Today's weather for Tenerife, Canary Islands3rd Jul 2009 22:00

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Weather Overview for Tenerife

Tenerife is known as “The Island of Eternal Spring” for its famously mild climate. A holiday in Tenerife is seen as synonymous with the perfect level of heat, little rain and plenty of sun. However, the idea that Tenerife means good weather is a little deceptive. The island is mountainous, sits in the Canary Current of the North Atlantic Ocean in the path of the northeast trade winds and is very close to the west coast of Africa; these factors give rise to an exceptional level of regional climatic variation – so much so that you can generally choose what type of weather you would like to experience on any day.

Tenerife is one of Spain's Canary Islands that sit far south of the mainland, close to the west coast of Northern Africa.

The South Coast

Tenerife South, where the majority of the tourist resorts are clustered, is warm year round with pleasantly hot summers. This includes resorts such as Los Cristianos, Playa de Las Americas and Playa Paraiso. This side of the island faces south and east and so is affected by hot, dry weather systems coming over from the Sahara in Africa.

Summer, from May till November, sees average high temperatures rising through the 20s to a peak of around 26ºC in August. The steady trade winds ensure that the heat rarely becomes uncomfortable. It is much sunnier at the beginning of the summer, peaking at ten hours per day in July before gently reducing to six hours per day in November as the clouds gather before the winter rains. The sea temperature gets up to around 23ºC. Prolonged periods of drought have been known to result in forest fires that spread rapidly through the dry vegetation. Fuelling the spread of these fires is the strong wind. In 2007 a fire started by a disgruntled park ranger destroyed 35,000 hectares of forest and 900 homes across Tenerife and Gran Canaria.

On the odd occasion Tenerife is visited by the sirocco: a wind that originates in the Sahara. Considering its birthplace it is plain to see why any place under the influence of the sirocco experiences soaring temperatures, aridity and sometimes clouds of sand and dust. If the sirocco blows, south Tenerife can see temperatures in the mid 30s.

Winter, from December till April, is very warm. The average high and low temperatures do not fall below 18ºC and 12ºC respectively. While 18ºC isn’t quite warm enough for uninterrupted sunbathing, it is t-shirt weather. On some days it can get up into the low 20s but this is not to be relied upon. Rainfall is higher in this season; clouds and frequent light showers keep sunshine levels around six hours per day until February when it starts to clear up. By April, eight hours of sunshine can be expected each day. It should be noted that the UK receives a single hour of sunshine per day in December. The water temperature remains amenable to swimming throughout the year.

The North Coast

Tenerife North is much quieter largely because of its cooler, wetter weather, especially in the winter months. Summers on the north coast are still hot but are a bit more overcast with slightly higher rainfall levels. Tourism is still a high earner for the north but thinner crowds mean that many areas remain unspoilt. Resorts on the north coast include Puerto de la Cruz, El Sauzal, and Garachico. The area is popular with walkers and golfers. The wetter weather has resulted in a more verdant landscape where palm trees and banana plantations thrive. The beaches on this side of the island are mostly black, volcanic sand.

Summer, from June till October, is very similar to that in the south though shorter. It sees average high temperatures in the low 20s, peaking in July and August at 24ºC. Sunshine levels are also at their highest in July with ten hours per day. Rainfall is almost non-existent at the beginning of the season but increases as the season progresses; October sees rain on around five days. The region can be quite windy so conditions are changeable from moment to moment. This keeps temperatures in check. The north is generally safe from the sirocco wind.

Autumn, in November, is pleasantly warm, much like winter in the south. 18ºC can be expected in the day but night times are cool around 12ºC. The sea remains warm enough for swimming and sunshine levels are reasonable at six hours per day. A few storms may blow in but infrequently.

Winter, from December till February, is slightly cooler and wetter than on the south coast. The average high gets down to 15ºC in January when the average low gets down to 9ºC. This is hardly cold and many like to visit the area for walking holidays during this season. The sea generally does not fall below 19ºC.

Spring, from March till May, is very mild and gets warm by the end of the season. The average high rises slightly to a pleasant 17ºC in March and April and up to 18ºC in May. Night times remain cold but sunshine levels increase and the rain practically disappears again.

The Central Mountains

Higher altitudes always mean cooler temperatures. The mountains of Tenerife provide cool respite from summer heat and Mount Teide, the highest in Tenerife, is snow-capped during winter months. Rainfall is always higher in this region, especially on the northeast faces. Mist and fog can also develop in any season. The mountains provide many routes for walkers, trekkers, cyclists and climbers but not, as some have been lead to believe, skiers. While snow is a regular winter feature it has not so far proved reliably thick enough for the development of a ski resort. However, with climate change: who knows?

It is the mountains that create the great variation in weather conditions experienced across Tenerife. The prevailing winds on Tenerife are from the northeast and the mountains are a barrier to them. They force the majority of the rain to fall on the northeast and central regions before the wind continues to the south side. The cooling effect of the trade winds is also kept on the northeast side. Hot, dry weather travelling over from Africa are also stopped by the mountains, keeping these conditions on the west and south sides. The Canary Current is a stream of cool water in the Atlantic that keeps the temperature of the Canaries lower than might be expected at this latitude.

Transport links across the island are efficient and easy to find so wherever you stay you can always access a real contrast. For instance, you might visit in winter and hike up to the snow line on Mount Teide, then spend the next day sunbathing on the south coast.

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