According to the AEMET, the entry of suspended dust from the Sahara, anticipated by AEMET in the Canary Islands and other prediction centers, announces a period of intense haze in the Canary Islands. This air mass loaded with particles will considerably impact air quality, in addition to drastically reducing visibility in various parts of the archipelago over the next few days. At the same time, AEMET forecasts warn of the continuity of moderate to strong winds and coastal phenomena on some islands, at least until Tuesday, December 17, an unusual scenario in the transition to the winter season.
Experts also point out the possibility that an episode of DANA develops towards the weekend, generating locally intense showers and storms in the Canary Islands.
According to the analyzes of AEMETthis intrusion of Saharan dust could even extend to the Peninsula in the following days, something relatively frequent in certain periods of the year. Usually, haze in the Canary Islands implies a sudden increase in temperatures and a notable decrease in environmental humidity, factors that combined can have negative effects both on the health of people, especially those with respiratory problems, and on outdoor activities and operations. logistics.
The winds of African origin that drive the haze can also favor mud-type pollution phenomena when they coincide with light rains, a fact not ruled out by AEMET in the coming days.
The short-term forecast offers a relatively complex picture. AEMET has confirmed that the wind storm that has hit the Canary Islands in recent days is slowly receding, but it leaves behind a favorable environment for the establishment of the haze. This phenomenon could be accentuated due to the anomalous heat that the islands have been experiencing, with high temperatures for the time of year, and could remain for several days until the atmospheric currents change.
The latest AEMET projections point to an intensification of winds in the Strait of Gibraltar, with gusts exceeding 90 km/h, as an Atlantic front approaches the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands.
Climate instability in the Canary Islands will be constant according to the AEMET
For the rest of the peninsular territory, AEMET predicts a much more stable situation. In regions such as the northern plateau, Castilla y León or the Ebro depression, morning fog and a rise in temperatures will predominate, in some cases exceeding 20 degrees even in the southwest of the peninsula. On the other hand, Galicia and areas of the Cantabrian Sea will receive precipitation generated by an Atlantic front that will move slowly towards the interior of the country. AEMET does not rule out that these rains mix with suspended dust, generating the well-known “mud rain”, characteristic of haze episodes.
The scenario changes as the weekend arrives, when AEMET and Meteored They anticipate the formation of a new DANA in the southwest of the Peninsula that could, as it moves, end up affecting the Canary Islands. This isolated depression at high levels, when positioned in the Atlantic near the archipelago, would bring showers and even locally intense storms, which could be strong on islands such as TenerifeLa Palma or Gran Canaria.
Furthermore, it is not ruled out that snowfall may occur on high peaks if the cold core approaches sufficiently, as predicted by the models analyzed by AEMET. A radical change with respect to the haze could be glimpsed if the dry Saharan air is displaced by humid and unstable maritime air, something that, if confirmed, would drastically modify the meteorological panorama.
Meanwhile, the alert situation remains firm. AEMET underlines the importance of following official warnings in the Canary Islands, especially given the combination of haze with intense winds and possible adverse coastal phenomena. The recent appearance of hurricane-force winds, which have affected part of the western islands, has now given way to an atmosphere loaded with suspended dust that makes visibility difficult and can be uncomfortable in daily activities.
He Government of the Canary Islandsaware of the inconveniences generated by this phenomenon, has already urged the population to take precautions: reduce unnecessary outings, use masks if necessary and pay attention to the evolution of air quality.
In the peninsular area, AEMET confirms that the rains will return with the approach of successive Atlantic fronts, especially in Galicia, the Cantabrian slope and some sectors of the Pyrenees. The risk of snowfall will increase at relatively low altitudes, below 1000 meters in various mountain ranges. The Peninsula, however, will remain outside the most intense haze, although the arrival of light concentrations of African dust is not ruled out, especially if the anticyclone located in the interior of the peninsula weakens and the atmospheric circulation is reoriented to the south.
For the second half of the week, AEMET considers a scenario of ephemeral stability. Temperatures could experience a decrease, especially in points of the northern half of the peninsula, while in the Canary Islands the question persists about when this episode of haze ends and if the predicted DANA finally settles over the archipelago.
If the prognosis of a depressive center moving towards Canary Islandsshowers accompanied by storms could cleanse the atmosphere of dust, replacing the haze situation with more or less abundant rainfall. Consequently, the meteorological evolution could be dizzying: strong winds, suspended dust and, in just a few days, rain and snowfall on the summits.
The scientific community indicates that these swings are relatively frequent at this time, when the Peninsula and the Canary Islands are subject to Atlantic currents that alternate with air masses from lower latitudes. This dual process is reflected in the climatic heterogeneity of such a diverse territory.
AEMET observes that the influence of the subtropical anticyclone, a characteristic feature of the Canarian climate, is temporarily weakened, which gives room for Atlantic storms or even Today can be approached with some ease. In any case, the threat of haze for the Canary Islands continues to be the immediate challenge that the island population will have to face, with the certainty that the situation can change in a matter of days, bringing rain that refreshes the environment and dissipates the dust in suspension. .
Therefore, the main recommendation continues to be to stay informed through AEMET and follow the guidelines that the Canary Islands authorities indicate, especially if the intensity of the haze interferes with daily life, with respiratory conditions and reduced visibility.
The forecast of AEMET It is evolving rapidly based on data provided by satellites and meteorological buoys, so that a sudden change in the trajectory of the Atlantic storm could moderate or aggravate the situation in a matter of hours. If the arrival of a DANA materializes, the Canary Islands could go from haze to showers in a short interval, illustrating once again the complex atmospheric dynamics of this Atlantic archipelago.
