Weather in the Canary Islands

The Canary Islands lie close to the Tropic of Cancer and the African coast and are famous both for being the islands of eternal spring and for having one of the best climates in Europe.

The 7 islands of the archipelago enjoy an exceptionally mild subtropical climate thanks to the ocean currents, making them an ideal year-round holiday destination. The eternal spring climate, one of the best in the world, is due to their location off the west coast of Africa.

El Hierro, La Palma and La Gomera are the coolest islands and subject to the trade winds, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are the driest, while Tenerife and Gran Canaria, being very large islands, boast a slightly different climate between the northern and southern parts and on the highlands. Just a few kilometres from their arid coasts are valleys covered in lush subtropical forests and mountains often covered in snow.

Only a few towns in the foothills of the mountains, such as Santa Cruz de Tenerife, reach 30 °C in the summer months.

The sea temperature fluctuates between 18°C in winter and 22°C in summer, making bathing optimal from January to December.

Forecast

Below are the weather forecasts for the next days for the main tourist destinations.