Strong Calima to persist in the Canary Islands until Friday

A strong Calima will persist over the Canary Islands until Friday, although it will only remain over Tenerife and Gran Canaria on all three days from Wednesday to Friday. La Palma is reporting the highest levels: there, the daily average for particulate matter (PM10) will rise to 78 micrograms per cubic metre on Wednesday. Gran Canaria will reach 75 micrograms, and air quality is poor on both islands.

Close behind on Wednesday are La Gomera with 70, Tenerife with 69 and El Hierro with 65 micrograms per cubic metre, again with poor air quality in each case. On El Hierro and La Palma, the dust will linger until Thursday; on La Gomera, it will persist in a light form until Friday; on Tenerife and Gran Canaria, however, it will last until Friday.

Lanzarote and Fuerteventura will not be affected by the strong Calima until Thursday; it will reach its peak on these two islands on Friday. Levels will then rise to 69 micrograms per cubic metre in Lanzarote and 64 micrograms per cubic metre in Fuerteventura. Only Tenerife and Gran Canaria will be affected by the heavy dust on all three days from Wednesday to Friday.

Calima: Forecast based on European measurement data

The figures quoted are taken from the Calima forecast by Teneriffa News, which is based on the Copernicus CAMS model and measurements from the European Environment Agency. The forecast had already indicated a similar pattern the previous week. On 22 October, it indicated strong Calima over Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura; the following day, the dust moved on to Tenerife and La Gomera, as shown by the Calima situation from last week.

The impact of Saharan dust on measurement readings was most recently demonstrated by an analysis carried out by the AirCanLab air quality laboratory on the Canary Islands. According to the analysis, the islands comply with future EU limit values; however, PM10 levels rise significantly during dust episodes. Local authorities, for their part, can use a local network to combat heat and Calima to digitally publish information on buildings and green spaces as safe havens.

The fine dust irritates the eyes and airways. People with asthma, other respiratory or heart conditions, as well as the elderly and pregnant women, should avoid physical exertion outdoors. Keeping windows and doors closed and drinking plenty of fluids can provide relief.

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