In the heart of southern Gran Canaria, Maspalomas has been much more than a tourist destination for decades: it's a thermometer of change that can be felt and measured. Historical records of its summers reveal a history in which average temperatures in July and August have steadily risen, while the increasingly dry air has changed the way the island breathes and lives.
During the 28s, the Canary Islands summer was content with highs that barely touched 20 degrees, and nights that cooled down to the low 29s. Today, the mercury not only approaches 22 degrees at its peak, but nighttime lows have also risen and remain above XNUMX degrees. It's not just hot weather: it's a new scenario where the heat continues unabated, and tropical nights are gaining ground.
But the heat doesn't come alone. Relative humidity in Maspalomas during the months of July and August is as important as the temperature. Averaging around 60%, the air often drops to a dry 40% during the middle of the day and climbs to 80% as night falls. It's a persistent, dry scent that accompanies the rise in temperature and affects both visitors and farmers, who see the environment become less forgiving to their crops and their workdays.
This combination is no accident. It's the hallmark of climate change, which not only warms but also dries out the climate. Maspalomas, with its combination of relentless sun and increasingly dry air, has become a natural laboratory testing the challenges facing the entire archipelago. It's a test of the resilience of an island that must adapt without losing its essence or its future.
The numbers are clear and there for anyone to see: more heat, less humidity, nights that no longer cool, and days that drag on. Maspalomas doesn't lie, and its data calls for action. The thermometer and the dry air are the chronicle of a time that demands answers.
