Weather

Island Ecosystem and Weather

Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands (El Hierro, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Palma, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura) situated northwest of the African coast, approximately 100 km west of the Moroccan coast.

Together with Madeira, the Cape Verde Islands, the Azores and the Moroccan coastline, the Makroonésis geobotanis complex is formed. This area is mostly characterized by specific flora including many endemic plant species in the Canary Islands and from North Africa to the West-Caribbean region.

Like other Canary Islands, Tenerife has a volcanic origin and its geomorphology is quite differentiated. The peaks on this island reach high altitudes and Pico del Teide at 3717 metres high is also the highest peak in Spain. The island is full of nature and offers various microclimates and ecosystems. Tenerife is not only the largest island with a coastline 269 kilometers long but is also the most populous of the Canary Islands.

There is a Canary stream influencing Tenerife’s climate. In addition, there are trade winds which cool down the air during the summer and warm it up in the winter. The summers are usually cooler here than other latitudes, but the temperatures are pleasant and reach at maximum 35 °C. Winter temperatures rarely fall below 15 °C though the peak of Pico del Teide is mostly covered with snow during much of the year. It is possible to enjoy the ocean all year round because the water temperature is around 18 to 26 °C in summer.

Therefore, the weather in Tenerife could be more or less characterized that of two different islands due to the Teide Mountains which divide the island into two different regions. The north of the island is humid, rain is more common and it is often cloudy and the nature is greener. The south of Tenerife is much drier, the sun is shining more than in the north and the climate is generally warmer.

The aggregate rainfall on the island is quite high but it mostly depends on the altitude, a condensation of saturated water vapour occurs at higher altitudes. However, the precipitation is more frequent during the winter months due to the Azores high pressure.

Considering these factors, Tenerife is an ideal place for a vacation not only during summer but also during the winter months when it is possible to discover the beauty of the island with pleasant temperatures.