Weather Tenerife

Climate in Tenerife: best time to visit, weather by month, temperature

Tenerife is located at the same latitude as the Sahara Desert and therefore enjoys a warm tropical climate, with an average of 18°C-24°C in winter and 24°C-28°C in summer. Due to its particular conformation, the southern part of the island usually enjoys warmer temperatures, more sunshine and less rainfall than the northern part.

Tenerife has a high annual number of sunny days and overall annual rainfall is low: the summer months from May to September are normally completely dry. Humidity is mainly concentrated in the northern part of the island, and the currents of the Canary Sea cool the coasts and beaches.

The climatic contrasts on the island are most evident in the winter months, when the weather is warm on the coast, while snow can also be encountered above 3000 metres on the Teide. Due to the lack of distinct differences between the seasons, the island is said to have only two seasons: summer and winter, but the pleasant winter climate makes Tenerife an ideal destination for those seeking to escape the harsh cold of continental Europe.

When to go to Tenerife

Tenerife enjoys a pleasant spring climate all year round, with little difference in temperature, hours of sunshine and amount of rainfall between summer and winter. Of course, sea temperatures tend to be higher in the autumn months, so if you want to take an off-season holiday, September is better than May or April.

Tenerife in summer

If you decide to go to Tenerife in summer, then you will be very unlikely to encounter rain or bad weather days. In June and July the average rainfall is 0 mm, while May and August only 1 mm. September is also very rainy, with only 4 mm of precipitation on average.

Temperatures average between 25°C and 28°C, and September is the warmest month on the island. Temperatures drop slightly at night, reaching 21°C.

August, September and October also see the highest average sea temperatures, with 23°C, which means it is the ideal time to go to the beach. July is the sunniest month of the year. During this month, the south of Tenerife boasts an average of ten hours of sunshine per day.

Tenerife in autumn

Autumn in Tenerife represents that brief moment when summer turns into winter. This can be seen by the drop in temperatures, from an average of 24 °C in October to 22 °C in November. There is also a sudden increase in rainfall, especially in the north of the island: usually 12 mm of rain in October, and 26 mm in November. In November, the number of hours of sunshine also begins to fall, to six.

But from a tourist point of view, Tenerife in autumn is perfect: the beach is great, and there is not the typical summer crowding.

Tenerife in winter

The wettest month of the year is December, which is subject to an average of 30 mm rainfall. January and February, on the other hand, are the coldest months of the year and the average temperature here varies between 15° C and 19° C. Although these months are cold for the locals, most tourists from Europe will find these temperatures pleasantly mild: many of the hotels heat their pools during these months and you can enjoy an average of 6-7 hours of sunshine each day.