Spain’s national weather service has issued a heat warning for tourists visiting the Canary Islands, a popular destination for British holidaymakers. The warning comes as the summer holiday season picks up and a dust storm from the Sahara, known as calima, moves into the region, bringing hazy skies and poor air quality. The Canary Islands are known for their mild climate, but this heatwave is exceptional.
Gran Canaria Warning Raised to Orange
Gran Canaria had been under a yellow warning on Sunday with temperatures reaching 35C in parts of the south-east, south, west-facing midlands, and the Tejeda basin. On Monday, the Spanish meteorological agency AEMET upgraded that to an orange warning from 11am to 8pm, warning of a very high risk to health. Maximum temperatures could climb to 37C (98.6F), particularly in the same areas. The orange level is the second-highest on the alert scale.
Overnight lows will stay high, dropping only to 26-27C.
The Canary Islands Government has placed the island and Tenerife on forest fire alert because of the increased wildfire risk and dry conditions. Fire services have been placed on standby.
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The combination of extreme heat and Saharan dust is a familiar pattern for the Canaries during summer, though the intensity of this particular episode appears to be higher than the seasonal average. Weather experts note that such events can lead to heatstroke and dehydration. Local health services are preparing for an increase in heat-related cases.
Authorities are treating it as more than a routine hot spell.
Wider Alerts Across the Archipelago
From 8am Monday, a pre-alert for high temperatures was activated for all seven islands. Fuerteventura remains under a yellow warning both Sunday and Monday, with temperatures expected to reach 34C, especially in inland areas of the south-east. Lanzarote, which had no warning on Sunday, moves to a yellow alert on Monday between 11am and 8pm with similar highs. Tenerife and La Gomera also receive yellow warnings on Monday, with peak temperatures matching that level.
Residents and tourists are advised to stay indoors during peak heat hours.
Only La Palma and El Hierro are without warnings on Monday.
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Calima will linger for days, making conditions uncomfortable and reducing visibility.
Precautions and Fire Risk
The Canary Islands Government is urging residents and tourists to take precautions during the heatwave. Officials recommend staying well hydrated, avoiding prolonged sun exposure during the hottest hours of the day, and following any advice issued by local authorities.
The combination of extreme heat and calima increases the risk of wildfires, particularly on Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Night-time temperatures remain high, creating conditions where fires can spread more easily. Authorities also advise against any outdoor burning or activities that could spark a fire.
Travelers planning trips to the Canary Islands in the coming days should check local weather updates and heed any official warnings. The heat episode is forecast to last several days, and authorities have not ruled out further upgrades to alerts if conditions worsen. Airlines and tour operators may adjust schedules if the situation deteriorates.
