This July, the Canary Islands experienced an exceptionally hot month, with temperatures reaching almost 43 degrees Celsius. The average temperature for the month was 23.2 degrees, reflecting a positive anomaly of +0.9 degrees, making it the tenth warmest July since 1961.
The average temperature of 23.2 degrees marks July as a month of very warm character. According to the Climatological Advance of the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), the province of Las Palmas recorded an average temperature of 23.9 degrees (+0.9 ºC), while the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife was slightly cooler with an average of 22.3 degrees (+1.0 ºC).
In terms of rainfall, July was also notable for its precipitation. An average of 2.2 mm was recorded, which is 244% of the expected value, classifying it as a very wet month. This makes it the fifth wettest July since 1961, based on the 1991-2020 reference series.
Tropical Nights and Heat Spells
The Canary Islands saw a significant number of tropical nights, where temperatures do not drop below 20 degrees Celsius. There were 1,246 tropical nights recorded across the islands in July, with Gran Canaria experiencing 34 percent (423 nights) and Tenerife 31.3 percent (390 nights). This is almost 500 more tropical nights than in July 2023, which had 1,745 such nights.
The islands went through three warm spells in July, though these did not qualify as heat waves. The periods from the 18th to the 21st and from the 23rd to the 27th were the most intense. The hottest day was July 25th, with maximum temperatures of 38.8 degrees in Tenerife, followed closely by July 19th, which saw temperatures soar to 42.9 degrees in Gran Canaria.
Rainfall Patterns
Although rainfall volumes were higher than average for a typical July in the Canary Islands, the precipitation was weak and scattered. The rain mainly occurred during the first and last days of the month, particularly until the 10th and from the 26th onwards. These rains were brought by trade winds carrying humid air masses, affecting the northern slopes of the islands with significant orographic relief.
The western islands recorded the highest rainfall, with an average of 3.5 mm, which is 219 percent of the expected value. In the eastern islands, the highest monthly rainfall was recorded in Teror (Osorio, Gran Canaria), with 5.2 mm over seven days of significant rainfall.
The maximum daily rainfall in the province of Las Palmas was recorded at both Teror and Valleseco (Gran Canaria), with 2.4 mm on the 28th.
As such, July 2024 stands out as one of the hottest months in the Canary Islands over the past 63 years, marked by high temperatures and an unusual amount of rainfall. This combination of heat and precipitation reflects the complex and changing climatic conditions affecting the archipelago.
