An intense storm is set to hit southern Europe this week, with the Canary Islands, the Spanish mainland and Portugal expected to receive as much as 90 millimetres of rain. The storm will hit the archipelago on Wednesday (April 9). 

The Government of the Canary Islands activated a regional weather alert on Tuesday evening ahead of Storm Olivier making landfall. It has been classified as a “high-impact weather system”, with adverse conditions expected to affect the entire archipelago. This will not be welcome news for the thousands of holidaymakers headed for sunnier climates during Holy Week. 

Olivier is the 15th storm named by Spain’s state meteorological agency, AEMET, following Nuria earlier this month. Four major storms—Martinho, Laurence, Konrad, and Jana—rocked Spain in March alone. 

According to Aemet’s statement on Monday, the storm is forecast to become isolated over the Canary Islands, with the most intense effects expected during the early hours of Wednesday. Moderate to heavy downpours are set to hit Tenerife and Gran Canaria first, then as the storm progresses, rain is expected to spread to Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.

Later in the day, a frontal system associated with Olivier is set to move from west to east, bringing further intense - and at times very intense - rainfall, particularly across the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

All islands, except Gran Canaria, are under orange weather warnings for heavy rain of 30 millimetres an hour, high winds with maximum gusts of 43 mph, and storms accompanied by hail. 

As part of its Insular Emergency Plan (PEIN), the Tenerife Cabildo has announced that all recreational and hiking trails, especially those affected by the 2023 wildlife, will be closed. Access to key trails within the renowned Teide National Park has also been suspended, while canyoning activities across the island are temporarily banned, according to Canarian Weekly.

From Thursday, the storm will drift to the Iberian Peninsula from the Atlantic. Rainfall is set to continue on the Canary Islands. Olivier will bring thunderstorms and hail to the region, with Andalusia and Murcia on the eastern coast expected to be the worst hit.

Tourists and residents expecting the usual spring temperatures of around 25C will be left sorely disappointed, as temperatures will drop by as much as eight degrees in southern Spain. Cities such as Córdoba will instead see temperatures in the high 10s. 

Olivier is set to continue to batter Spain and Portugal until the weekend, according to weather officials. 

Authorities are urging residents to stay updated with official channels and take necessary precautions as the storm develops.