Yellow rain warning for La Palma as Calima affects three islands

The Spanish Meteorological Agency AEMET has issued a yellow rain warning for the whole of La Palma on Sunday. It will remain in force throughout the day, from 00:00 to midnight, and is due to heavy rain.

The warning level is determined by the amount of rain that falls within an hour. AEMET considers up to 15 millimetres per hour to be possible on La Palma, with the service estimating the probability at between 40 and 70 per cent. The weather service had also specified exactly this hourly figure for a yellow alert for Lanzarote.

When rain falls at higher altitudes in La Palma, torrents sometimes form in the barrancos and rush down to the coast. Storm Therese in the Barranco de Arguineguín in Mogán on Gran Canaria demonstrated just how quickly such ravines can swell. Anyone out and about in the barrancos or on their edges on Sunday should therefore be particularly careful.

Calima: Poor air quality on three Canary Islands

Whilst rain is forecast for La Palma, strong Calima will be over Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura on Friday. This is according to the Calima forecast from Teneriffa News, which is based on the Copernicus CAMS model and measurements from the European Environment Agency. Gran Canaria is hardest hit, with a daily average of 69 micrograms of particulate matter (PM10) per cubic metre; on Lanzarote the figure is 59 and on Fuerteventura 57 micrograms. As a result, air quality on all three islands is classified as poor.

Gran Canaria will remain shrouded in dust until Sunday. The model forecasts a daily average of 63 micrograms per cubic metre for that day, so air quality will remain poor. Calima set in and polluted the air in the Canary Islands shortly after an earlier orange-level rain warning was issued for three islands.

Fine Saharan dust irritates the eyes and airways. Anyone with asthma, another respiratory condition or a heart condition, as well as older people and pregnant women, should avoid strenuous physical activity 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