Yellow Wind Alert for Tenerife, Gran Canaria as Carnival Begins

Spain's State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has issued a yellow wind alert for the Santa Cruz de Tenerife province and Gran Canaria island, starting next Friday. This alert comes just as street Carnival celebrations begin, a major social and cultural event for the islands. As a result, extra care might be needed for outdoor activities.

The yellow warning is the lowest level in Aemet's system, meaning there's a risk that calls for caution. Forecasters say winds will be strong at times and are expected to get stronger on Friday afternoon. The agency warns there's a good chance of very strong gusts on mountain tops and on the western and eastern sides of the higher islands, as the landscape in these areas naturally makes winds stronger.

For the rest of the Canary Islands, Aemet expects clouds in the north of the higher islands, and also in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Rain is unlikely, and if it does fall, it will be light and sporadic. Temperatures are expected to drop slightly along the coast, with a more noticeable drop further inland.