Weather Overview for Maspalomas

Maspalomas is a tourist town on the south coast Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. Gran Canaria is the third largest island of the Canary Islands archipelago, located off the coast of North Africa and often referred to as the ‘Islands of Eternal Spring’ for their enviable climate.

Maspalomas is famous for its 12km long beach and the extensive sand dunes found in the area.

The climate of Maspalomas is one of the principal reasons for it being such a popular holiday destination. Temperatures in Maspalomas are pleasant throughout the year; winters are mild and summers are warm without being stiflingly hot thanks to the cooling northeast trade winds that prevail in the region. The climate can be described as subtropical and with over 2700 hours of sunshine a year, Maspalomas is one the driest and sunniest places in the Canary Islands.

The island has one of the lowest cross-season temperature variations of anywhere in the world. Average highs range from 20ºC in winter to 26ºC in summer, while average lows are between 14ºC and 21ºC.

There are two main reasons for the absence of the stifling summer temperatures which are commonly endured on the North African mainland, just 200km to the east: the northeast trade winds and the Canary Current.

The northeast trade winds are frequent in summer and bring cooler air to Maspalomas. The winds are caused by hot air rising to high altitudes over the equator. This air travels north, then sinks and cools before turning back and hitting the Canaries. In July the trade winds are nearly constant.

The Canary Current is the other phenomenon and causes cooler waters to flow past the Canary Islands. Sea temperature around Maspalomas varies between 19ºC in winter and 23ºC in late summer – that means it’s warm enough for swimming year round.

Annual rainfall is very low in Maspalomas. Summer months see almost no rainfall whatsoever while the wettest months of December and January see only a little over 30mm a month. These two months typically see rain on just 5 or 6 days each.

As Maspalomas is situated in the south of the island, it is one of the driest places on Gran Canaria. This is because the wet weather usually comes from the north and the south is sheltered by the mountains in the middle of the island. The hot temperatures and low rainfall of the south of the island is perhaps most reflected in the Maspolomas sand dunes that contrast with the more fertile north.

Occasionally in summer, Maspalomas can experience very hot temperatures. This is when the hot sirocco wind is prevailing. Locals refer to this phenomenon as ‘kalima’ or ‘Tiempo Africano’ (African weather). This wind brings hot, dry air and sand from the Sahara and can see temperatures soar up to 40ºC. The desert sand can reduce visibility to 100 metres. This only occurs once or twice a year but can last anything between a few hours up to a week and makes for very uncomfortable conditions.

As well as the spikes in temperature caused by the winds travelling over the Sahara, Maspalomas can also see dust storms in the winter and early spring (usually occurring between February and March), which usually last for between two and four days, as a result of these same winds. Every 10 years, they can last for as long as two weeks.

Though these storms aren’t usually severe and are generally considered to be more of an inconvenience by the locals, they can cause disruptions.

Visibility can be reduced to anything as little as 200 metres or less and they can irritate the eyes, as well as asthma and other such respiratory problems. It’s likely you’ll be wanting to seek shelter inside if you are in the area at the time when one of these strikes. Though they don’t affect all of Gran Canaria, they are a problem in Maspalomas. Be aware that flights can be subject to delays and cancellations as a result of these storms as well.

Air pollution is a problem in Gran Canaria and can also affect people who suffer from respiratory problems. This is usually an issue in the winter, when the trade winds of the summer months have dropped and the air is thus much more still.

Despite this, for the most part Gran Canaria’s climate remains pleasant enough to allow visitors to enjoy a holiday here at any time of the year. The mountains bear the brunt of the bad weather, including heavy rainfall, so in Maspalomas you will be able to enjoy plenty of sun every day no matter what time of the year.