Calima in Fuerteventura: what is it?

Calima, what exactly is Calima and when is it in Fuerteventura and the Canary Islands?
I can only tell you that to see Calima with my own eyes, I had to wait for the 5th trip (between Fuerteventura and Lanzarote) and had to go in a hot April 2024.

What is Calima “meteorologically”?

If I had to give an explanation of Calima from a meteorological point of view, without resorting to texts or websites in this field, I would explain that Calima is the sand of the Sahara desert transported by the wind to the Canary Islands and Fuerteventura.
Just think of the dunes of Corralejo and their formation or the huge sand dunes in the area of the Jandia peninsula above Playa de Sotavento.
All this sand is located directly on the African side, which coincidentally is only about a hundred kilometers away from here.

The possible inconveniences of Calima

It cannot be denied that behind the allure of being in the middle of the desert in a sandstorm, there are also some inconveniences.
The calima restricts visibility (see cover picture) and can cause inconvenience when driving on the endless roads of Fuerteventura, for example.

Much more important, however, is the potential discomfort for those who suffer from respiratory problems.
Breathing in sand in “air format” is definitely not good for your health.
Personally, in the short time I was in the Calima, I felt no discomfort at all, apart from the almost complete absence of sight.
It reminded me a lot of the fog in the Po Valley.

In conclusion.
I know of people who live in the Canary Islands who have problems with their air conditioning systems during Calima days because the sand gets into the outside fans (but I guess that depends on the sensitivity of the systems).

Will my holiday be ruined if there is calima on Fuerteventura?

No, at least not if you are so unlucky that the Calima blows 24 hours a day for the entire duration of your holiday on Fuerteventura or the Canary Islands.
But I think that would empty the Sahara and would be a sensational meteorological phenomenon.

On my last trip, the Calima passed by early in the morning and 2 or 3 hours later I was already lying on the beach in the sun.
It’s not a constant phenomenon, but there may be times when it occurs more or less frequently.

Always keep an eye on our page with the weather forecasts for the beaches of Fuerteventura and the weather warnings section.
When the calima comes, we will inform you about the days.

Things to do when it’s calima

If there’s a day in Calima when you can’t even see the beach, you can always organize something else.
Fuerteventura is full of museums, activities and events that you can visit on this occasion.
If visibility allows you to drive safely, you might also be able to visit some villages.
That’s more or less what happened to me.
I had already given up on the day, thinking it was lost.
In the meantime the sun came out while I was driving south.