Teide Turns White After Historic Snowfall
Work is continuing to allow residents of Tenerife to enjoy the snow-blanketed spectacle of Teide National Park, a picture-postcard scene left behind by Storm Emilia which has gifted the island its most abundant snowfall since 2016. Over half a metre of snow accumulated in some areas, leading to all access roads to the summit being closed throughout the weekend. It will not be until Monday 15 December that the Island Council of Tenerife (Cabildo de Tenerife) decides the exact moment to reopen the roads and initiate the so-called ‘snow operation’.
Clearance Crews Battle Ice and Snow
In the meantime, around thirty council workers are labouring on the access roads to the National Park, trying to remove the accumulated snow and ice to restore access. Although the Cabildo de Tenerife deactivated the Island Emergency Plan (PEIN) at midday on Sunday 14th, following the end of the unstable weather conditions that affected the island for much of the weekend, it is maintaining restrictions on roads and access to natural areas. A decision will be made on Monday regarding when the roads can precisely reopen, as damage has also occurred in other parts of the island. In fact, another thirty workers are also intervening on the roads of the Anaga Rural Park to restore normality in the coming hours.
Improving Conditions on the Summit
The passing hours have not only made it possible to begin road clearance works but have also improved conditions on the summit, where greater calm was enjoyed on Sunday. While wind gusts in Izaña reached up to 159 kilometres per hour on Saturday, on Sunday they did not exceed 80 km/h. Temperatures, which remained below zero during Storm Emilia, hovered around 1° Celsius throughout Sunday.
Safety the Priority Before Reopening
Therefore, before beginning the snow operation, the Cabildo de Tenerife must guarantee road safety. In this regard, the Island Councillor for Mobility and Highways, Dámaso Arteaga, indicated that from six o’clock on Sunday morning, “we are trying to recover the roads with total guarantee because the access roads to the National Park have been rendered impassable.” He added that the work was difficult because it was still snowing and the low temperatures were causing ice sheets to form. Furthermore, he noted that different phenomena were occurring on the various slopes of Teide, meaning progress was not being made at the same rate on all fronts. It is also common for rockfalls to continue on the roads for two to four days after weather alerts end, so technicians will continue working.
The ‘Snow Operation’ Prepares for Visitors
In any case, the Cabildo de Tenerife is already preparing the snow operation with the goal of allowing all Tenerife residents to enjoy the snowy landscape of Teide in person. This procedure has been in force on the island since 2017 and aims to guarantee safety in the face of the massive influx of visitors in the days following snowfall. It is a Civil Protection device whose area of action is Teide National Park and the nearest areas of the forest belt. It defines a dynamic system for regulating access during the days of greatest attendance – especially weekends and bank holidays – to ensure safety on the island’s TF-21, TF-24, and TF-38 roads.
During the snow operation, the use of public transport is encouraged, and it guarantees that the public will receive information well in advance to organise a visit to Teide National Park. Access is expected to be possible from La Orotava, with traffic flowing in one direction only to exit via the southern side of the island.
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