The Government of the Canary Islands has declared four times already this year a pre-alert status for Calima.
This meteorological phenomenon sees fine sand and dust particles from the Sahara Desert being lifted into the atmosphere and transported by the wind.
Given the proximity of the Canary Islands to the African continent, the Calima can hit the popular holiday hotspot – and produce varying effects on the archipelago.
In the wake of the latest warning issued by both the Government of the holiday hotspot and the Spanish weather agency, AEMET, a weather expert warned tourists should be mindful when travelling to the area.
Jim Dale, senior meteorologist at the British Weather Services, said he anticipates that, in “our world of climate change and overheated ocean”, the Canary Islands will be hit more and more often by the Calima and unseasonably hot weather.
The weather expert and co-author of the upcoming book Surviving Extreme Weather told Express.co.uk: “It’s not that heat and dust in suspension will be there on every occasion, but any airstream moving west of the Sahara (normally) will carry the risk.
“We are living in a changed world and visitors would do well to take note of the local warnings and what to do if caught up in such conditions.”
Calima can prompt the temperatures to spike and visibility to deteriorate as the sky can turn a hazy orange due to the dust and sand.
The dust particles can cause respiratory problems to people with underlying health conditions, children and the elderly and make it more difficult to sleep at night.
Particularly during intense Calima episodes, experts advise people to remain indoors with doors and windows shut, drink plenty of liquids and wear face masks if they need to go out.
It can also lower the visibility to the point where transport is affected. In January 2002, a Calima episode prompted the closure of the Santa Cruz International Airport after visibility fell to less than 165 feet.
The latest warning regarding Calima was issued for Sunday, March 17, and was focused in particular on the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
The forecast indicated maximum temperatures would reach normal values for this time of the year and ramp up to over 30C.
Speaking about the weather conditions to be expected over the next few days in the region, Jason Nicholls, lead international forecaster at AccuWeather, told Express.co.uk: “The heat should ease across the Canary Island later this week. The dust near the islands should also ease around midweek as the winds shift.
“There is a good chance for more rounds of Saharan dust, especially heading into summer.”
