Britons who suffer from respiratory issues such as asthma and allergies should be mindful before travelling to Spain, particularly to the much-beloved Canary Islands.
The archipelago located off the coast of northwestern Africa is at times affected by a weather phenomenon known locally as La Calima.
This phenomenon is marked by a dense concentration of dust, ash and sand from the Sahara Desert trapped among rain clouds.
While fog consists of water droplets, Calima is made of solid particles that can travel beyond the African continent while carried by the wind.
A light Calima simply causes the sky to become foggy and raises temperatures by a few degrees.
However, a more severe Calima also features a hot and strong wind and can turn the sky red and cover everything on its passage in dust.
This phenomenon can have a wide-ranging impact, from affecting local weather patterns to worsening visibility over long distances.
The deterioration in air quality can also prompt some respiratory issues, particularly among young children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with respiratory illnesses.
Coughing, stuffy nose and eye irritation are among the milder issues that can be caused by Calima. But when this weather phenomenon is very severe and lasts for several days, it can give some people with pre-existing medical conditions bronchospasms, chest pain and asthma.
This weather phenomenon can also make it difficult for people to sleep as it makes the air stuffy and warmer.
While British holidaymakers shouldn’t ditch the Canary Islands as a holiday destination because of Calima, they can monitor whether their trip is going to be affected by the phenomenon by checking the weather alert issued by AEMET, the Spanish meteorological agency, and plan accordingly.
During a Calima episode, it is not advisable to carry out sports outdoors. If the phenomenon is severe, people who have to step out of their homes and holiday accommodations could wear a face mask to avoid sand and dust particles reaching their lungs. Drinking plenty of water and keeping doors and windows closed are also effective methods to stave off the Calima.
The Canary Islands are a destination many UK nationals choose for their holidays every year.
In 2023, British tourists accounted for 5.7 million arrivals to the archipelago, more than a third of all the 14.1 million foreign passengers who travelled to the Spanish islands last year.
