Cyclone Xynthia and other Tenerife storms call for action against global warming.

The Cyclone Xynthia of 2010 by Puerto de la Cruz Los Realejos Bajo in the La Orotava valley behaved differently compared to the Tenerife 2005 storm called Delta. Hardly any drizzle came with Xynthia.

Indeed, the ferocious Tenerife winds, which the El Puerto region had in 2005, seemed to be much more dangerous.

Cyclone Delta Tenerife 2005 damage:

During the Delta cyclone, my neighbors' big veranda glass door was cracked from top to bottom, while much debris was flying through the air. Glass damage recorded by insurance companies for the region of Puerto de la Cruz was substantial. This was recorded by the Media at the time. I had been locked out on my veranda in 2005, after the winds shut the door, which I had not closed. Rain was not strong, though. A whole glassed in section of Hotel Maritím Los Realejos had been damaged by this tropical storm.

A Deltita cyclone:

Therefor, a La Laguna resident called the cyclone Xynthia of February 27 to 28 a Deltita (small Delta) compared to the storm of 2005. I totally agree. The comment about the Deltita was mentioned by the Spanish newspaper La Opinion on February 28, 2010 which reported on cyclone Xynthia.

Storm strength or cyclone behavior:

Storm damage doesn't only depend on storm strength. It seems to make a difference, where exactly a storm hits, as in my neighbor's case. Mind that our verandas are only separated by about 2 meters. Yet, on my place, the windy elements felt more sever, as my roof top apartment is in a windy corner by the curb of the road.

Environmental damage by cyclone Xyncia:

The end of February 2010 cyclone Tenerife with its Foehn winds reached 160km/hour by Mount Teide. There, warm storm air (Foehn air) mixed with cold clouds above Spain's highest snow capped peak. Such storm strength did not help hundreds of hundreds of pines in the Canadas del Teide.
Mind that many of them may have also been vulnerable due to soil erosion. This could not always be prevented after the wildfires in Tenerife.

Vilaflor, the highest located Tenerife town, lived through similar strong Xynthia turbulences. Guia de Isora above Los Gigantes reported agricultural damage to its tomato and other farming. Also, banana plantations in various Tenerife locations suffered financial loss by cyclone Xynthia.

A couple of cranes tipped over and billboards were sent flying by the hot whirling gales but, no Tenerife human life was lost.

Tenerife Electric power was shut down by the strong, circulating winds, as happened before during the rainy 2010 February storms.

March 2009 thunder storms Tenerife:

Last year, the island's transport system and Tenerife tourism suffered also because of super-force winds. On that day of March 26, 2009, Canary Islands' television reported a small economy crisis . It was caused by the only thunderstorm, I had seen in Tenerife since June 2001.

Tenerife TV and cellular telephone antennas had also been hit during the lightening storms of 2009.

Outside communication appliances were not spared by storm Delta nor by cyclone Xynthia. My friend Petra in Romántica II could not call me on her mobile phone.

Cyclone Xynthia Tenerife storm strength.

By the way, everage storm strength by Xynthia Tenerife at the end of February was only 75km/hour, which didn't make it a real cyclone everywhere. Winds on my site felt indeed like 120km/hour with red alert. Therefor, I only managed to sleep badly, fearing worse, as no rain soothed the gales. Later in the early morning hours, the cyclone in Toscal La Longuera seemed to have accelerated. But no obvious danger lurked besides the prevailing power cut.
My electricity was off for about 10 hours, by the way. Fortunately, the most popular and biggest Cafeteria in La Longuera, called Bar Paraiso supplied food and drink. They use gas besides electricity for some cooking.

Cyclone damage prevention:

Cyclone damage may be prevented in most cases by a little foresight.

Secure your home surroundings, as also mentioned by climate in Tenerife. Don't offer any strong winds a grip to anything, no matter its weight.

My friend Petra Molkenbuhr was staying in a holiday home in Tenerife in lower La Romántica II during cyclone Xynthia. A friend was visiting her, when its scary winds started. They told me about flying plant boxes and tools, which landed on their small veranda. Also the holiday home's doors didn't seem to be secured well. They were very heavily shaking.

See Petra Molkenbuhr during a happy Tenerife carnival at Restaurant La Casona surrounded by carnival decoration with jazz...

The destruction path of cyclone Xynthia.

The Xyntia storms originated from the Atlantic Coast of West Africa near the equator, where tropical land climate prevails.
Then, Xynthia made its way northwesterly towards the Canary Islands. It brought sand loaded Kalima from the Sahara with it at some stage. The cyclone was felt on the islands Gran Canaria and hit Tenerife and La Palma most. It continued past La Madeira with relentless speed, brushed past parts of Portugal and mainland Spain. It caused 53 or more deaths in Western France mainly by flooding. It was even felt in Switzerland and Germany. The menacing weather front even proceeded towards the UK in Europe's north. This was discussed and illustrated in the Spanish forum of meteorologia foro.meterored.com in Spanish.

Global warming, African deforestation, environmental problems:

A friend of my family called Eugen Bercks of Hillcrest Durban South Africa, who was the most famous bird catcher for zoos in Africa, pointed out an environmental warning to us in the early nineties. He told us after a visit to Senegal that many hardwood trees were cut in Central and West Africa for exports to Asia. In many cases, this was done by ignoring environmental problems, as new trees were not planted. Of course, this leaves much concern for global warming, while not only industrial nations are its culprits.

Deforestation prevents rain and moisture to settle in trees and soil. Then, all African heat is free to rise.
When hot air meets cold air, such as near the west coast of Saharan Africa, storms form. Cyclone Xynthia may very well have been such a result.

Links related to the cyclone called Xynthia:

From cyclone Xynthia to climate in Tenerife.

Environmental awareness by eco art Tenerife Spain. Punta Brava, which is mentioned there for environmental problems with its ancient fishermen dwellings right by the shore is as much endangered as France was by the end of the winter cyclone of 2010. Cyclone Xynthia drowned too many sleeping inhabitants in their flooded houses in the French Charente Maritime regions. However, their modern town and coastal planning may have been to blame for it.

Apartment Tenerife Studio La Longuera is storm-proof:

Petra Mokenbuhr said that she would have felt much safer and happier in the Tenerife apartment, where she stayed before and could also use a regular phone in the lobby. But that studio has been rented out from Ocober 2009 until end of March 2010 as a 2nd residence. It was too late, when she contacted me, while planning her Tenerife holidays. She enjoyed them very much, except for her stormy Romántica apartment with cyclone Xynthia.

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