The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has raised a red alert (extreme risk) for high temperatures this Sunday in Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, on the summits, east, south and west of Gran Canaria, and in the metropolitan area, east, south and west of Tenerife.
Gran Canaria will enter extreme risk from Saturday, particularly affecting the midlands and the Tejeda basin.
For these areas, temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius are expected, with minimums exceeding 30 degrees, 28 in the case of Tenerife.
For the rest of the archipelago, Aemet maintains an orange alert (significant risk), with maximum temperatures expected to reach up to 39 degrees and minimums ranging between 28 and 26 degrees.
The Government of the Canary Islands, through the Department of Territorial Policy, Territorial Cohesion and Water, has called a press conference to inform the public about the situation.
What does the red alert mean for the public?
The Ministry of Health has reactivated a warning system that was introduced in 2024, based on the impact that rising temperatures have on health. Meteosalud establishes three levels of risk —yellow, orange, and red— which can be consulted on the map above. The aim, according to the Ministry, is to inform the public so that they can develop self-protective habits, especially when temperatures are extreme or involve vulnerable individuals.
Staying hydrated and cool is the most effective measure, and one should not wait until feeling thirsty to drink water. Experience has shown that adaptation and the adoption of habits to protect against heat have helped to contain the number of deaths associated with this meteorological phenomenon, despite the fact that the rise in average temperatures has also led to an increase in figures in recent years. Since the summer of 2024, the Ministry of Health and Aemet have implemented Meteosalud warnings. This system is activated when the rise in temperatures threatens the health of citizens, aiming to inform the public so they can anticipate and take measures, and it can reach citizens via SMS.
