Thursday, 18 February 2016 15:45

Snow Way: It's Snowing In Gran Canaria Today

Snow in Gran Canaria in 2014 Snow in Gran Canaria in 2014 El Coleccionista de Instantes

The forecast said it was possible and it's happened: The top of Gran Canaria is white with snow.

The white stuf is settling at the very top of Gran Canaria above 1.700 metres and it looks it will carry on until at least tomorrow. The Spanish weather service has warned that the snowline could drop to 1.200 metres tomorrow: That's as low as Artenara, the island's highest village. 

Snow, really?

Snow in Gran Canaria isn't as rare as you'd think. The island is almost 2000 metres high so it gets a dusting of powder every few years. Most snowfalls melt before anyone has a chance to see them, but this one looks like it will hang around for a day or two as the cold weather is due to last.

Going to see it

If you want to drive up to see the snow, please take care as the roads are slippery and there's no such thing as gritting. The authorities discourage people from driving up at all but lots of locals go anyway. 

We'd advise people to wait until the snow has stopped falling before trying to go up and see it. Most roads over the top will be cut off if the temperature is below freezing so take warm clothes and be prepared to walk.

Also, use an alternative route to the main road up from Las Palmas via San Mateo as this often turns into a giant traffic jam as the city heads up to see the snow. 

Media

Continua la nevada en la cumbre de Gran Canaria con viento y mucho frio jueves 18/02/2016-

Posted by Juan Rodriguez Sosa on Thursday, February 18, 2016

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Tip of the day

  • The Parafarmacia In Gran Canaria Is Not A Chemist!
    The Parafarmacia In Gran Canaria Is Not A Chemist!

    If there is one thing we hate it is visitors being tricked in Gran Canaria. In the past we've warned about overcharging at Gran Canaria chemists, and rip off electronics shops in resorts. 

    In this Tip Of The Day we return to the island's chemists or rather, to the island's fake chemists.

    A chemist in Gran Canaria is called a Farmacia and always has a green cross sign. Farmacias are the only place tobuy medicine in Spain, even basics like paracetamol.

    However, there is another kind of shop in Gran Canaria that looks and sounds like a chemist but doesn't sell medicine. This is the Parafarmacia and it also uses a green cross sign.

    A parafarmacia is a herbal medicine shop that is not allowed to sell any normal medicine such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or antibiotics. 

    Instead, parafarmacias sell herbal alternatives to medicine but don't have to prove that they work and they can charge whatever they want.

    We recently heard from a visitor to Gran Canaria who went into a parafarmacia and was charged 40 euros for a herbal alternative to Ibuprofen. It was only when they read the label that they realised what had happened. 

    To locate a genuine farmacia, see this website and search within your municipio (Puerto Rico is in Mogán, Playa del Inglés is in San Bartolomé de Tirajana). At weekends and on fiesta days many farmacias close but there is always one open, known as the farmacia de guardia, in each municipio.

    Search for the nearest one to you with this tool

    Lex Says: To keep costs down, see this article for the way to ask for generic medicine rather than expensive branded alternatives. 

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