Pre-alert declared as calima set to hit the Canary Islands from Monday
The Government of the Canary Islands has issued a pre-alert for calima across the entire Archipelago from 6:00am on Monday (16th February), due to a significant increase in Saharan dust expected to affect visibility and pose health risks, particularly for people with chronic or respiratory conditions.
AEMET has also updated its yellow warning for wind gusts of up to 90 km/h and issued an additional alert for calima as conditions worsen.
According to early forecasts from Meteored specialist Samuel Biener, skies across the islands “will turn hazy very soon” as a dense calima cloud moves in with unusually high temperatures “above the seasonal average”.
This dust intrusion is being driven by the position of the Azores High, which is funnelling warm air towards the Canaries, accompanied by easterly winds pushing a plume of Saharan dust over the region.
According to the European model, the calima is expected to reach the eastern islands around 6:00am on Monday before spreading across the entire Archipelago around midday. The highest concentrations of dust are forecast between the early hours and late afternoon.
Conditions should begin to improve from Tuesday, with the dust gradually clearing from Wednesday onwards.
Air Quality: “Dangerous”
Meteored’s Air Quality Index warns of “extremely unfavourable” conditions, advising vulnerable individuals to avoid exposure as much as possible. Intense physical activity outdoors is also discouraged.
Levels of PM10 particles, those smaller than 10 microns, are expected to exceed 400 μg/m³ on Monday, far above the threshold set by the World Health Organisation. The WHO considers air quality “poor” when daily averages exceed 45 μg/m³, making this episode “particularly severe”, Meteored warns.
Reduced visibility is also expected across the islands, especially on Tuesday, as the dust cloud thickens. The public are urged to follow official self-protection advice for adverse weather episodes, including limiting outdoor activity, keeping windows closed, and using approved masks if necessary.
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