Canary Islands Issue Heat and Wind Alerts as Temperatures Climb to 37°C

The Canary Islands are bracing for a weekend of hot, windy weather, according to the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet). This stretch of stable, high-temperature weather has put much of the archipelago on alert, highlighting a growing trend of extreme heat that experts say is making water management more difficult and increasing the risk of forest fires.

Aemet has issued a yellow weather warning for high temperatures this Saturday, effective from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tenerife is a primary area of concern, particularly in Candelaria, El Rosario, and southern mid-altitude regions, where temperatures could hit 35°C. Similar conditions are expected across the western islands and Gran Canaria, where some areas may see temperatures climb as high as 37°C.

Strong winds are also contributing to the unstable conditions. Gran Canaria and La Gomera are under alert for high winds until 9:00 a.m. Saturday, while Lanzarote will be under a warning from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Gusts could reach 70 kilometers per hour, primarily affecting the Tirajana basin in Gran Canaria, parts of La Gomera, and the interior and southeast of Lanzarote. While high areas of western Tenerife may also experience strong gusts, no official warnings have been issued for that region.

The forecast for the rest of the weekend calls for clear skies, with some low clouds in the north of the more mountainous islands. A light haze, or calima, is expected to settle over mid-altitude areas and summits, likely intensifying by the end of the day. Temperatures will remain high, particularly in the south and east, with readings reaching 34°C in the Tenerife metropolitan area, southern and western Gran Canaria, and southeastern Fuerteventura. While trade winds will be strong on exposed slopes early in the day, they are expected to ease as the day progresses.