Canary Islands weather warning: Storm Hermine will hit with the worst rains in a decade

The Canary Islands are expected to be battered by strong winds and rain as a tropical storm brews off the African coast, with locals urged to stay home until danger passes

Strong winds and rain are expected to hit the Canary Islands (

Image: AFP via Getty Images

A tropical storm is about to bring the worst weather in a decade to the Canary Islands, where classes have been canceled and people told to stay home.

The storm, named Hermine, will bring torrential rain starting today.

Tourists have been told that there are no plans to attack the holiday islands head-on, but the islands of Tenerife and La Palma will suffer most of the bad weather, with Lanzarote and Fuerteventura escaping the worst.< /p>

A 'maximum warning' was declared by the National Weather Bureau which warned people to stay at home.

The tropical storm off neighboring Cape Verde was predicted by the Miami-based US National Hurricane Center.

People have been warned to stay home until the danger has passed (

Picture:

Getty Images)

Precipitation is expected to start today and increase tomorrow and through Monday with around 15cm of water expected to fall before the danger passes.

The Aemet Meteorological Agency says: "Although according to the latest data, it will not impact the archipelago, it will come close enough to produce widespread, intense and persistent rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, during weekends and Mondays.

"This precipitation will continue through the first half of Monday, beginning to diminish in the afternoon."