Today's weather for Maspalomas, Canary Islands21st Nov 2009 23:00
Last Updated : 21st Nov 2009 23:00 GMT 21st Nov 2009 23:00 WET
|
|
Clear | 22°c (72°f) | ||||||||
|
North 14mph (22 kph) | |||||||||
Holiday Reviews for Maspalomas
It was late April when we went and the weather was superb. hot...but not unbearably so. The nights were balmy and certainly not too muggy and uncomfo - Read More Review by : Valerie Adams - Friday 27th June 2008
This evening's weather forecast for
Maspalomas, Canary Islands
Evening |
||
Clear
|
20°c (68°f) | North 16mph (25 kph) |
|
+0 hours
Maspalomas is in the time zone (WET) which has a difference of +0 hours to GMT.
Local Time21 Nov 2009 23:10
GMT21 Nov 2009 23:10
|
|
Sunrise 07:27hrs
Sunset 18:06hrs
Moonrise 11:24hrs
Moonset 22:10hrs
|
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
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
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
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

Bookmark this page with:
del.icio.us digg facebook stumbleupon