Ever experienced the kinda crazy hot when your mind is so frazzled that you think you can cook an egg in the sun? I tried once, it was a mess and not my smartest idea!
- 🌞 What is La Calufa?
- La calufa y la calima son diferentes
- ⚠️ Are there any weather warnings right now?
- How long does a calufa last?
- Will it ruin your holiday?
- ⚠️ What about health effects?
- ✅ Tips to help you handle the heat
What is La Calufa?
In Yorkshire it’s “maftin” and in Leicestershire it’s “sweatin’ cobs“.
It’s not actually a thing like how calima and rain are things, calufa is a Canario slang term for intense muggy heatwaves. It’s a way to describe oppressive temperatures, the type that literally make you sweat buckets.
You know it’s too hot when the locals are keeping away from one of their favourite benches to chill out📍 , watch sunset and enjoy an ice-cream from Heladeria Peña la Vieja📍.
Intense blasts of muggy, brain-baking heat travel from the Sahara over to the islands during July through to September, and when you mix that with higher levels of humidity it’s like being in a sauna without an exit!
If anyone from Finland is here, this isn’t a rejuvenating or cleansing heat like löyly, it’s oppressive, leaves you feeling drained, and wondering why you left the air-conditioned hotel room…
La calufa y la calima son diferentes
La calufa is very different from la calima, the Saharan dust storms carried over the Atlantic Ocean (Océano Atlántico) by winds, they often happen together, but not always. It can be too hot and muggy without a dust storm, and there can be dust storms without extreme heat.
The side by side diferencias between calufa and calima:
| La Calufa | La Calima |
|---|---|
| A Canario slang term for intense, muggy heatwaves. | Saharan dust storms carried over the Atlantic by winds. |
| An oppressive, draining heat that feels like being in a sauna without an exit. | Hazy air that often happens with heat, but can occur without it. |
| Great for drying your laundry; it will dry your shirts and sheets quickly. | Terrible for laundry; it will leave your clothes covered in dust. |
| More likely to cause airport tarmac delays or have you sweating at LPA. | Very rarely affects flight schedules, though it might leave you with a dry cough. |
Are there any weather warnings right now?
For realtime emergency alerts follow @AEMET_Canarias on X.
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología
Is there a Calima right now?
How long does a calufa last?
Heatwaves usually last a few days, though can last longer.
Will it ruin your holiday?
Take precautions and play it safe but if you’ve got serious health conditions, consult a medical professional before travel.
La Calima very rarely affects flight schedules. It’s more likely to leave you with a dry cough, than stranded on the island. Sometimes things on the ground might overheat or need some maintaining, meaning la calufa is more likely to have you sweating at LPA, Aeropuerto de Gran Canaria📍, or worse still, on the plane while it sits and bakes on the tarmac…
What about health effects?
- 🥵 Dehydration.
- 🥵 Heat exhaustion.
- 🥵 Heat rash.
- 🥵 Heatstroke.
- 🥵Extreme UV risk.
- 🥵 Extra strain on heart and kidneys.
Who is most at risk?
Babies, kids, the elderly and pregnant women are most at risk.
Tips to help you handle the heat
- Stay hydrated. Keeping your system refreshed is the biggest challenge.
- Chase the shade.
- Look for little local shop signs that say hay hielo, we have ice!
- Or buy ice! ¡Comprar hielo! From a Spar or Superdino.
- Put soft drinks in the freezer (release some air first tho).
- Swim in the cooling waters of Playa de Las Canteras📍.
- Appreciate tapas in the weather they were made for!
- Go into one of the Asian bazaars and buy a water spray bottle to mist with.
- Cold showers take the edge off, take quick ones to conserve the island’s water
- Chill in the city’s shadows on Playa de las Alcaravaneras📍 later in the day
- Don’t go out during the hottest hours.
- Play hunt the air-con if you do go out.
- Keep the windows at your hotel / apartment closed when the air-con is on.
- Enjoy cool stores and malls: El Corte Inglés📍, Las Arenas📍 and El Muelle📍.
- Embrace the siesta lifestyle: take the ultimate power nap!
- Watch out for your shoulders, forehead and knees!
- Use sun protection, then after sun, or aloe vera, to soothe skin.
- Keep sunblock, after sun and aloe in the fridge for cooler application.
- Keep blinds down and curtains closed.
- Wear the lightest clothing with the most skin coverage.
- Or be more Sahrawi and go semi-nocturnal.
Remember you’re geologically on the African tectonic plate when in Las Palmas, and you’re closer to Africa than you are Europe.
The Government is Spanish with local autonomy, the vibe is international, it’s like Europe, but it’s not like Europe, it’s like Spain but it’s not like Spain. The sun hits different there, especially when there’s la calufa!
Enjoy the heat, stay safe and check out my Las Palmas weather guide too.
LPA Pulse
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