Calima – when the Sahara comes to visit

What is the Calima?

You may have heard the term before: The Calima (pronounced: Kalima) is a weather phenomenon where fine dust and sand from the Sahara are blown over to the Canary Islands. No wonder, since the African desert is only about 300 kilometers east of the islands. When a strong high-pressure system builds up there, the thermometer in the Sahara climbs extremely high. Strong easterly and southeasterly winds then blow the hot air out to sea.

The heavy grains of sand fall into the water along the way, but the fine, light mineral dust continues flying and eventually arrives on the islands as dry haze (in Spanish also called bruma seca). Because they're closest to Africa, the eastern islands - Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, and Gran Canaria - usually get hit the hardest.

What effects does the Calima have?

On the weather

• The air becomes dry and hazy, humidity drops, and visibility decreases.
• Temperatures rise; in summer, more than 40 degrees is possible. In recent years, there have been nights when temperatures stayed at 30 degrees all night long.
• The sky turns yellowish to orange, sunrises and sunsets look unusual.
• Everything gets covered in a fine film of dust: cars, patio furniture, windowsills.
• With heavy dust, occasional "blood rain" can occur. Rain washes the dust from the air and leaves reddish traces.

On your health

• Common symptoms are red eyes, sore throat, cough, stuffy nose, breathing difficulties, headaches, and fatigue.
• Particularly at risk are elderly people, children, allergy sufferers, asthmatics, people with lung and heart conditions, pregnant women, smokers, and people who work outdoors.
• The dust can trigger asthma attacks and worsen existing conditions.
• Measured particulate matter values (PM10) during a dust storm are typically between 200 and 400 micrograms per cubic meter. In extreme cases, significantly higher values have been recorded on Gran Canaria.

How long does a Calima last?

On average, you're dealing with it for three to five days. But the whole thing is often quite unpredictable: sometimes the haze clears after a few hours, other times the soup hangs around for a week or even longer. After the peak, the wind usually turns again and clears the air. Especially in summer, though, one Calima can transition directly into the next.

October 2026: One Calima after another

How extreme this can be was shown by October 2026 . One Sahara storm followed another - in the first two weeks alone there were three episodes. The Canarian government even had to officially declare a pre-alert level because the monitoring stations on Gran Canaria and Tenerife showed deep red for air quality. If you were on the islands for a hiking or beach holiday that month, you unfortunately often photographed only a gray wall instead of blue skies.

You can't rely on the weather anymore anyway: the Calima used to be considered a typical summer thing, but today it hits the islands just as much in autumn, winter, or spring.

Other consequences and warnings

• Warning levels: The weather authority AEMET issues Calima warnings, often initially in yellow. The Canarian authorities declare a pre-alert level when pollution is severe. Check in advance on the AEMET and Canarian government websites.
• Air traffic: When visibility drops to near zero, planes and ferries can be delayed or temporarily grounded completely. Usually this is over after a few hours. But watch out: during the century Calima in February 2020, all air traffic on the islands was shut down for two days. So if there's a strong Calima, definitely check your flight status before heading to the airport.
• Forest fire danger: The combination of extreme heat, zero humidity, and wind is dangerously flammable - in the truest sense of the word. As soon as the authorities raise the forest fire warning level, grilling at picnic areas is forbidden and certain hiking trails or forest areas are completely closed. Definitely stick to these rules in your own interest.
• Visibility and activities: Hiking isn't fun during Calima anyway. The spectacular views are completely gone, it's oppressively hot in the mountains, and your holiday photos end up looking like you ran them through a sepia filter. Save your excursions for the days after.

So what do you do during Calima?

• When the dust cloud arrives, you don't need to panic immediately. With a few simple rules, you'll get through it easily:
• Close windows: Batten down the hatches at home or in your hotel. Close windows and doors to keep the fine dust outside. This is especially important if you have sensitive airways.
• Take a sports break: Postpone your jogging routine, bike tour, or mountain hike to the days after. Hard physical exertion outdoors is absolutely not good for your lungs with this air quality.
• Drink, drink, drink: Sahara air is extremely dry. Always pack a bottle of water, as your body now needs significantly more fluids than usual.
• Dusting? Never dry! If your rental car or balcony furniture is covered in dust: never wipe it dry ! The Sahara sand acts like sandpaper. First rinse the car or sensitive surfaces with plenty of waterto wash away the coarse dirt. Only then wipe with a damp, clean microfiber cloth.
• Protect your eyes: Sunglasses are now essential to keep the dust out of your eyes. If the air quality is really bad, don't hesitate to use an FFP2 mask - it filters out the fine dust brilliantly.
• Pack medication: If you have asthma or chronic lung disease, keep your emergency inhaler within easy reach during Calima.
• Plan B for your holiday: Simply plan some nice indoor days. The huge aquarium Poema del Mar at the port of Las Palmas or the museums in the old town are perfect refuges.
• Escape to the north: An insider tip: In the north of the island, especially right at the city beach Playa de Las Canteras in Las Palmas, the air is often much more bearable than in the heated south due to different wind currents.

If you do experience severe problems like shortness of breath, persistent irritating cough, or chest pain, don't wait and get medical help. In an absolute emergency, simply dial 112 - they can also help you in German. You can read more about this in our guide "Sick on the island - what now?".

Our tip

A Calima is annoying, but absolutely no reason to cancel your holiday. The dust cloud will clear again and it's usually still warm enough for relaxed beach days or excursions in the lower parts of the island. If you're slightly more sensitive health-wise, simply pack your medication, take out travel health insurance beforehand, and have a few cool indoor plans up your sleeve. Since you never know exactly how long the haze will last, the holiday motto is simple: Stay flexible and make the best of it!