The thermometers have given a break to Canary Islands, but the heat doesn’t seem to be leaving the Archipelago yet. With temperatures still above 30 degrees for the third consecutive day, the Canary Islands are experiencing an unusual little summer of spring that will last throughout the weekend.
The accumulated heat during the day, and poor ventilation in some areas, caused a tropical night for most of the Archipelago during the early hours. Thus, in South Tenerife – which set an absolute temperature record this Thursday – registered temperatures between 27 and 29 degrees throughout the night. On the other hand, the station in Tasarte, in La Aldea de San Nicolás (Gran Canaria) recorded temperatures of up to 33 degrees between 9:00 pm and 4:00 am.
The dawn, covered with a thick layer of calima, foreshadowed another day of high temperatures. Already in the early hours of the morning, many corners of the Islands continued to accumulate the heat from the previous day. A situation that forced the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) to extend yellow warnings for high temperatures on several islands, especially on the southern slope.
Throughout the day, the sultriness continued to increase, with the thermometers in the Archipelago reaching a maximum of 36.4 degrees, two degrees lower than the previous day. This reading was recorded at the southern Tenerife airport around 2 p.m., dropping to 28 degrees shortly after. Gran Canaria experienced high temperatures in various areas of the island. Specifically, the highest temperatures were recorded in Tasarte (La Aldea de San Nicolás), at 36.2 degrees; Agaete, at 35.3 degrees, and Agüimes, which reached 34.2 degrees.
The heat has been accompanied by a thick layer of suspended dust. According to the Control and Surveillance Network of the Canary Islands Government, the concentrations of particles smaller than 10 microns (PM10) doubled the daily recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), although they were much lower than those of the previous day.
Specifically, the concentration of particulate matter was just over 100 micrograms per square meter in most stations. The most affected areas were the south of Tenerife and La Palma, due to the warm air mass – and calima – shifting towards the west of the islands.
While the heat timidly leaves the Canary Islands, it will enter the Peninsula strongly this weekend.
On Saturday and Sunday, the heat will intensify with “extraordinarily high” temperatures for this time of year in almost all of Spain, especially in the northern peninsula, where Bilbao will reach up to 28 and 30 degrees.
«We are in the midst of a warm episode that will intensify over the weekend on the peninsula, while in the Canary Islands, although the heat will persist, it will be slightly less intense», advanced Rubén del Campo, Aemet spokesperson.
From the end of June onwards.
Starting from Monday, however, the arrival of north winds will bring a decrease in the northern half, which will extend in the following days, so that by midweek, the atmosphere will be cold for this time of the year in the northern part of the peninsula, even with some light snowfall in mountain areas. In the Canary Islands, the warm and dusty atmosphere will continue, which will also decrease from Tuesday onwards, to return to normal by Thursday, with typical values for this time of year.
The high temperatures have forced the Government of the Canary Islands to keep the alert for high temperatures and forest fires active, as well as the pre-alert for dust storms.
No Fires or Camping Allowed
Given this situation, the Tenerife City Council has activated level 2 measures for the prevention of forest fires, which means the prohibition of making fires outside, whether they are barbecues, bonfires, stoves, or gas cookers; of using any type of machinery or tool that could project sparks (brush cutters, welding equipment or cutting grinders) and of throwing pyrotechnic materials in high-risk areas.
Likewise, the circulation of motor vehicles on the forest track network for recreational purposes is prohibited, as well as staying in recreational areas, camping zones, and campsites. Sports events and pilgrimages on forest tracks, trails and cross-country are also not allowed.
The Minister of Natural Environment, Sustainability, Security and Emergencies, Blanca Pérez, points out that “we are continuing with the measures over the weekend because the alert for the risk of forest fires remains. We ask the population to follow the authorities’ instructions and recommend that they exercise caution in any activity that could generate a spark or fire.”
On the other hand, the Mayor of Santa Cruz, José Manuel Bermúdez, has issued a municipal notice requesting “extreme precautions to prevent the appearance of fires that could spread considerably, taking into account the circumstances and meteorological history of the last few months (which have seen hardly any significant rainfall).” The notice asks landowners, plot, and lot owners in forest areas to intensify maintenance and cleaning tasks.
