Heavy Calima to affect all Canary Islands until Thursday

From Tuesday to Thursday, a strong Calima will sweep across El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria. On Tuesday, the Saharan dust will hit Gran Canaria the hardest: the Calima forecast from Teneriffa News predicts a daily average of 99 micrograms of particulate matter (PM10) per cubic metre there, and 96 micrograms on Tenerife. This means poor air quality for both islands.

The forecast is based on the Copernicus CAMS model and measurements from the European Environment Agency. According to the forecast, the highest levels on Wednesday will be on the western islands, namely on La Palma with 92 micrograms per cubic metre, on La Gomera with 88, and on El Hierro with 80 micrograms. Air quality is poor there too.

Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are not expected to be hit by the strong Calima until Thursday, according to the forecast, and levels will be significantly lower than in the west: 58 micrograms on Fuerteventura, 53 on Lanzarote. However, air quality is also considered poor here. This means that on Thursday, heavy dust will be present across all seven Canary Islands.

Calima: Saharan dust blew in the opposite direction last week

Last week, the dust took the opposite route. On Thursday, the Calima forecast initially mentioned Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura; on Friday, the strong Calima moved on to Tenerife and La Gomera. At the same time, an orange-level rain warning from the AEMET was in place for El Hierro, the east of La Palma and La Gomera, with heavy showers and possible thunderstorms expected there.

In an assessment, the AirCanLab air quality laboratory has concluded that the Canary Islands comply with future EU limit values for air pollutants. However, during episodes of Saharan dust, particulate matter levels do rise sharply at times. In such situations, local authorities can digitally publish buildings and green spaces as climate protection zones against heat and Calima.

The fine dust irritates the eyes and airways. People with asthma or other respiratory or heart conditions, as well as older people and pregnant women, should avoid physical exertion outdoors, as also outlined in the advice for at-risk groups during Calima. Keeping windows and doors closed and drinking plenty of fluids can help alleviate the effects.

How strong is the Calima today? Calima forecast and readings for the Canary Islands