The United States’ National Hurricane Center (NHC) have been monitoring the formation of a tropical cyclone in the Atlantic, possibly a gathering Atlantic storm which some commentators fear could affect the Archipelago . If the wet weather currently travelling southwest of the Azores does continue to organise then either a tropical or sub-tropical storm is expected to form, which would be officially named Theta. The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AMET) has also said that the cyclonic wet weather system could affect the west of the Spanish peninsula by the end of the week, with some suggesting that The Canary Islands may well see some wind and rain as a result. 

Tropical Weather Outlook
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
700 AM EST Mon Nov 9 2020

Showers and thunderstorms associated with a non-tropical low pressure system located several hundred miles southwest of the Azores continue to get gradually better organised. Further development is expected, and a tropical or subtropical storm will likely form during the next few days while the system moves eastward or east-northeastward over the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. * Formation chance through 48 hours…medium…50 percent. * Formation chance through 5 days…high…70 percent.

The NHC raised their forecast likelihood of the storm becoming a tropical or subtropical cyclone to 70% over the next five days. Although at the moment its exact trajectory cannot be known, NOAA and AEMET both project the wet weather will pass northwest of the Canary Islands, although it would not directly impact the archipelago.

AEMET’s current prediction for The Canary Islands forecasts cloudy skies, which will spread from west to east across the archipelago. Occasional rainfall is possible. Minimum temperatures rising slightly and maximum temperatures will see few changes. Moderate easterly winds that will turn to the south in the western islands.  There is currently only a 15-20% probability of rain on Gran Canaria by Friday.

Should the gathering Atlantic storm continue to form as expected, Theta would become the 29th tropical cyclone of the 2020 hurricane season, a new annual record, and could possibly send strong gusts of wind and rain towards the archipelago if it continues on its projected trajectory.

The Canary News