Calima brings fresh heatwave warning for the Canary Islands until at least Wednesday

Spain’s Met Office (Aemet) has issued a warning for a new heatwave in the Canary Islands. A yellow warning is in force. The heatwave warning came into effect at 11 am on Monday and initially affected the south, east and west of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, as well as the whole of La Gomera.

The warning is in place for at least three days. On Tuesday, the north-eastern conurbation of Tenerife – comprising the capital, Santa Cruz, and the neighbouring La Laguna – will also be affected.

In Gran Canaria, the entire island will be affected. In addition, the whole of Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and El Hierro, as well as the higher elevations of La Palma, will be affected. This means that, initially, all the islands will be affected, at least in part.

Canary Islands heatwave: Authorities advise caution

On Wednesday, the heatwave warning will return to the same extent as on Monday. This means the summer in the Canary Islands is set to continue. Most recently, the Calima and higher temperatures returned over the weekend, first over Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, then over the western islands.

During previous heatwave warnings, the authorities in the Canary Islands strongly advised people to avoid direct sunlight, particularly at midday. Sport and other physically strenuous activities should be avoided at least between 11 am and 4 pm. The current heatwave warning covers precisely these midday hours. It applies only to the eastern islands throughout the day.

On Tuesday, a mild Calima may cause disruption in the east, extending as far as Gran Canaria. Whilst the other islands are expected to experience the dry air and heat typically associated with this phenomenon, any reduction in visibility is expected to be minimal.

Temperatures across the entire archipelago are between 34 and 36 degrees at their peak. Visibility is at least 3,000 metres. The Calima is therefore classified as mild.