The Canary Islands have a mild climate year-round due to their location in the Atlantic Ocean and influence of ocean currents. They experience warm temperatures between 18-24°C along the coasts and trade winds that help regulate temperatures. While generally mild, the islands experience different microclimates depending on elevation, with northern slopes being cooler and cloudier and southern slopes drier and sunnier. The best time to visit for warm weather and beach activities is between May and October.

2. Some information
The Canary Islands belong to Spain; there are
seven major islands (Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran
Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, and El
Hierro) plus some smaller islands and islets.

4. About a climate…
The Canary Islands enjoy a remarkably mild
climate, in fact, they are located in the Atlantic
Ocean, just north of the Tropic of Cancer, a short
distance from the coasts of Morocco and Western
Sahara, in a stretch of sea where a cool current
flows.

5. The Canary Islands are also subject to the trade winds,
which blow constantly from the north east.

6. Temperature
Along the coasts, the daily average temperature ranges
from 18 °C in January and February to 24 °C in July,
August, and September.
The following table, regarding the average
temperatures at the airport of Gran Canaria, give a
good indication of all the coasts of the Canary Islands.

7. Microclimate
Although the Canary Islands have, in general, an
excellent climate, they are not all equal.
On the islands that have mountains in the interior,
such as Tenerife and El Hierro, you can find
microclimates depending on slope exposure and
altitude. In fact, the northern slopes (above which the
trade winds are forced to rise, and by doing that, they
cool down and condense into clouds, rain or mists
which can also cause drizzle) are more cool and
cloudy, while the southern slopes, being on the
leeward side, are more dry and sunny.

8. Tenerife

9. At 2,400 meters at the Teide observatory of Izaña, the daily average
ranges from 4.5 °C in January (with night temperatures around
freezing) to 18.5 °C in July. Teide volcano, however, the highest peak of
Spain and of all the Atlantic Ocean, is 3,700 meters high; during
winter, the top is covered with snow. Other volcanoes, though lower,
are found on the islands of La Palma and Gran Canaria.

10. The eastern islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura,
which have only hills in the interior and are
windswept, are a paradise for surfers, while they are
not particularly appreciated by those who seek, in
addition to the sea and beaches, cities and interesting
places to visit.
Lanzarote

11. Trade winds
The north-east trade winds are the prevailing winds,
but they follow a diurnal pattern similar to that of the
sea breeze, so they are most intense during the
warmest hours and in the afternoon, and often blow at
around 50 kph. The cool and breezy weather
conditions can make it pleasant to sunbathe and to do
other outdoor activities. The sun is strongest from late
May to late July.

12. Rainfall
The rainfall pattern on the Canary Islands is typically
Mediterranean, with a maximum in and a minimum in
summer, with virtually no rain in the warmest months.
However, both the amount and frequency of rainfall
greatly vary depending on slope exposure, as well as on
altitude. Therefore, there are semi-desert areas,
usually, the slopes facing south and west and almost all
the lowlands and the coasts, where the average rainfall
does not exceed 250 millimeters per year and the
landscape is arid, and areas with moderate rainfall
which are typically the east and north facing slopes.

13. Table presents the average precipitation in Las Palmas
de Gran Canaria, on the coast. The conclusion is
obvious - the rains are very scarce.

14. Sunshine
In the Canaries, the amount of sunshine is very
good throughout the year. However, in the
summer, cloud banks can form on the Atlantic and
reach the islands. On the northern coasts, and
especially on the mountain slopes exposed to the
north, local clouds and fogs can form. The
southern coasts are therefore the sunniest ones.

15. Sea temperature
Owing to the same cold current that makes the climate so
mild, the sea in the Canary Islands is not warm. On the
central islands (Tenerife, Gran Canaria), the water
temperature ranges from 19 °C between winter and early
spring to 23 °C between August and October, which
therefore is the best period for swimming. On the western
islands (La Palma, El Hierro), even though the Saharan
wind blows more rarely, the sea is slightly warmer because
the cold current flows near the coast of Morocco, ie in the
east. For the same reason, on the easternmost islands
(Lanzarote and Fuerteventura), the sea is slightly cooler
(about one degree Celsius less than in Tenerife).

16. Sea temperature

17. Best time to visit the Canaries is…
A touritst can visit the Canary Islands throughout the
year, since they have a very mild climate. However, in
late autumn and in winter, temperatures are spring-
like, and some cloudy days can occur, as well as a bit of
wind and rain. While northern European tourists often
arrive this time of year to escape the Nordic winter,
and they find many sunny and pleasant days, the
period from May to mid-October will be preferable for
a beach holiday, although the sea is still cool in May,
and will warm up gradually in the following months.

18. A few tidbits about Tenerife and
its weather and climate
One of the most wondrous aspects of the beautiful
island of Tenerife is its climate. The weather is
glorious, that is why the largest of the Canaries has
earned the reputation of being one of the best year-
round holiday hotspots. The sun shines for more days
of the year here than most other places in the world –
just one of the reasons people visit from January to
December.

19. The weather here depends on the time of year that
one travels and the specific places someone visits.
The south is always the warmest and sunniest with
the least clouds above, and the west of the
Canaries enjoys more than its fair share of great
weather, too. The north is also very warm,
although there can be more rain and clouds in this
part of the island compared with the rest.

20. Volcanic Island…
The closer a tourist travels towards Mount Teide
National Park, Tenerife’s volcanic region and location
of Spain’s highest peak El Teide, the more changeable
the weather becomes. Naturally, as the altitude rises,
the weather cools and at certain times of the year there
is some snowfall here while the coast remains sunny.

21. El Teide Mountain

22. Soothing winds
The trade winds, together with the refreshing Gulf air
currents, are the major weather factors that contribute
to the climate. The minimum and maximum annual
average temperatures in Tenerife are about 15ºC in
winter and 24ºC in summer.

23. Average rainfall in Tenerife

24. Average high/low temperatures in
Tenerife

25. Thanks for watching!
Groups 3&4