The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has issued a special warning announcing the arrival of a heatwave in the Canary Islands starting this Wednesday. If the predictions are met, with a high probability of this happening (more than 70%), it would be the first heatwave to hit the archipelago this summer.
To date, the islands have only experienced heat episodes, but what differentiates a heatwave from an episode? According to the National Climatological Data Bank Service, dependent on Aemet, to determine if it is a heatwave, two requirements must be met: it must last three days or more and register maximums above the 95th percentile in 10% of the stations.
Starting this Wednesday, the forecast is that temperatures will begin to rise in the Canary Islands, marking the beginning of this heatwave. At the same time, the humid layer in the archipelago will progressively descend, adding to a warm environment with higher temperatures and dust. Simultaneously, several peninsular regions will be at an "important danger level" and even "extraordinary" during the central hours of the day.
The forecast for this week is that some municipalities may reach up to 39 degrees, as is the case of San Bartolomé, which could reach this maximum temperature by Saturday, or Tías, with maximums of up to 36 degrees.
On July 29, temperatures are expected to rise in La Palma, Tenerife, and Gran Canaria, with the latter potentially reaching 37 degrees. By Thursday, slight increases will continue on all islands, exceeding 38 degrees in Gran Canaria.
In Lanzarote, for example, the thermometer is expected to reach maximums of 30 degrees this Thursday in Tías and Teguise, and continue to rise in different municipalities on the island by the end of the week.
For Friday the 31st, temperatures are predicted to continue rising, albeit more moderately, on the eastern islands. In Gran Canaria and inland Fuerteventura, between 37 and 38 degrees may be reached. For the weekend, despite "much uncertainty," Aemet predicts that 37 degrees may again be reached in Gran Canaria and inland Fuerteventura.
For the moment, Aemet has established a yellow heat warning in the south of Gran Canaria starting Wednesday, while the rest of the islands remain without warnings for now.
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