The Canary Islands have recorded their warmest winter to date, with temperatures averaging 2.5 degrees Celsius above the norm for the reference period of 1991-2020. Notably, this is the first time in 108 years that the Izaña Observatory in Tenerife, located at an elevation of 2,364 metres, has not reported any snowfall.
These findings were outlined by the Aemet’s representative in the Canary Islands, David Suárez, during a press briefing. He highlighted that the region saw only twelve days without calima (haze), indicating an uncommon prevalence of Saharan dust in the atmosphere during this time, a phenomenon typically rare for the islands.
The seasonal report further details that the archipelago witnessed exceptionally low rainfall, receiving just over 36 litres per square metre, equating to only 28% of the expected average for this time of year, which is typically around 130 l/m². January was particularly dry, with precipitation reaching merely 13% of the average.
TEMPERATURES 2.5 DEGREES HIGHER THAN NORMAL
At a press conference in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Suárez pointed out these patterns suggest a long-term climatic shift in the Canary Islands, with a projected increase in temperatures and a decrease in rainfall by 7 to 10% leading up to 2050.
The winter’s unusual weather patterns are attributed to the El Niño phenomenon, a periodic oceanic temperature fluctuation impacting global weather, expected to diminish later in the year. Despite this, forecasts suggest the subsequent months may continue to be warmer and drier than usual.
Highlighting temperature anomalies, this winter season recorded an average temperature of 17.7 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest since records began in 1961. Notably, January and February were the warmest ever recorded.
ONLY 4.7 LITRES PER SQUARE METRE OF RAINFALL IN JANUARY
In terms of precipitation, the season was notably arid, with an overall rainfall of 36.3 litres per square metre, significantly below the seasonal norm. January was exceptionally dry, witnessing an average rainfall of just 4.7 litres per square metre across the islands. February and December also saw reduced rainfall compared to typical levels.
The majority of the Canary Islands experienced dry or very dry conditions, except for certain areas in the north of Gran Canaria and northeast regions of Tenerife and La Palma. Since the start of the hydrological year on 1 October, the archipelago has received only 41% of its expected rainfall, ranking this as the fourth driest period since 1961.
CALIMA 85 % OF WINTER DAYS
Furthermore, the winter was characterized by an increased frequency of calima, with Saharan dust present in the atmosphere for 85% of the days from December to February. The season also broke a 108-year record at the Izaña Observatory, which reported no snowfall, surpassing the previous lowest record set in 2003.
Additionally, seawater temperatures this winter were notably higher, averaging 1.6 degrees Celsius above normal, reaching 21.71 degrees Celsius. The Canary Islands also enjoyed their third sunniest winter on record, with a total of 741 hours of sunshine.
