Storm “Therese” on La Palma – update 21.03.2026: current situation, flights & forecast

Since mid-week, La Palma has been under the influence of a strong Atlantic low-pressure system. What initially began with scattered showers quickly developed into a widespread heavy rainfall event affecting large parts of the island.

Particularly in higher elevations, exceptionally high rainfall amounts have been recorded. Within a short time, more than 50 mm of rain fell, and in some periods even significantly more. Overall, some areas recorded over 100 liters per square meter within just 12 hours.

Currently on-site in Arecida (Tijarafe), around 141 liters of rain have been recorded in recent days: 37 l (Wednesday), 39 l (Thursday), 47 l (Friday) and 18 l today.

This brings the total rainfall for 2026 to approximately 282 liters. The soil is heavily saturated, meaning additional rainfall has immediate effects on roads, barrancos and infrastructure.

At the same time, strong southwest winds with gusts of over 100 km/h are creating difficult conditions. In higher elevations around the Roque de los Muchachos, snowfall has also been observed – an unusual sight at the beginning of spring.

You can find official warnings and updates here: AEMET weather warnings for La Palma .

The combination of heavy rain and strong winds is having noticeable effects across the island. Road closures have occurred in higher areas, particularly around the Roque de los Muchachos. Major routes such as the LP-3 and LP-210 are partially restricted or under observation.

Hiking trails and natural areas have also been closed. The risk of rockfalls and landslides is currently elevated due to saturated ground conditions.

The situation in the barrancos is especially critical. They are currently carrying significantly more water than usual and can change rapidly. In some cases, debris is transported all the way to coastal areas.

Even beyond air traffic, the effects of the storm are clearly visible. Along the coast, strong wave activity is causing rough seas and washed-up debris.

At the same time, overflowing drainage systems and water on roads are being observed in some areas. Combined with strong winds and reduced visibility, this creates challenging driving conditions.

The most noticeable impact is currently seen in air traffic. Since March 18, international flights have already been diverted. Aircraft from Zurich, Madrid and Frankfurt were unable to land on La Palma and were redirected to other islands such as Tenerife or Gran Canaria.

In the following days, the situation remained tense. Some flights could be operated, while others – especially inter-island connections – continued to face problems.

A particularly unusual case occurred with a flight from Berlin: the aircraft landed on La Palma, took off again, and after holding for a prolonged period had to return once more to the island. For many passengers, this meant an additional unplanned night.

On March 21, 2026, the situation escalated further: there is currently almost a complete standstill in air traffic. So far, no inter-island flights have been able to operate. International flights are also heavily affected – being diverted, canceled or not even departing.

Diversion destinations include Tenerife South, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and even Faro. Some flights – such as those from Basel – were completely canceled.

Rescue flights for stranded passengers were also unable to reach the island and had to turn back. This means many travelers are currently forced to stay longer on La Palma or other islands than originally planned.