The haze is returning home for Christmas. Following a weekend where snow surprised the Canaries, bestowing a more festive ambience upon the Islands, the suspended dust has sought to reappear in a bid to overshadow the Grinch himself. Its eagerness to feature in the island’s meteorological medley has led to its emergence even before the rains have had a chance to completely clear, resulting in bothersome mud showers across certain areas of the Canary Islands.
The final blasts of the storm affecting the Archipelago since Saturday brought new snowfall to Tenerife and covered La Palma with a light white layer, alongside more than 700 lightning strikes during a thunderous early morning. Rains, particularly consistent on the beautiful island. Notably, Roque de Los Muchachos recorded 21 litres per square metre of rainfall, while Puntagorda reached 17.4 litres per square metre. Fuencaliente also featured in the top five for rainfall in the Archipelago with accumulations up to 14.2 litres per square metre.
In pursuit of snow
In the early hours of the morning, the snow-blanketed Teide lay concealed beneath dark clouds, although from the coast, it was apparent that the snow had extended at least as far as the Izaña mountain. Many endeavoured, throughout the morning, to circumvent the Tenerife Council’s ban on ascending to the summit. Despite the island Government’s decision to close all access to the National Park, numerous Tenerife residents sought to seize the day by attempting to witness the snow.
Snow-covered roads in Teide National Park this morning. / On loan
Consequently, immense queues of cars formed at the entrances to these locations due to road closures at various points. Some daring individuals even chose to leap over fences or navigate forest trails in search of snow.
It is important to note that the Cabildo decided, as of this Sunday, to close the access points to Teide due to weather conditions and the hazards posed by landslides, the risk of falling trees from the 2023 fire, and the presence of ice on the roads. As of this afternoon, all access to Teide has been reopened, once the roads became passable again. The Cabildo of Tenerife has urged everyone to appreciate the scenery responsibly and with caution.
Calima across the eastern islands
While the western province was grappling with the aftermath of the snow, a thin veil of suspended dust began to drift into the eastern province, which during the morning managed to exceed the limit values for air pollution in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
According to the Air Quality Control and Surveillance Network in the Canary Islands, particle levels of less than ten microns (PM10) above 100 micrograms per cubic metre were recorded at several stations in Fuerteventura, starting from 8:00 a.m. In Lanzarote, haze pollution spiked from 3:00 p.m. The haze quickly reached Gran Canaria, which began to record values exceeding the limit recommended by the European emissions directive from midday.
It is anticipated that over the coming days, the haze will spread to the remaining islands as the storm weakens in the Canary Islands. This suggests that this Christmas Eve and particularly on Christmas day, the haze will take centre stage, leading to a rise in maximum temperatures.
