Today is set to be the hottest day of the year in the Canary Islands

The Canary Islands will continue with temperatures above 40°C today, Sunday, as the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) is predicting that it will be the hottest day of the year so far. Given these high temperatures, the General Directorate of Security and Emergencies of the Canary Islands Government have activated the maximum alert for extreme temperatures.

Yesterday (Saturday), Tunte in the south of Gran Canaria recorded the highest temperature in the Canary Islands of 40.3°C at 2pm, and at one point was the hottest place in the whole of Spain. Only Badajoz with 42 degrees, followed by Mérida with 41.2 degrees, were hotter.

In fact, the four highest temperatures recorded yesterday in the islands were in Gran Canaria, as after Tunte it was Lomo de Pedro Afonso (also in San Bartolomé) with 38.3°C; Agüimes 37.9°C; Tejeda, where the thermometers reached 37.1°C; and then Lanzarote airport where the temperature was 36.9°C at midday.

The heat wave that has hit the islands will continue over the next few days particularly inland, at summits, and on the southern slopes of the islands.

Previous records:
Tunte, San Bartolome de Tirajana area was already one of the hottest places in the country, after recording a high of 40.7°C on Thursday, and residents have seen an increase in temperatures of up to 13.2°C in the last five days.

In 2010, this part of the island reached 42.9°C on July 11^th, and on July 13^th 1952, AEMET recorded 44.2°C  at the meteorological station in Gran Canaria airport.