The heatwave of the summer arrives with 40°C in Tenerife and 42°C in Gran Canaria

According to meteorologists, this is THE heatwave of the summer and it arrived in force yesterday with temperatures that exceeded 40°C in Tenerife, 39°C in Fuerteventura, 35°C in Lanzarote, and 42°C in various points of Gran Canaria. AEMET have warned that these high temperatures could last into next week and the Ministry of Health has extended its red warnings for risk to the public’s health.

The islands are being affected by the arrival of a mass of warm, dry African air, accompanied by haze which is reducing visibility at altitude, mainly affecting the eastern and southern areas of the islands.

According to AEMET, their weather stations recorded the highest official temperatures in Gran Canaria yesterday, of 42.3°C in the town of Tasarte, in La Aldea de San Nicolás, at 5:00pm; Lomo Pedro Alfonso, in San Bartolomé Tirajana, 42.2°C at 3:00pm; El Milano, in Agüimes with 41.5°C at 4:00pm; and Las Tirajanas, in San Bartolomé with 40.1°C, at 2:20pm.

Meanwhile, in Tenerife the heat was felt more strongly in the south, west, and the metropolitan area of the island, with 40°C in Chío (Guía de Isora); El Llano Los Loros (La Laguna) with 35.3°C; Tenerife North Airport with 34.4°C; and Tenerife South Airport with 33.4°C.

In the easternmost Islands, the proximity to Africa and the haze left the highest temperatures in areas facing east and inland. In Fuerteventura, Pájara reported 39°C; in Puerto de Gran Tarajal, in Tuineje, 35°C; and 34.1°C degrees in Antigua.

In Lanzarote, the highest temperature of 36°C was recorded at the César Manrique Airport; 35.6°C in San Bartolomé; and 32.6°C degrees in the town of Playa Blanca.

Today (Friday) will be hotter than yesterday, as will tomorrow (Saturday), due to the arrival of more of the air mass and haze from Africa, with local temperatures of up to 45°C felt in inland areas. AEMET expects the high temperatures to continue until Wednesday (August 16^th).

Red health warning:
The Ministry of Health of the Canarian Government has extended the red warning for heat in ten municipalities of Gran Canarian until that day (August 16^th) as follows: Agüimes, Artenara, Ingenio, Mogán, San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Aldea de San Nicolás, Santa Lucía de Tirajana, Santa Brígida, Tejeda, Valsequillo and Vega de San Mateo.

In addition, they have extended the dates of the orange and yellow notices for municipalities on the other islands as well to the same date.