The onset of autumn brings with it a slew of astronomical events, including a partial solar eclipse scheduled for this October 14, 2023. The eclipse will be annular, primarily visible in the Americas. However, it will also be partially visible in the Canary Islands, including on Gran Canaria, albeit with very low magnitudes. From the five westernmost Canary Islands (El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria), the eclipse will be barely noticeable since the sunset will occur shortly after its beginning. 

The Spanish multinational fishing company, Nueva Pescanova, has been planning to launch the world’s first commercial octopus farm in Gran Canaria’s port of Las Palmas. Expected to produce about 3,000 tonnes of octopus meat annually, the proposed facility is attracting widespread attention and criticism.  Much of the scientific community, as well as animal activists, have expressed opposition to the controversial plans.

As Gran Canaria ushers in the first week of Autumn, a bit of a mixed bag in terms of weather, generally warm across the island in the mid to upper 20s, and characterised by some varying levels of cloudiness and steady temperatures.

Over the next few days Gran Canaria weather is expected to be influenced by a front associated with a low-pressure system formed in northern Portugal. According to the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), this will bring rain to the islands over the weekend. The northern areas of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote are expected to be most affected.

This summer some Gran Canaria’s beaches, particularly Las Canteras in the capital and the coast of Mogán on the southwest of the island, have been affected by significant algal blooms. A team of experts from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (Icmat), CSIC, and Digital Earth Solutions (DES) report that they have determined these blooms are likely to become more common over the years to come, due to the warming of the Atlantic Ocean in the Macaronesia region, a result of global warming.