Gran Canaria weather
The third largest of the Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, is also one of the most popular destinations in the archipelago.
Approximately 4 million tourists visit Gran Canaria annually, being May and June the least popular time to visit. Mild and stable year-round climate of the island makes it a particularly desirable tourist destination during the European autumn and winter.
See what to expect on Gran Canaria:
Find below a generic information about the weather in Gran Canaria, in different times of the year. Please note however, that as it happens in the case of many other islands, Gran Canaria has a variety of microclimates.
In the coast areas, where the climate is attenuated by the influence of the ocean, the weather is usually milder and warmer than in the interior. The temperatures may also vary significantly between the southern and the northern coast of Gran Canaria. The north-eastern part of the island is usually cooler and wetter due to the trade winds blowing from the Atlantic and ‘caught’ by the considerably elevated volcanic centre of Gran Canaria.
In the southern regions of the island, exposed to the warm masses of air from the Sahara Desert the weather is usually much warmer and drier.
For the most accurate information, always consult weather forecast sites for the particular place on Gran Canaria you are planning on visiting.
Gran Canaria weather forcast on BBC.
Gran Canaria in spring
Spring arrives to Gran Canaria in mid-February, with average day-time temperatures at around 17-18 degrees Celsius, but often exceeding 20°C at noon.
By mid-May, the thermometers often indicate 30°C, a temperature which for most tourists is more than enough for a comfortable beach holiday.
The average number of sunshine hours increases from 6 in February to 7 in May. Please note, once again, that in the northern part of the island you are usually more likely to experience cloudy weather, than in the south.
Due to the proximity of the African continent, Gran Canaria is exposed to the dust storms from the Sahara. They are more likely to happen in February and March. Although fairly unpleasant and forcing a retreat indoors, the sand and dust storms, also referred to as calima, usually don’t last long.
The undeniable advantage of a spring holiday in Gran Canaria is, however, a possibility to witness the lush greenery across the island covering in flower blossom.
See detailed climate graph for Gran Canaria (Las Palmas).
The sea temperature of about 18-19°C may be not comfortable enough for some bathers. Starting from mid-May, however, it increases considerably.
February is still a relatively wet month, with an average of 6 rainy days per month. In May the chance of precipitation decreases significantly.
Summer on Gran Canaria – high temperatures and warm sea
Between May and September, the weather in Gran Canaria becomes hot, with temperatures peaking even 40 degrees in August. Thanks to the trade winds from the Atlantic, the heat rarely becomes uncomfortable in Gran Canaria and during the night you can always count on pleasant, round-20°C temperatures, perfect for al fresco dinners and long nights out.
The waters of the Atlantic, surrounding Gran Canaria, get very warm, with maximum temperatures reaching 23°C in July and August.
The sunshine hours during the summer in Gran Canaria increase from 9 in June to 10 in July and August.
Rain is practically inexistent in Gran Canaria in June, July and August.
The sunniest places on Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is, as a matter of fact, considered one world’s sunniest places, with over 3000 sunshine hours per year. The southern areas of the island are exposed to nearly permanent sunshine as the trade winds, often bringing clouds, get blocked and retained by the mountainous central part of the island.
Maspalomas & Playa del Inglés, Puerto de Mogán, Arguineguin and Puerto Rico are the most sun-exposed places on Gran Canaria.
Gran Canaria in Autumn
Although September is usually considered an Autumn month, in Gran Canaria it is as hot as August. It is only on October when a slight temperature decrease becomes noticeable. While during the day, for most of October, the thermometers register temperatures of around 21-23°C, nights gradually become colder.
The chance of precipitation increases and there are, on average, 8 rainy days in November.
The sea, on the other hand, remains very warm, at 22-23°C, which makes the Autumn a great time to visit Gran Canaria.
Winter - a peak season for holiday in Gran Canaria
Despite the fact that December and January are the coldest months in Gran Canaria, the obvious contrast with the weather conditions in the continental Europe and especially its central and northern parts, make the island a very appealing destination for sun-craving holidaymakers.
In December, the daytime temperatures on Gran Canaria usually range between 19 and 22°C. January is only slightly colder. At night the temperatures easily drop to 15°C. In the mountainous central part, however, it may easily become much colder. A snow cover is quite normal for the higher parts of the mountains (900 meters above the sea level and more).
On average 6 hours of sunshine are to be expected in Gran Canaria in both December and January, although on the southern coast there is less chance of cloudy skies.
Winter is fairly dry in Gran Canaria. In December there are about 5 rainy days and in January, only 3.
