Storm warning on La Palma in March 2026: current situation, alert levels and important information

Authorities have already reacted to the situation:

– The visitor center at Roque de los Muchachos is closed until further notice
– Access roads to the summit areas have been closed
– Activation of the municipal emergency plan (PEMU) in El Paso

The following measures apply there, among others:

– Closure of sports facilities
– Suspension of school and leisure activities
– Cancellation of cultural and sporting events

Initial road closures have also already been implemented:

– LP-214 (access to Los Brecitos)
– LP-210 in the Mendo area

Further closures are possible at any time depending on how the situation develops.

The current combination of heavy rain and wind brings several risks, which are particularly relevant on La Palma:

– Barrancos can fill up rapidly within a short time
– Soaked ground and wind can trigger rockfalls
– Roads may suddenly be covered with large stones, mud or water
– Visibility conditions can deteriorate quickly

Particularly affected are:

– Mountain and high-altitude roads
– Roads along barrancos
– Exposed areas in the west, north and south of the island

Driving should therefore be reduced to the absolute minimum.

Conditions at sea are also tense. Combined wave heights of 4 to 5 meters are expected, partly with long wave periods, significantly increasing wave force.

Particularly dangerous areas include:

– Coastal sections in the west and north
– Beaches such as Puerto Naos and Tazacorte
– Natural swimming pools (charcos)
– Harbors and promenades

With the right combination of swell and tides, coastal flooding may also occur.

Weather conditions can also affect air traffic.

Possible impacts include:

– Delays
– Diversions
– Short-notice cancellations

Travelers should regularly check their flight status and plan flexibly.

Update: 19/03/2026 – 09:45

As early as Wednesday (18/03/2026), there were significant disruptions to flights around La Palma:

– Edelweiss WK232 (arrival 12:35) was diverted to Tenerife South (TFS)
– easyJet Berlin U25381 (12:40) – status unclear
– Iberia Madrid IB1531 (13:30) was also diverted to Tenerife South
– Condor Frankfurt DE1406 (15:20) was diverted to Gran Canaria (LPA)

Additional delays and disruptions also affected inter-island flights.

On Thursday (19/03/2026), the situation remained tense, although without major new diversions in international traffic:

– Edelweiss (from the previous day via TFS) landed on La Palma at 08:42
– Canary Fly (TFN, 08:15) had to return to Tenerife North (TFN)

Update: 20/03/2026 – 10:15

On Thursday, apart from some inter-island connections, there were no further major cancellations or diversions.

Only the easyJet flight EJU9381 from Berlin, originally scheduled to arrive on Wednesday, was again affected:

After an initially successful landing on La Palma and subsequent boarding, the aircraft took off but circled northeast of the island for over an hour before returning to La Palma. For many passengers, this meant a second unplanned night on the island.

Today (Friday), an additional easyJet flight from Milan (currently scheduled at 10:50) is planned to bring the stranded passengers home.

Until 10:15, none of the scheduled inter-island flights were able to land. However, Transavia managed to land after several holding patterns near La Palma with only a slight delay.

Update: 21.03.2026 – 09:30 am

On Friday (20.03.2026), no inter-island flights reached La Palma. This temporarily cut off the main connection between the Canary Islands completely.

International traffic showed mixed results:

– Transavia HV5641 from Amsterdam managed to land after several holding patterns almost on time and also departed nearly as scheduled
– Flights CAT701 (Billund) and CAT723 (Copenhagen) reached La Palma with slight delays
– Iberia from Madrid arrived on schedule

Passengers with easyJet connections remain the most affected:

– The replacement aircraft for the plane that had to return to La Palma after takeoff on Thursday was unable to land and, after several holding patterns near La Gomera, was diverted to Tenerife South (TFS)
– Another easyJet flight from Porto is currently on its way to La Palma, likely to pick up passengers who have been waiting since Wednesday to return home

On Saturday (21.03.2026), as of now, no inter-island flights have taken place again.

The situation for the rest of the day remains uncertain. However, several arrivals from mainland Europe (Spain, Switzerland, Germany) are scheduled, depending heavily on current wind conditions.

This is not a short-term weather event, but a multi-day unstable weather phase.

The most critical period is expected between Thursday and Friday, although the situation may extend due to additional low-pressure influences.

Meteorologists are also monitoring another potential low-pressure system in the Atlantic, which could further influence the situation.

– Avoid unnecessary travel
– Avoid hiking – especially in barrancos and mountain areas
– Do not cross flooded roads or waterways
– Avoid coastal areas during strong wave activity
– Secure loose items on terraces and balconies
– Keep distance from trees, walls and unstable structures

If the current weather situation causes disruptions to air traffic, it may become necessary to arrange accommodation on La Palma at short notice.

In such cases, we are happy to assist you in finding a quick and straightforward solution.

For example, we can organize a room or apartment at short notice at the Hotel Rural Los Piratas , helping to keep your stress levels as low as possible.

Alternatively, there are also accommodation options in well-connected areas such as Los Cancajos or Fuencaliente, which are particularly convenient in case of flight changes.

To better monitor the current weather conditions, we also recommend checking our live webcam on La Palma , which provides regularly updated images.

You can also find more details about the webcam and current conditions in our article: La Palma webcam – live images and current weather .