Tenerife Weather

In the same way that Florida is known as the Sunshine State of the United States of America, so Tenerife is now being recognised as the Sunshine Island of the United Countries of Europe. Growing in popularity as a haven away from the cares of the western world, this sub-tropical island of perpetual sunshine forms the southernmost part of Europe making it one of the most perfect locations in the world, lying in the Atlantic Ocean on the same latitude as Bermuda and Florida .

In a survey by NASA, the US aeronautics and space agency, the climate in the Canary Islands and Tenerife in particular is officially stated as being one of the best in the world.

There is no doubt that Tenerife's benevolent all year round climate, vast range of facilities and exhilarating atmosphere make it an extremely attractive destination for holidays and for living.

But that doesn't mean that Tenerife lacks variety.  While the beaches are packed with tourists defrosting, local residents head for the hills and enjoy the snow - obviously inspired by all the pretty pictures of a snow clad Britain. Winter in Tenerife is a fabulous time.   Of course, snow only ever falls on the summit of mount Teide, Spain's highest mountain... but it is a beautiful winter wonderland, and such a contrast to basking on the beaches below!

As you can see from the chart below, Tenerife' s climate is probably the most clement in the world.  Even Florida, which looks as good as Tenerife from the chart, cannot compete as the hurricane season blights a large chunk of their year.

The chart shows the average monthly temperatures, but does not show the highest and lowest levels in each month.  For example if you see an average of 28º in the summer, then the peak may be 5-6 degrees higher, making the weather almost unbearable for most.  Similarly, where you see an average of 10º in the winter; that means on very cold days, the temperature may plummet by the same amount, making it very cold! 

Tenerife maintains a relatively steady warm temperature throughout the year, and this is because it is a small island near the equator.  The sea ensures that we don' t get too hot, whereas our location near the equator ensures we don' t get too cold either.


So although many destinations may claim to provide winter sun, or advertise that it is the ideal place to top up your summer tan, often the hype is misleading.  Tenerife is difficult to compete with for reliable winter sun, which is a great boon for holiday home owners as it means that rentals are just as busy (if not busier) in the summer as in the winter. In the summer, there are lots of hot places to choose from, but many are just too hot.  The ability to fry an egg on the pavement is a novelty that soon wears off.