Over the past weekend, the Canary Islands once again experienced the presence of a dense dust cloud that obscured the archipelago’s characteristically blue sky. Calima, a meteorological phenomenon caused by the presence of suspended dust particles, continued to persist over the islands, affecting visibility and air quality.
Even though both the Canary Islands Government and the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) issued alerts for calima and wind, which have since been lifted, the influence of the Sahara is still noticeable in the archipelago. How long this situation will last remains a question.
According to Meteored, in recent days, the center of a powerful surface anticyclone was located near the Iberian Peninsula, creating a “shield” that blocks the entry of Atlantic squalls. This has led to a considerable rise in temperatures and favors east and southeast winds in the Canary Islands, with gusts exceeding 90 km/h on the peaks of the higher islands. These winds bring dust particles from the vast Sahara desert to the archipelago.
WHEN WILL THE CALIMA CLEAR FROM THE CANARY ISLANDS?
The intensity of the winds has diminished since last weekend, but the calima persists, albeit in a less pronounced form. It is expected that by mid-week the winds will pick up again, reactivating the presence of suspended dust and worsening air quality in the Canary archipelago. If Meteored’s forecasts come true, the calima is expected to remain at least until the early part of next week.
