Canary Islands, Spain: Calima Dust Storm And Heatwave Alert For September 2025, Know About The Health Risks And Travel Precautions

Published on September 18, 2025

The Canary Islands, 1 of Spain’s astir beloved vacation destinations, are presently grappling pinch an aggravated upwind arena known arsenic calima, which is causing particulate clouds and soaring temperatures. This event, mixed pinch nan heatwave, has led to wellness concerns, peculiarly for individuals pinch respiratory conditions. As a result, Spanish authorities person issued a pre-alert for each 7 islands: La Palma, El Hierro, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura. The nationalist meteorological agency, AEMET, has declared yellowish warnings for nan full archipelago, signalling mean risks. Tourists and locals alike are being urged to return precautions owed to reduced visibility, wellness risks, and utmost heat.

What Is Calima?

The calima arena refers to nan presence of good particles of particulate from nan Sahara Desert, which are carried by beardown winds crossed nan Atlantic Ocean. These particulate clouds importantly trim aerial quality, creating a haze that tin make nan skies look murky. While this whitethorn look for illustration a uncommon occurrence, calima is not different successful nan Canary Islands, peculiarly during nan summertime and autumn months. The particulate not only diminishes visibility but tin besides lead to respiratory discomfort, particularly successful those pinch pre-existing wellness conditions for illustration asthma aliases COPD.

For tourists, knowing nan imaginable risks and knowing really to respond is essential, peculiarly during this peculiar calima event, which is accompanied by exceptionally precocious temperatures.

Current Weather Alerts and Temperature Forecasts

AEMET has issued a bid of upwind warnings crossed nan Canary Islands, including each 7 islands: La Palma, El Hierro, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura. These warnings are successful spot for some nan calima particulate arena and utmost power conditions expected to past passim nan week. As of nan latest forecast, nan islands are expected to acquisition temperatures peaking astatine 36°C successful Gran Canaria, pinch immoderate areas perchance reaching up to 37°C.

In summation to nan heat, visibility is expected to beryllium severely reduced to arsenic small arsenic 3,000 metres, peculiarly successful south-facing regions and nan peaks of nan islands. The calima will besides dispersed to lower-lying areas, including coastal zones, which are typically little affected by nan dust. The arena is anticipated to past done Wednesday, September 17, pinch somesthesia warnings successful spot until Tuesday evening.

Health Risks Associated pinch Calima

One of nan superior concerns during a calima arena is nan wellness risks it poses, peculiarly to individuals pinch respiratory conditions. The particulate particles carried by nan calima are mini capable to penetrate heavy into nan lungs, starring to irritation of nan airways. Those pinch pre-existing lung conditions specified arsenic asthma, chronic bronchitis, aliases chronic obstructive pulmonary illness (COPD) whitethorn find their symptoms worsened, requiring accrued usage of medicine aliases moreover aesculapian attention.

Furthermore, moreover individuals without chronic respiratory illnesses whitethorn acquisition impermanent discomfort specified arsenic coughing, sore throat, aliases oculus irritation. Prolonged vulnerability to nan particulate tin lead to much superior respiratory issues, including trouble breathing aliases thorax tightness.

AEMET has issued warnings advising group pinch respiratory aliases cardiovascular conditions to return other care. Tourists are advised to enactment indoors erstwhile possible, peculiarly during nan hottest parts of nan day, and to debar outdoor activities that whitethorn exacerbate respiratory discomfort.

Temperature and Heatwave Warnings

In summation to nan calima, nan Canary Islands are experiencing a heatwave, which is expected to proceed done nan week. High temperatures, peculiarly successful south- and southwest-facing areas, will make outdoor activities uncomfortable and perchance hazardous. The thermometer is expected to climb arsenic precocious arsenic 36°C successful parts of Gran Canaria, pinch 37°C not ruled retired successful immoderate areas. Other islands, specified arsenic Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, will acquisition temperatures adjacent to 34°C.

Heat-related illnesses, specified arsenic power exhaustion aliases heatstroke, are a important interest during specified precocious temperatures. Symptoms of power exhaustion see excessive sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea, and accelerated breathing. If not treated promptly, power exhaustion tin escalate into heatstroke, a life-threatening condition. To debar specified risks, it is important to enactment hydrated, deterioration ray clothing, and debar strenuous beingness activity during highest power hours.

Tips for Travelers: How to Stay Safe During Calima and Heatwaves

1. Stay Indoors When Possible

During a calima event, nan aerial value tin beryllium poor, and visibility tin beryllium importantly reduced. Therefore, it is advisable to enactment indoors arsenic overmuch arsenic possible, peculiarly during nan power of nan day. Tourists should debar unnecessary outdoor activities and enactment successful air-conditioned spaces to trim vulnerability to particulate particles and excessive heat.

2. Hydrate and Avoid Dehydration

With precocious temperatures and debased humidity levels, nan consequence of dehydration is elevated. It’s basal to portion plentifulness of h2o passim nan day, moreover if you do not consciousness thirsty. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks, arsenic they tin lend to dehydration. Hydration helps support assemblage somesthesia and ensures that nan assemblage tin header pinch nan power much effectively.

3. Avoid Physical Exertion

Strenuous beingness activities should beryllium avoided, peculiarly during nan hottest parts of nan day. If workout is necessary, it is champion to do it early successful nan greeting aliases later successful nan evening erstwhile temperatures are lower. Even mean activity tin lead to overheating and exhaustion during utmost heat.

4. Protect Your Respiratory Health

For those pinch chronic respiratory conditions, it is important to travel aesculapian proposal and guarantee that medications are readily available. Staying indoors pinch windows and doors closed tin thief limit vulnerability to nan particulate particles successful nan air. Wearing a mask, specified arsenic an N95 aliases FFP2, tin thief select retired harmful particles. Additionally, utilizing aerial purifiers indoors tin trim nan beingness of particulate and allergens successful nan air.

5. Monitor Local Weather and Alerts

AEMET provides regular updates connected upwind conditions successful nan Canary Islands. Tourists are encouraged to enactment informed done section news channels and charismatic upwind alerts. It is important to stay alert of immoderate changes successful upwind patterns and to set plans accordingly.

6. Take Extra Caution While Driving

Reduced visibility owed to nan particulate clouds tin make driving hazardous. If you are connected nan roads, it is important to trim your speed, usage headlights, and support a safe region from different vehicles. Avoid driving during times of dense particulate aliases erstwhile visibility is importantly reduced.

Conclusion

A heatwave and nan calima arena are causing difficult upwind conditions successful nan Canary Islands, and they are predicted to past nan full week. Although this does not lessen nan islands’ allure aliases earthy beauty, visitors must return further information and wellness precautions. Travellers tin still bask nan islands while reducing wellness risks by being informed, staying wrong erstwhile needed, drinking plentifulness of water, and taking precautions to protect their respiratory health.