Another day of sweltering heat sweeps Across the Canary Islands, surpassing 40-degree mark in numerous locations; Gran Canaria continues to bear the brunt. Temperatures peak at 45ºC in Tasarte (La Aldea de San Nicolás) and the Tirajana Basin.
The Spanish Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has expanded the extreme heat risk to encompass all islands except El Hierro, contrary to the initial plan that only included Gran Canaria. Despite forecasts suggesting slight temperature drops in the coming days, both maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to remain high. A red warning remains in effect for today in the summits and southern areas of Gran Canaria, with local midland temperatures reaching the 40-degree threshold. The other islands maintain an orange warning, along with an alert for haze.
Once again, the Tasarte station in La Aldea de San Nicolás recorded the highest temperature of the day, reaching 45.7 degrees Celsius at 3:20 PM. Following closely was Lomo Pedro Alfonso in San Bartolomé Tirajana, reporting 43.1 ºC at 3:20 PM, marking the second-highest temperature nationwide.
Other notable temperatures included 42.8 degrees in Llano de los Loros within the Las Mercedes area of La Laguna, registered at 11:30 AM. Tijarafe (La Palma) reached 42.7 ºC, Agüimes (Gran Canaria) recorded 42.5 ºC, and Hotel Las Tirajanas in San Bartolomé reached 41.9 degrees.
San Sebastián de La Gomera reported 41.8 ºC at 4:10 PM, while Arure saw 41.4 degrees. Puntagorda (La Palma) experienced 41.3 degrees, and La Dama in Vallehermoso recorded 41.1 degrees. The Maspalomas Tourism Centre registered a maximum of 40.9 ºC, compared to 40.6 degrees in Tejeda, 40.4 ºC at Lanzarote Airport, and 40 ºC at Los Rodeos or El Paso Airport.
During midday, among the top ten highest temperatures nationally according to Aemet, five were recorded in the Canary Islands. Tasarte led with 44.2 ºC, followed by Las Mercedes with 42.8 degrees, Tijarafe (La Palma) with 42.7 ºC, Agüimes (Gran Canaria) with 42.5 ºC, and Hotel Las Tirajanas in San Bartolomé de Tirajana with 41.9 degrees. By day’s end, several locations in Cordoba and Seville also recorded temperatures exceeding 42 degrees.
Elsewhere, additional observation networks such as Grafcan and the Tenerife Island Council reported temperatures such as 44ºC in Mogán, 43ºC in Maspalomas, El Pozo (Guía de Isora), and Los Llanos de Aridane, 42ºC in Granadilla, Charco del Pino (San Miguel), the center of Guía de Isora, and Alojera (Vallehermoso); 41ºC in Garafía and Mazo, Tamaimo (Santiago del Teide), Chío (Guía de Isora), Lomo de Mena (Güímar), Chejelipes (San Sebastián), Fataga (San Bartolomé), and over 40ºC in Arure, Aguajilva (San Sebastián), Arico, La Laguna casco, Tijoco (Adeje), Ravelo (El Sauzal), El Pinalete (Granadilla), Santiago del Teide, Los Canarios (Fuencaliente), Pájara (Fuerteventura), Inagua (Mogán), and Acusa (Artenara).
While not under an extreme warning but an orange one, El Hierro experienced maximum temperatures of 44.5 degrees in La Dehesa, 38ºC in El Depósito de El Pinar, 37ºC in San Andrés (Valverde), and 32.7ºC in the capital. La Graciosa registered 28 degrees.
Furthermore, the strongest wind gusts reported by Aemet were in the Canary Islands, reaching 57 kilometers per hour at Tenerife South Airport, 54 at Fuencaliente, 53 at Alto de Igualero (Vallehermoso), 52 at Arure, and 50 at Gran Canaria Airport. Grafcan recorded 110 km/h in Alajeró, 88.6 in Alojera (Vallehermoso), 82.8 in Teno (Buenavista), 81.4 in La Dehesa (Frontera) and Timijiraque (Valverde), and 76.3 km/h in Los Canarios (Fuencaliente).
CANARY ISLANDS: NIGHT OF INTENSE HEAT
As predicted, the heat wave led to an exceptionally warm early morning, with temperatures in many places remaining above 30 degrees and Tasarte seeing temperatures above 40°C for a significant portion of the morning. At 1:30 am, the Aemet reported a temperature of 42.5 degrees at this location. The minimum temperature recorded at this station was 35.4 ºC.
Meanwhile, La Dama (Vallehermoso) registered 39.2 degrees, Agüimes recorded 38.4 degrees, San Sebastián de La Gomera experienced 37.9 ºC, Lomo Pedro Alfonso saw 37.5 ºC, and Puntagorda and Tijarafe (La Palma) recorded 36 ºC. Las Tirajanas reported a temperature of 35.2 degrees, Tejeda and Cuevas del Pinar (San Bartolomé) registered 33.4 degrees, and El Pinar de El Hierro recorded 32.8 degrees.
RISKY BEHAVIOR
Despite the strong waves prompting the closure of beaches and bathing areas by local councils, many Canary Islanders disregarded the red flags (which indicate an obligation, not a warning) and entered the water. Lifeguards, civil protection personnel, and local police had to intervene to enforce safety measures, especially in the east coast municipalities of Tenerife from El Rosario to Arona. Swell and strong currents were evident, and lifeguards in Arona conducted multiple rescues, including saving a bather who had been carried around 500 meters out to sea.
FOREST FIRE CONCERNS
The Canary Islands remain on high alert for forest fire risk in Gran Canaria and the entire province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. All Island Councils have activated their Island Emergency Plans as per the Canary Islands Forest Fire Plan (Infoca).
In La Palma, members of the Canary Islands Government’s Eirif and the Cabildo’s forestry brigades intervened in two reactivations in Tijarafe, within the perimeter of the recent fire affecting Puntagorda and Tijarafe. Elevated temperatures in the area and wind gusts reactivated an outbreak in the El Time area at 10:00 PM on Friday, and another outbreak occurred yesterday afternoon near Lomo del Pueblo de Tijarafe.
