 100 km/h are possible overnight.
How much rain will fall, and when?
AEMET expects very heavy rain from Tuesday 10 November, peaking on Wednesday 11 November. From Thursday 12 November the models show less rainfall.
In Tenerife's metropolitan area a rain warning for 20 litres per square metre in one hour applies from 09:00 to 21:00 on Wednesday 11 November. None of the sources has yet given millimetre totals for the whole island.
On 2 November, yellow rain warnings for up to 20 litres per square metre in one hour applied in the north and the metropolitan area of Tenerife. On La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro, orange applied then for up to 30 litres.
The Cabildo (island government) of Tenerife put its emergency plan PEIN on pre-alert for the whole island from 00:00 that day. Access to Pico del Teide stayed restricted because of ice and snow.
Who sets the warning levels?
The Dirección General de Emergencias (emergency services directorate) of the Canary Islands government calls the three levels: Prealerta, Alerta and Alerta máxima. It draws on AEMET forecasts and other sources.
The basis is the PEFMA plan. It is the regional civil protection plan for adverse weather.
The directorate grades each phenomenon separately, such as wind, coast or rain, and the levels can differ from island to island. In one coastal warning in 2026, for example, El Hierro, La Gomera and La Palma were on Alerta and the other islands on Prealerta.
AEMET issues its own warnings, in yellow, orange and red. Which level the government has called for Tenerife because of Charles, and whether the Cabildo is taking measures, is not confirmed.
How does Charles compare, and what comes next?
The Canary Islands government generally advises closing and securing windows and doors, driving more slowly and not crossing flooded stretches. That advice comes from an earlier rain warning, not from a text on Charles; in an emergency, call 112.
Before an excursion, check the official website and the emergency page of the Canary Islands government, as warning levels can change. There are no figures on the cost of earlier storms or on any trend.