Calima warning for all Canary Islands: Saharan dust turns skies orange — what visitors and residents need to know

Just as Gran Canaria recovers from Storm Therese, the next weather event arrives: a dense Saharan dust cloud has been moving towards the Canary Islands since Sunday evening. The Canary Islands Government has activated two simultaneous pre-alerts — one for calima, one for wind.

What is happening

A strong airflow from the Sahara is carrying large volumes of fine dust particles (PM10) across the Atlantic. The dust cloud reaches the eastern islands (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura) from Monday noon and spreads to Gran Canaria and Tenerife in the afternoon. By Tuesday, the entire archipelago is affected — from the coast to the summits.

This calima is stronger than usual. AEMET describes "concentrated suspended dust at all altitudes" — not just at ground level, but also at mid-altitude and summit areas. Skies are expected to turn orange and visibility will drop significantly.

Double threat: calima plus wind

In parallel, AEMET warns of strong northeast winds with gusts exceeding 80 km/h in exposed areas. On La Palma, gusts could reach 90 km/h. The summits of Gran Canaria, Tenerife and El Hierro will be particularly affected.

Health advice

PM10 concentrations are expected to significantly exceed WHO limits. Authorities recommend:

Keep windows and doors closed. Dust enters homes and settles on all surfaces.

Avoid physical exertion outdoors — especially for people with asthma, allergies or respiratory conditions.

Wear a face covering for extended time outside. FFP2 masks filter PM10 effectively.

Drive carefully: visibility may drop below 1 kilometre, especially at altitude.

What this means for tourists

For visitors in Maspalomas, Playa del Ingles and Meloneras, calima means: the beach is usable but skies will be hazy orange instead of blue. Temperatures rise slightly (dry warm air from the Sahara). Outdoor activities such as hiking to Roque Nublo or in the mountains should be postponed to Wednesday. Easter week activities continue normally — processions and restaurants are unaffected.

Flights: no cancellations announced so far. LPA airport is operating normally. However, extremely strong calima can cause visibility limitations leading to delays. Travellers should check airport status via AENA.

When will it clear

AEMET expects improvement from Wednesday, April 1. Wind shifts to north-northeast and pushes the dust cloud south. By Thursday, typical Easter conditions should return — clear skies, blue visibility, 22-25 degrees in Maspalomas.