Canary Islands Weather
The Canary islands generally receive excellent weather - with long hot sunny days in summer and cooler days during the winter periods. The climate is classed as being sub-tropical.
Summer sunshine in the Canaries is practically guaranteed across all the islands. However the western most and smaller islands of El Hierro and La Palma can be much cooler, with a climate more like western Europe in the spring. The larger Canary Islands and next furthest - westerly of Tenerife and Gran Canaria are divided by two different weather patterns - one being in the north, the other in the south. The southern shores of both islands being much warmer and sunnier and the north cooler and receiving a little more rain. Compared with the rest of Europe rainfall is generally much lower on all the islands.
While the majority of European outdoor activities come to a standstill during winter, the eternal spring climate of the Canary
Islands makes it possible to practice all kinds of sports and remain in contact with nature year round.
Lightweight cotton clothing is required for much of the year with a showerproof mac recommended for the odd shower in the northern
regions of Tenerife and Gran Canaria and warmer wear in winter.
Tenerife Weather
Tenerife has a relatively stable weather climate throughout the year with the average daytime temperatures varying between 15C (59F) and 25C
(77F). August is generally the hottest month. January and February are usually the coolest months and it is at these times snow can often appear
on the high ground. The north of Tenerife tends to be a little cooler with more chance of cloudy days.
The Weather on Tenerife changes considerably depending on your location.
The warmest weather can be found in the south and west sides of the island, while snow and cold wind would not be hard to find
around El Teide.
Tenerife features the lowest temperature differences between summer and winter weather conditions for anywhere in the world. The weather
occasionally includes rain, but there is no specific rainy season.
Air conditioning is rare in Tenerife, the use of overhead fans usually providing enough air movement to stay cool, even at
the peak of summer.
The minimum average air temperature in Tenerife is around 16C in winter and around 24C in summer. It is often said that the weather in
Tenerife is one of the best and most delightful in the World.
Tenerife offers a good variety of micro-climate weather regions, enabling people to choose their own climate conditions.
The refreshing air currents of Gulf together with the Trade winds are a major contributing factor to the weather conditions
in Tenerife.
The World 3rd largest volcano - Mount Teide, is often covered with snow for up to three months of the year, while only an hour away it is
possible to soak up the sun and enjoy a swim down at the beach.
Tenerife's southern coastal areas enjoy the most sunshine, the hottest weather, little cloud cover and the best
temperatures.
The Canary Island of Tenerife belongs to Spain and are quite some distance from the mainland in a south-westerly direction, sitting off the
west coast of the North African country of Morocco. The Canary Islands are collectively known as "The Islands of Eternal Spring" for their
famous all-year-round pleasant weather condtions.
Renting holiday accommodation or booking a holiday in Tenerife South can basically guarantee perfect weather - the right level of
heat, very little rain and plenty of sunshine and vitamin D. Although this is not applicable to the whole of the island.
Tenerife is quite mountainous and is located in the path of the cooling, northeast trade winds. This along with its close
proximaty to the North African coast are contributing factors to the high level of regional climatic variation. Generally
speaking one is able to choose what type of weather they would like in a particular area on any given day.
Good transport links and cheap car hire across Tenerife make it easy to find whatever weather condition one is seeking.
Lanzarote Weather
Due to its close proximaty to the North African coast of Morocco and other contributing factors, the weather conditions on the island of
Lanzarote are very pleasant, warm and sunny for most of the year. Weather temperatures rarely go below 16C (61F) in winter time and
25C (77F) in summer time.
Unlike the majority of the other Canary Islands, Lanzarote lies within a climate zone of hot and dry weather, rain is sparce which
results in the island receiving a semi-desert climate. Lanzarote's landscape is fairly flat and doesn't feature any really high
mountains - the highest being only a couple of thousand feet around 650 metres. This means that Lanzarote lacks any natural barrier, or
often called a sea of clouds, which would be responsible for creating any rainy conditions.
Lanzarote - on average, receive little more than two weeks rainfall anually which is usually experienced during the months of
December, Januray and/or February.
As with Tenerife, Lanzarote's weather and climate conditions can vary depending on where you are on the island, but Lanzarote
is considered the most consistant climates of all the Canary Islands, making it a favourite holiday destination for the UK
and other northern European holidaymakers during the winter months. The north of Lanzarote usually sees more cloud and windier
conditions than the rest of the island and also a little more rainfall. This is due to the moist trade winds coming from the
north. The southern part of Lanzarote is usually hotter and drier and generally enjoys over 2500 hours of sunshine a year. In
the central parts of the island - between the sunny south and windier north are the most moderate climate conditons on
Lanzarote.
Weather conditions in Lanzarote can become uncomfortable in the summer when the phenomenon known to the locals as "Kalima" or "Tiempo
Africano" brings hot, dry, dusty air across from the Sahara desert on the Sirocco winds. This can make temperatures soar above 40C and bring
transport and holiday activities to a standstill. The wind can last anywhere between an hour and a week.
Summer in Lanzarote is from April untill November, during these months the weather is hot and dry with average high temperatures
between 24C and 29C. Average night temperatures are around 17C with the peak months around 20C. Sea breezes blow
freely across the island and the relatively low humidity on Lanzarote help maintain the islands very pleasant climate.
Sea temperatures around Lanzarote can be in the low 20s peaking to around 23C in September and October.
Fuerteventura Weather
Fuerteventura's weather can simply be summed up as sunny and windy.... The weather in Fuerteventura is not quite constant throughout the
year. The weather in the summer is often sunny and dry with the northeastern parts also being windy. The winds can often be a blessing when
it is hot and are a big hit with the watersports world of surfers, windsurfers and kite flyers.
Winter weather conditions on Fuerteventura can sometimes see cloudy days and grey skys, with the odd torrential downpour.
Winter holidaymakers are recommended to take some additional clothing such as a waterproof jacket and jumpers just in case, although
the chances of using them will, more often than not, be slim! As with the majority of the other Canary Islands, Fuerteventura has its own
micro-climatic regions depending on your location on the island. Generally speaking the northern part of the island receives the windier weather
while also receiving a good amount of sunshine while the central and southern parts of Fuerteventura will generally be sunny, warm and receive
very pleasant weather most of the time.
Gran Canaria Weather
As with the other Canary Islands above, Gran Canaria enjoys good weather, sunshine and warmth all year round - there
are little variations throughout the seasons! Gran Canaria's summers are dry and hot while winter season are
only slightly cooler with a few showers - especially in the south of the island. Gran Canaria is the third largest of the
Canary Islands after Tenerife and Fuerteventura. The island's location - being much further south than mainland Spain and on the same latitude
as Morocco and the Sahara desert, means much better weather conditions and hotter winters than Spain itself.
Gran Canaria is a volcanic island and quite mountainous. High mountains in the centre of the island create the regional climate
variations. The northern regions are generally cooler, wetter and receive more cloud cover while the southern regions are much warmer and
sunnier. This is due to the mountains trapping the air from the trade winds and forcing it to fall before it passes over to the other
side. Temperature differences usually only vary a couple of degrees at the most apart from the higher altitudes of the
mountains which receive an alpine weather climate with cooler temperatures and higher rainfall all year round. Gran Canaria has been
dubbed 'The Small Continent' due to its diverse micro-climates. The biggest contrasts in weather conditions can be seen in
the winter period when it is often 20 degrees centigrade plus on the southern beaches while thick snow is found on the Pico
de las Nieves mountains.
La Gomera
The Canary Island of La Gomera enjoys a beautiful,
sub-tropical weather conditions with long, warm summers lasting up to eleven months.
As La Gomera's beautiful climate spans most of the year ideal times for holidaymakers are anytime between late autumn to early
spring. Coastal temperatures generally remain between 21C to 25C, although temperatures in the mountain regions can drop to
near freezing point from time to time. La Gomera is generally warm and pleasant throughout the year with little variation in
seasonal weather patterns. The temperature can often climb about the high 30's (degrees centigrade) during the summer.
Daylight hours also see little variation on the island of La Gomera with even in the shortest days of in winter still being light
and warm until late in the evening. Major temperature differences can be found between the north and south of the island due
to the high altitude of the Garajonay peak. In the north, the weather pattern can be somewhat extreme at times, showing much colder
temperatures than the south.
May, June and September are the best times to holiday on La Gomera when temperatures are not as over-powering than in the
peak season. Temperatures range between 18C and 22C in the spring and winter temperatures from 23C to 30C.
At times La Gomera can experience a big degree of change/variance in climate. Precipitation averages from 200mm annually in the
drier southern areas with up to 1000mm per year in the higher regions. Conditions on La Gomera make it a great rambling or walking
holiday all year round.
La Palma
La Palmas has an excellent warm and sunny climate in comparison to other northern European countries and is one of the most beautiful,
unspoilt islands from all the Canary Islands. The weather conditions on La Palma offer less sunshine hours than its neighbours of Tenerife and
Fuerteventura and can also change rapidly. Having said this however, the reduction in hours of sunshine can often be offset by its unspoilt
beauty and lack of crowds for those wishing to have a relaxing holiday.
Like the majority of the Canary Islands, La Palma is an all-year-round favourite with holidaymakers seeking warmer weather. Fresh
coastal breezes are present most of the year, the heat is more tolerable and the island offers good water lesuires and sunbathing.
With La Palma being situated between the cool Canary current and the North East trade winds - two diverse climatic weather systems
can be found... The southern region being typically dry and hot and the northern region receiving a good amount of rainfall.
This shows in the beauty of the island's flora and unique plant life. In the peak of summer La Palma remains very
hot and dry, while annual rainfall is considered to be much higher than that received on other Canary Islands.
Weather around the coastal areas of La Palma is pretty constant with temperature highs of 30C or more due to
the hot air that blows across from the Sahara in northern Africa in the summer months from June through to August. Ocean
temperatures are also warm most of the year. Inland temperatures can drop as the altitude increases, especially during periods of
cloud cover. At times the temperature may feel quite chilly. Summer months see over ten hours of sunshine and sunlight daily with very
pleasant, warm and light evenings.
During the autumn and winter months La Palma receives five to seven hours of sunshine per day respectively and
temperatures will rarely fall below 20C on the coast. As with most of the Canary Islands, La Palma affords its own micro-climate conditions
and is a very popular holiday destination for those who enjoy outdoor activities such as mountain biking, climbing or hiking. The volcanic
regions and higher altitude of La Palma offer a more variable weather pattern during winter time.
El Hierro
Again the weather pattern on the Canary Island of El Hierro is set by the Canarian
current and the northeast trade winds. Mild with average temperatures of between 19C and 23C in the coastal
regions, El Hierro is famous for its "Bruma", a fog brought in by the trade winds often covering whole villages in the
higher regions of the island.
El Hierro weather is mild most of the year, while at higher altitudes the temperature can be much lower, particularly
around Valverde the capital which is elevated and can often be seen with a cloud of mist around it. Although this is a beautiful
little island, Sunseeking holidaymakers may prefer the guaranteed sunshine and good weather of the southern resorts on the islands of Gran Canaria,
Tenerife, Fuerteventura or Lanzarote. Cloudless nights on the island of El Hierro can often mean a drop in temperature and it may get
quite chilly even in the summer months.
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