The heatwave affecting the Canary Islands will intensify during the next 48 hours, with today and tomorrow expected to be the most difficult days of the episode. According to the State Meteorological Agency, Aemet, temperatures will continue to rise gradually this Tuesday and Wednesday before beginning to ease slightly from Thursday onwards.
The decline will become more noticeable on Friday, although temperatures will remain above normal for this time of year before returning to more typical July values. Until then, the archipelago will face very high daytime temperatures and extremely warm nights in the areas most affected by the heat.
On Monday, the highest temperatures in the Canary Islands were recorded in Las Tirajanas, in Gran Canaria, where the thermometer reached 37.8°C, and in Llano de los Loros, in La Laguna, where 37.2°C was recorded. These figures confirm the intensity of the current episode, which is affecting not only the traditional hot spots of Gran Canaria but also inland and elevated areas of Tenerife.
For this Tuesday and Wednesday, Aemet has placed Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote under an orange warning, which indicates high risk due to high temperatures. Meanwhile, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro remain under a yellow warning, indicating risk, particularly in inland and mid-altitude areas.
Temperatures may locally exceed 40°C in Gran Canaria
According to Aemet’s forecast, temperatures will generally reach or exceed 30°C to 33°C across much of the archipelago today and tomorrow, except along the northern coastlines, where conditions will be somewhat milder.
The highest values are expected in south- and west-facing areas, where temperatures may exceed 34°C. Gran Canaria will be the island most affected, with maximum temperatures expected to reach 37°C and the possibility of locally exceeding 40°C in the hottest inland and mid-altitude zones.
The nights will also be particularly uncomfortable. In the areas most affected by the heat, minimum temperatures are expected to remain above 27°C, meaning that the usual night-time cooling will be very limited. These tropical nights can increase the physical strain of the heatwave, especially for elderly people, children and those with health conditions.
Heatwave expected to ease from Thursday
Aemet expects the heatwave to begin easing from Thursday, although the improvement will be gradual. Maximum temperatures should start to fall slightly, particularly in inland areas, but they will still remain high across the islands.
Even on Thursday, temperatures are likely to reach around 30°C in many areas, with the northern coastlines remaining the coolest zones. The decline should become more noticeable on Friday, when the weather is expected to return to more normal summer conditions for July.
This does not mean that the heat will disappear completely, but rather that the extreme values linked to the current heatwave should give way to more typical seasonal temperatures.
Forest fire risk increases due to heat and dry conditions
The high temperatures have also increased concern over the risk of forest fires. The Tenerife Island Council updated its extraordinary level 1 prevention measures on Monday, extending them to the entire risk zone due to the evolution of the weather conditions.
As part of these measures, it is prohibited to light fires outdoors. This includes bonfires, barbecues, campfires and gas cookers. Smoking is also banned in recreational areas, camping sites, camps, forest tracks, footpaths, roads, viewpoints and other public facilities located within the risk zone.
Fireworks displays are also prohibited, as is the use of machinery or tools that may produce sparks. These restrictions are intended to reduce the chance of accidental fires during a period marked by high temperatures, dry vegetation and increased wind-related risk in some areas.
La Gomera and El Hierro also adopt preventive measures
The La Gomera Island Council has also urged the public to take extreme precautions during the heatwave and to avoid any action that could trigger a fire. The island authorities have adopted a series of preventive and restrictive measures across almost the entire island.
The only exceptions are areas in the north of the municipalities of Agulo, Hermigua and Vallehermoso located below 400 metres above sea level.
The measures include a ban on lighting fires outdoors, including bonfires, campfires, barbecues and wood-burning ovens. The ban also applies to cooking stoves in forest recreational areas that do not have safety systems such as spark arrestors.
The burning of plant or forest waste is also prohibited, as is the use of machinery that may generate sparks. Fireworks displays are banned in areas at risk of fire.
In El Hierro, the Island Council activated its Island Emergency Plan on Monday due to the forest fire risk. This has led to the closure of certain roads, traffic restrictions and the closure of fire pits in forest recreation areas, including those at Hoya de El Morcillo and Hoya de El Pino.
Mainland Spain also faces extreme temperatures
The heatwave is not limited to the Canary Islands. Mainland Spain is also experiencing extremely high temperatures, with Serradilla, in the province of Cáceres, recording 43.5°C on Monday, the highest temperature in the country.
According to Aemet spokesperson Rubén del Campo, maximum temperatures are not expected to change significantly until Thursday. Highs of around 42°C are forecast in the south, while parts of the Mediterranean area and inland regions will continue to experience very warm nights.
The intense heat is expected to continue for much of the week across large areas of Spain. Today and tomorrow, rainfall will generally be light, although the formation of cumulonimbus clouds may bring isolated showers with little accumulated rain but accompanied by lightning. This could further increase the risk of wildfires.
Aemet also expects temperatures to exceed 38°C and 40°C in large areas of the eastern peninsula, the Balearic Islands, the northern plateau, and central and southern parts of the mainland.
Overall, the Canary Islands are facing the most intense phase of the heatwave today and tomorrow, with orange warnings in the eastern islands, yellow warnings in the western islands, extremely warm nights and a growing forest fire risk. A gradual improvement is expected from Thursday, with a more noticeable drop in temperatures from Friday.
