The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) confirmed yesterday that the haze will continue in the Canary Islands for "several days" and that air quality is compromised. All the forecasts for this weekend are for "stable and dry" weather, especially in the eastern islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, where the presence of the haze will be more noticeable.
Aemet has warned on Twitter of the possibility that the desert sand will exceed, on average, 100ug/m3 (micrograms per cubic metre) per day, during the next few days.
The presence of particles in the air is measured through PM2.5 and PM10, which include dust, metal particles, soot, ash, cement dust, or pollen scattered in the atmosphere. On this scale, PM2.5 refers to particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 microns, while PM10 refers to those with a diameter between 2.5 and 10 microns (one micrometre corresponds to one-thousandth of a millimetre).
Durante los próximos días predominará el tiempo estable y seco en #Canarias . Es probable que la concentración de polvo desértico exceda los 100 ug/m3 en promedio diario : pic.twitter.com/2AVgOmTyz1
— AEMET_Canarias (@AEMET_Canarias) February 4, 2022
According to the Air Quality Index (ICA) provided by the Canary Islands Government, the presence of 100ug/m3 of dust is unfavourable in the case of PM10 particles and extremely unfavourable in the case of PM2.5.
Based on this indicator, the air quality in parts of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria is unfavourable in terms of both PM2.5 and PM10 particles and is just as bad in the south of the island.
In some parts of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, for example, in Arrecife and Puerto del Rosario, it is unfavourable in PM2.5 and very unfavourable in PM10.
The Ministry of Health has reminded that during these days, it is advisable to take into account their health recommendations to avoid the harmful effects of the dust, particularly if you have any type of respiratory illness.
