A holiday destination beloved by British tourists is facing an unprecedented heatwave. Over the past few days, Spain’s Canary Islands have been engulfed by Calima, a haze created by fine sand and dust particles coming from the Sahara Desert.
This phenomenon, typical of the region, causes a big shift in temperatures by investing the Canary Islands with hot, dry air.
While this may be good news for tourists seeking to spend a day on the beach even during the winter months, a persistent Calima could affect people’s respiratory systems due to the sand and dust particles in the air.
Depending on the strength of this weather phenomenon, Calima can affect even the day-to-day life and transport.
In January 2002, the international airport of Santa Cruz had to be temporarily shut down after the sand-laden wind had caused visibility to drop to less than 164 feet.
The Calima that has been affecting the Canary Islands over the past week hasn’t had a massive impact on the daily life of people in the Spanish region besides bringing higher temperatures.
On the weekend, the Spanish State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) forecasted highs of 26C in Tenerife and 25C in Gran Canaria.
On February 5, Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz recorded highs of 25C, while high temperatures in Tenerife peaked at 24C.
Aemet forecast for Monday read: “Generally clear with intervals of high clouds. Generalized Calima, more significant in the eastern islands. Temperatures unchanged.
“Moderate wind from the east or southeast, with strong intervals during the morning on the northeast and southwest slopes of the mountainous islands, as well as in the interior and west of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.”
The Calima phenomenon will “subside” at the end of February 6, Aemet forecasted. On the day, highs will be slightly colder than on Monday, ranging from 20C to 24C.
The Canary Islands attract every year millions of tourists. In 2022 alone, nearly five million people travelled to the region from the UK.
The very mild temperatures enjoyed all-year round in the Canary Islands and the very little rainfall experienced in the area have made the region a destination adored by tourists also during the winter.
