CALIMA SEASON GUIDE

When to visit the Canary Islands: calima risk, month by month

Q: How long does calima usually last?

Most calima episodes last 1–4 days. Severe events can persist a week. Our 5-day forecast shows when an active episode is expected to clear.

Q: Which Canary Island has the least calima?

Tenerife and La Gomera consistently show the lowest year-round PM10 medians. Lanzarote and La Graciosa, closest to Africa, show the highest.

Q: Is calima dangerous for tourists?

AEMET, Spain's meteorological agency, issues dust advisories when conditions warrant. Healthy adults are generally unaffected by typical episodes. For health-specific guidance, consult AEMET's official advisories.

Q: Can calima be predicted in advance?

Yes. The SKIRON dust forecast model provides 5-day visibility. See live forecasts on each island's dashboard.

Safest months

May·Mar·Sep

Highest risk

Dec·Aug·Feb

The lowest calima risk across all eight islands is in May, March, and September. The highest is December, August, and February. Tenerife and La Gomera have the cleanest air year-round. Lanzarote and La Graciosa carry the most dust.

Data updated Apr 26, 2026

When to visit — pick your island

Best time to visit Tenerife: May

Calima dust is lowest in May, June, and March.

December is the dustiest month.

MayClear~1.8 d

JuneClear~6.3 d

MarchClear~7.0 d

SeptemberClear~7.7 d

JanuaryMostly clear~11 d

AprilMostly clear~11 d

JulyMostly clear~11 d

OctoberDusty~12 d

NovemberDusty~13 d

FebruaryDusty~15 d

AugustVery dusty~16 d

DecemberVery dusty~17 d

Or visit the Tenerife page →Compare all 8 islands →

Compare all 8 islands

Gran Canaria

Safest months: May · Jun

Highest risk: Dec · Feb

Tenerife

Safest months: May · Jun

Highest risk: Dec · Aug

Lanzarote

Safest months: May · Jun

Highest risk: Dec · Aug

Fuerteventura

Safest months: May · Jun

Highest risk: Dec · Feb

La Palma

Safest months: May · Mar

Highest risk: Dec · Feb

La Gomera

Safest months: May · Jun

Highest risk: Aug · Dec

El Hierro

Safest months: May · Jul

Highest risk: Dec · Feb

La Graciosa

Safest months: May · Jun

Highest risk: Aug · Dec

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Gran Canaria	Possible~12d	Very likely~16d	Unlikely~7.5d	Likely~12d	Unlikely~1.0d	Unlikely~5.3d	Possible~10d	Likely~13d	Unlikely~7.7d	Possible~11d	Likely~15d	Very likely~18d
Tenerife	Possible~11d	Likely~15d	Unlikely~7.0d	Possible~11d	Unlikely~1.8d	Unlikely~6.3d	Possible~11d	Very likely~16d	Unlikely~7.7d	Likely~12d	Likely~13d	Very likely~17d
Lanzarote	Very likely~16d	Very likely~16d	Unlikely~7.8d	Likely~13d	Unlikely~1.3d	Unlikely~7.7d	Possible~8.0d	Very likely~17d	Possible~9.7d	Likely~15d	Very likely~16d	Very likely~19d
Fuerteventura	Likely~14d	Very likely~17d	Possible~9.0d	Likely~13d	Unlikely~1.3d	Unlikely~7.0d	Possible~9.3d	Likely~12d	Possible~9.3d	Very likely~16d	Likely~14d	Very likely~18d
La Palma	Possible~12d	Likely~15d	Unlikely~5.3d	Possible~12d	Unlikely~<1d	Possible~8.0d	Unlikely~7.0d	Possible~11d	Unlikely~7.7d	Possible~8.0d	Likely~14d	Very likely~17d
La Gomera	Likely~12d	Very likely~15d	Possible~8.3d	Likely~12d	Unlikely~1.0d	Unlikely~5.7d	Likely~14d	Very likely~19d	Possible~8.3d	Possible~10d	Likely~14d	Very likely~17d
El Hierro	Likely~14d	Very likely~16d	Possible~9.0d	Likely~12d	Unlikely~<1d	Possible~8.3d	Unlikely~7.7d	Very likely~16d	Possible~9.3d	Possible~8.7d	Likely~14d	Very likely~18d
La Graciosa	Very likely~16d	Very likely~18d	Possible~9.5d	Likely~14d	Unlikely~1.0d	Unlikely~7.0d	Possible~11d	Very likely~24d	Likely~12d	Very likely~15d	Very likely~15d	Very likely~19d

Unlikely

Possible

Likely

Very likely

Based on 3–4 years of CAMS data. Calima detection matches the live dashboard algorithm. Values show the average number of calima days per month.

Check current conditions

Pick your island to see today's calima status and the 5-day forecast.

Common questions

How long does calima usually last?

Most calima episodes last 1–4 days. Severe events can persist a week. Our 5-day forecast shows when an active episode is expected to clear.

Which Canary Island has the least calima?

Tenerife and La Gomera consistently show the lowest year-round PM10 medians. Lanzarote and La Graciosa, closest to Africa, show the highest.

Is calima dangerous for tourists?

AEMET, Spain's meteorological agency, issues dust advisories when conditions warrant. Healthy adults are generally unaffected by typical episodes. For health-specific guidance, consult AEMET's official advisories.

Can calima be predicted in advance?

Yes. The SKIRON dust forecast model provides 5-day visibility. See live forecasts on each island's dashboard.

See today's calima →What is calima? →How we measure it →