Canary Islands Calima: Dangerous Saharan Dust Now Hits Resorts 146 Days a Year

The Canary Islands are increasingly being blanketed by dangerous calima - thick dust from the Sahara. Find out how many days a year this phenomenon lasts, how it is dangerous for tourists' health and how to protect yourself during your vacation

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Travelers and expats who choose the Canary Islands for vacation or life are increasingly faced with a phenomenon that meteorologists call dangerous. Express reports this, citing a new study by the Swiss Paul Scherrer Institute and the Spanish IDAEA-CSIC. We are talking about calima - dense clouds of Saharan dust, which now cover the popular archipelago for at least 146 days a year, that is, almost every third or fourth day.

A few years ago, calima was perceived as a seasonal nuisance, characteristic of certain months. Today, the situation looks different: according to researchers, dust masses are recorded on the islands about 40% of all days of the year. Mainland Spain is also not left aside - the south of the country suffers from Saharan dust about 35% of the time, and the northeast - 25-30%.

How the heat is changing the habits of tourists and what this means for your travels, read in our previous article.

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Why is there more dust from Africa?

Scientists attribute this increase to climate change. Global warming is expanding the desert areas of Africa and changing atmospheric circulation: hot air masses, saturated with fine particles, are increasingly drawn towards Europe.

It is significant that the strict environmental regulations of the EU in recent years have significantly reduced industrial and transport air pollution on the continent - but the amount of "natural" desert dust has increased by 10-25% over the same decade. That is, where man has put things in order, nature has compensated for everything with a surplus.

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The years 2020-2022 were particularly alarming for experts, when the region experienced the so-called "super kalimas" - episodes of record intensity for the entire time of observations. If the concentration of fine particles PM10 during a dust storm usually stays within 200-400 micrograms per cubic meter, then during extreme cases it jumped to 600-1840 micrograms. The highest figure was recorded in Gran Canaria.

Where to find free cooling points in Europe, we tell you here.

How does kalimas affect the health of tourists?

Doctors warn: high concentrations of Saharan dust are not just a matter of visibility or dirt on a hotel balcony. Studies have shown a direct correlation between episodes of kalimah and an increase in hospitalizations, as well as deaths from heart attacks and respiratory diseases. The University Hospital of the Canary Islands found that heart failure patients who were exposed to the dust before hospitalization had significantly worse treatment outcomes.

Symptoms that even healthy people experience during kalimah include:

- severe dry cough;

- difficulty breathing and a feeling of heaviness in the chest;

- irritation of the eyes and mucous membranes;

- increased susceptibility to respiratory infections.

​​Medical experts advise people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or cardiovascular disease to check the forecast before going outside - the latest data is published by the Spanish meteorological agency AEMET.

As of 2026, most hotels and airports in the Canary Islands have already implemented air quality warning systems, and tour operators advise carrying protective masks during the peak of the calima season, which usually falls in the summer months.

Find the rules for safe travel during the heatwave here.

For those planning a trip to the archipelago, the main conclusion is simple: calima is no longer a rare natural curiosity, but a regular factor that should be taken into account when planning a trip - just like heat or the rainy season.

Where to go on vacation in August 2026? Ideas from Visit World here.

If you are planning a vacation in the Canary Islands during the active calima season, you should take care not only of sunscreen, but also of medical protection in case of deterioration of well-being. Respiratory symptoms caused by Saharan dust sometimes require a doctor's consultation or even hospitalization - and these are expenses that you do not want to plan in advance, but should be foreseen.

Travel insurance covers emergency medical care, a doctor's examination, medication and hospitalization in case of health problems during the trip. In addition, the policy can protect against financial losses in the event of a flight delay or cancellation due to weather conditions, which is especially important during dust storms. Registration takes a few minutes: just indicate your citizenship and destination country so that the system can choose the best option.

Don't leave your health unprotected on vacation. Take out travel insurance with Visit World and go to the Canary Islands without unnecessary worries.

Recall! European islands remain one of the most popular destinations for a summer vacation, but choosing the perfect place among dozens of options can be difficult. The new rating compared 80 islands by weather, gastronomy and the number of green areas. We have already talked about the best islands in Europe for travel in 2026 and the destinations that are most suitable for beach, active and gastronomic holidays.

Photo – Magnific