Within an hour road journey from snow to sun, the island of Tenerife is a contradiction weather-wise. Dominated by the El Teide volcano, Tenerife is the biggest and most populated of the Canary Islands. Located 28° north of the equator, Tenerife features a diverse climate, which makes it a perfect place for holiday-makers from all over the world.
There are trade winds which blow across the island, keeping its average temperatures in the “mild to warm” range. While there is snow on the mountains, it is warm enough to swim and sunbathe on the marvelous palm-fringed beaches just several miles away.
The Tenerife climate is unique, with mild winters, moderated by the Gulf Stream, and warm summers moderated by breezes blowing from the sea. Enjoy the soft beaches in the morning, and take to the woods for the cool, lush mountain slopes in the afternoon, and be back at your hotel room for dinner in time!
The island of Tenerife enjoys the best of such weather conditions – sunshine is an everyday occurrence year round and humidity is moderated by the trade winds. Indeed, Tenerife experiences winter, but with an average temperature of 20-22 degrees in contrast to the summer temperature of up to 30 degrees. Breezes around the island and cold sea currents have a cooling effect on the coast.
Tenerife is a year-round holiday destination, but it is most popular during the months of September, October, May, June, July, and August. July and August are the hottest time in Tenerife, with temperatures reaching 30 degrees, but low humidity makes this very pleasant. The sea temperatures of around 23 degrees are attractive for tourists.
No matter what time of year you visit the beautiful island Tenerife, you should always bring sun protection and your swimwear. For the rest, you will be fine with shorts or skirts and T-shirts. In winter, a pair of jeans is fine. If you are going to go up the mountain, it is advisable to grab some ski-gear. If you are going to go out and about, then you will need comfortable walking shoes.
Tenerife Weather in Summer
In summer, thousands of eager fun and sun seekers of different ages come to the island’s resorts to take advantage of the wonderful Tenerife weather and the traditional European summer holiday time. With a total absence of rains, this sub-tropical island offers its locals and visitors constant warm air and sea temperatures and continual sunshine throughout the whole summer. The best thing about the weather in Tenerife is that the heat is always bearable, thanks to the influence of cold sea currents and the gentle trade winds.
With the summer temperature being around 27-30 degrees, which can seldom drop below 17 degrees, Tenerife offers perfect weather conditions for everybody coming to the island. There is no rainfall in summer in Tenerife. Though, it is almost impossible to get wet during a summer holiday in Tenerife, except in the warm ocean or swimming pool. An extremely rare shower or two occur in the north of Tenerife. There are about eleven hours of daylight each summer day, and each one of them is warm and sunny, but not hot and stuffy.
Be ready to have the sun in your eyes throughout your holiday in Tenerife in the summertime, so high factor sunscreen, some good sunglasses, and a sun-hat are extremely important things to pack. Remember to grab your swimsuit, a pair of flip flops, a wrap, and a selection of trendy casual-wear for those astonishing nights in Tenerife.
Tenerife Weather in Winter
They say that summer never ends on the peaceful island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. With its temperate climate, tropical ambience, and low rainfall, Tenerife offers the sunny side of life all year round. The weather in Tenerife allows its tourists to enjoy the 12 Blue Flag beaches, soaring volcano, and forest walks in winter and every month of the year. With an average maximum temperature of 21 degrees in winter, the island of Tenerife is a perfect place to come when the northern European winter offers nothing but extremely low temperatures, snowfalls, and severe winds.
The coolest month in Tenerife is February. However, it is still possible to catch a tan on all the sandy beaches of the island. Plenty of warmth and sunshine with the odd spot of rain is the advisory forecast for February weather in Tenerife, except for the interior mountain slopes on the Teide. The higher you go the colder it gets, so why not ski in the afternoon and sunbathe in the morning! The only disappointment on a holiday in Tenerife in winter is the possibility of a dust storm, blown in by the Calima.
Nothing is perfect and in the northern part of the island there may be rainfalls. The southern part of the island, which includes the popular resorts of Los Gigantes and Playa de las Americas, experiences an average about 6 hours of sunshine a day in winter, and is warmer and drier than the high altitude slopes of the mountain the northern part of Tenerife all year round. A real novelty of the Tenerife’s micro-climate is being able to relax on the soft sandy beach in the morning, and have a trip up the Teide Mountain to enjoy the snow in the afternoon.
If you are going to come to Tenerife in winter for the beach, then pack your sun-hat, swimsuit, shades, and flip-flops. When away from the pool or beach, a T-shirt and shorts will be needed, but in the evening you it is advisable to wear a jumper and tights or long trousers. In the wetter north, have a raincoat with you, and for a trip up the mountain, a jacket, ski pants, and warm boots will be a necessity.
Tenerife Weather in Autumn
When in Europe, trees drop their leaves, in Tenerife, summer lingers on with sunny days and warm nights, especially on the south-west coast. The tourists with schools and jobs to return to in Europe make their way home at the end of the summer holiday, but autumn in Tenerife offers the perfect weather to enjoy the island without the sweaty crowds of high summer. Although Tenerife is a relatively small island, there are three different climates dictated by the topography. The south-west coast, where the popular beach resorts are located, offers warm and pleasant weather all year round.
In autumn, the Tenerife beaches are washed by warm seas, which temperature reaches about 23 degrees. By day, the air temperature is around 25 degrees, and drops below 17 degrees at night. Usually, everyday in Tenerife in autumn is warm and sunny. When the “rainy” winter season is coming, there can be several days with some cloud cover and light precipitation in autumn. Another climatic zone is to the northeast of Tenerife, encompassing the capital, Santa Cruz, where the weather is slightly cooler and wetter, but still warm and pleasant enough to sunbathe. The last climatic zone is characterized by cool high-altitude weather on the slopes of the interior mountains, where it can be chilly and windy with temperatures dipping below 9 degrees at the summit during autumn.
Those who are looking for an early winter sunshine break, should definitely go to Tenerife in November. This island is a perfect place to go for the minimal chance of rain and balmy, sunny days. One can say the weather in Tenerife is almost perfect all year round, and autumn is no exception. Warm and sunny at the coast, with some snow on the peak of Mount Teide, the weather in Tenerife offers the best of all worlds.
Tenerife Weather in Spring
Four seasons in Tenerife change little all year round. When summer is coming, there can be a small increase in temperature during spring. Typically, in spring, the weather in Tenerife is as sunny, pleasantly warm, and tranquil as it is most of the year. With an average maximum temperature of 22 degrees in spring, Tenerife offers dry and sunny weather conditions for the tourists to make the most of the island beach resorts. Add to this the fact that there are only a few rainy days in spring, which is one more ingredient offered by the island for having fun in the sun.
There is not much variation in temperature in Tenerife all year round. The weather is usually warm and sunny for the most part, and, in spring, the island of Tenerife is particularly pleasant. The exception is the Tenerife’s central towering volcano, which is very cold and covered with snow. Shorts, skirts or jeans, and a T-shirt for the daytime, and a light jacket or cardigan for the evenings are must have for a holiday in Tenerife in spring.
For exploring on foot, get some comfy trainers, and if you are going to go on the Mount Teide, then a pair of boots and a ski-jacket are advisable. Remember to grab some sun protection because the UV rays are dangerously high even in the cool highland areas.