Storm Oscar to Hit Canary Islands

Storm Oscar, named by Aemet, Spain's Meteorology Agency, is predicted to cause intense rains and winds in the Canary Islands, particularly the western islands. From early Tuesday morning, widespread, persistent, and locally strong or very strong rains are forecasted, though these will be less intense and frequent on the easternmost islands like Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. These rains and winds will also be accompanied by storms.

The interaction of the southwest wind with the orography of the islands will cause the rainfall to mainly affect the mountainous islands like La Palma, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, El Hierro, and La Gomera. Strong winds are expected in the western islands, with very strong generalized gusts of 70 km/h and more localized gusts of 90 km/h.

Storm Oscar is actually a series of small lows in subtropical latitudes within the larger storm, with its associated fronts and high moisture content, moving northward on Tuesday.