New Teno Weather Radar is a meteorological milestone for the Canary Islands
After 25 years of planning, negotiations, and delays, the Canary Islands are about to witness a transformative leap in weather monitoring technology. The long-awaited Teno weather radar, based in the municipality of Buenavista, is set to be fully operational by the end of 2025.
The installation, which has been under discussion since the year 2000, will finally address a major blind spot in the region’s real-time meteorological coverage. Until now, western Tenerife and the neighbouring “Green Islands” of La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro have suffered from poor radar visibility due to the geographical shadow cast by Mount Teide, with the only operational radar located in Gran Canaria.
The new Teno radar will change that dramatically. Though it won't improve forecasts in terms of long-range prediction, satellite data and global models already cover that, it will allow for a significantly improved real-time response window of 2 to 6 hours for severe weather events such as storms and heavy rainfall systems that typically develop around La Palma, often referred to as the "Palmero weather." This window will allow civil protection services to act more quickly and accurately, enhancing public safety and emergency planning.
A Technological and Strategic Boost
The facility includes a 21-metre-high structure with a radar dome housing a high-precision antenna, mounted on a converted forest fire watchtower. It features remote-controlled equipment, a technical platform, and a small operations centre to assist with wildfire coordination in northern and western Tenerife. No permanent meteorological staff will be stationed on-site, as it is designed to be monitored remotely by AEMET, Spain’s national meteorology agency.
The radar's coverage will now complement existing systems in the eastern Canaries, bringing the entire archipelago under continuous radar surveillance for the first time. This breakthrough is particularly vital for fire-prone regions like northwestern Tenerife, which have seen devastating wildfires in 1984, 2007, and more recently in 2023.
Barring last-minute setbacks, the radar will be installed this autumn, tested, and inaugurated before the end of the year, closing a long chapter of unmet needs and opening a new era for meteorology in the western Canaries.
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