For all the disruption Storm Emilia brought with it, there’s been at least one very tangible upside.
Following the heavy rainfall in mid-December 2025, Tenerife’s reservoirs are now sitting at around 41% of total capacity. According to the Island Council’s department for the Primary Sector, that represents an increase of roughly 110,000 cubic metres of water compared to the start of the month.
In an island where water management is always a long game, that’s not an insignificant jump.
Where the rain made the biggest difference
Unsurprisingly, the north of Tenerife benefited the most. Historically, this is where much of the island’s water storage infrastructure is concentrated, and Storm Emilia delivered where it was needed.
- Northern reservoirs received approximately 80,000 cubic metres of additional water.
- Southern reservoirs saw a recharge of around 30,000 cubic metres.
The standout location was Valle Molina, in the municipality of Tegueste, which alone collected more than 30,000 cubic metres. Rainfall in that area reached nearly 48 litres per square metre over five days, lining up neatly with the increase in stored water.
Another strong performer was the Aguamansa reservoir in La Orotava, which added around 12,000 cubic metres.
Southern reservoirs also see gains
While totals were lower in the south, the impact was still meaningful.
The Lomo del Balo reservoir saw the largest increase in that part of the island, gaining an extra 14,000 cubic metres following rainfall of just over 35 litres per square metre across the same five-day period.
It’s a reminder that even relatively short-lived weather systems can make a difference when the rain actually lands where it counts.
A healthier picture than last year
Put into context, the current situation looks noticeably better than this time in 2024. On the same date, Tenerife now has almost 400,000 cubic metres more water stored than it did a year ago.
Island officials have been quick to point out that this improvement places Tenerife in a more favourable position heading into the coming months, particularly when it comes to guaranteeing water supply for agriculture.
It’s not a silver bullet, and nobody’s pretending otherwise. But after a lively spell of weather, it’s one of those quietly positive outcomes that tends to get overlooked.
Sometimes the rain really does earn its keep.
