According to the predictions of the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), today will be the hottest day of this second episode of high temperatures in the summer in the Canary Islands. Gran Canaria will once again experience the peak, with temperatures exceeding 42 and 43 degrees in the central areas of the south and west, as well as in the Tejeda basin. The entire island, except for the northern slopes, will be under a red warning (extreme risk).
Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, and the metropolitan area of Tenerife have been upgraded to an orange warning (major risk), with temperatures expected to reach 37 to 38 degrees Celsius. The south and west of Tenerife, as well as the inland areas facing south and southwest of La Gomera and El Hierro, and the peaks of La Palma, will also be under an orange warning, with maximum temperatures forecasted to reach 35 or 36 degrees Celsius. On the north coast of Tenerife, temperatures could reach 32º or 33º Celsius.
This second episode of high temperatures is accompanied by high altitude haze and strong trade winds along the coast, with gusts exceeding 70 and 80 km/h in the usual areas of trade wind acceleration. The heat is expected to subside starting from the weekend.
MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES REACHED IN THE CANARY ISLANDS
Yesterday, three localities in the south, east, and west of Gran Canaria recorded the highest temperatures in the archipelago. Las Tirajanas in the municipality of San Bartolomé and Agüimes both reached a high of 41.5 degrees, while Tasarte in San Nicolás reported 40.7 degrees and La Aldea de San Nicolás recorded 40.6 degrees.
Other notable temperatures were registered in Arure, La Gomera, where the mercury reached 39.7 degrees, followed by Lomo Pedro Alfonso with 39.1 degrees. In addition, Casco de Tejeda and Suerte Alta in Agaete recorded 37.9 degrees, and Targa in Alajeró (La Gomera) reported 37.7 degrees.
In Tenerife, the automatic station at Llano de Los Loros in Las Mercedes recorded 36.8ºC, as did the water tank at El Pinar (El Hierro). The Aemet stations in El Paso (La Palma) and Cuevas del Pinar in San Bartolomé registered 36.5ºC, while San Andrés (Valverde), Centro Forestal de Telde, Adeje, and El Cercado (La Gomera) recorded temperatures above 35.5 degrees.
MORE THAN 30ºC AT NIGHT
During the early hours of the morning in Gran Canaria, the temperatures did not drop below 30 degrees in two southern localities: Lomo Pedro Afonso with 32.8ºC and Cuevas del Pinar with 30.4ºC, both in San Bartolomé de Tirajana. Agüimes in the southeast also experienced temperatures near this level, with a minimum of 29.2 degrees, while Las Tirajanas in the south recorded a minimum of 28.8 degrees.
HIGH ALERT FOR FOREST FIRES
The Government of the Canary Islands has declared a maximum alert for the risk of forest fires in the western islands and Gran Canaria. As a result, all Island Councils have activated their respective Island Emergency Plans. Citizens are urged to take extreme precautions and follow the established prevention measures, including avoiding lighting fires in open spaces and adhering to restrictions on agricultural burning. It is also recommended to avoid transit through mountain areas due to path and forest track closures.
