Today's weather for Tenerife, Canary Islands16th Oct 2008 06:30

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Weather Overview for Tenerife

Tenerife, the largest island of the Canaria archipelago, enjoys an enviable climate which has helped to give the islands the nickname of ‘Islands of Eternal Spring’.

Temperature is pleasant throughout the year, with average temperature 18C in winter and 25C in summer; in fact Tenerife features the lowest temperature difference between summer and winter anywhere in the world, making it a popular year round destination. In summer the daytime temperature is regularly in the high 20s, while it won’t drop below 15C in the summer (unless of course you are on top of Mt Teide!)

There are two mains reasons for the islands relatively constant temperatures and the absence of blisteringly hot summers: the North-East Trade Wind and the Canary Current.

The North-East Trade Winds are frequent in summer and bring cooler air to give the pleasant summer temperatures. In July these winds are nearly constant. These winds are caused by hot air rising to high altitudes over the equator. This air travels north, then sinks and cools before reaching the Canaries.

The Canary Current is the other phenomenon to have a cooling effect on the islands. Cooler water is brought up from the depths as the current flows south past the Canary Islands. Water temperature around Tenerife varies between 18 ºC in winter and 23 ºC in late summer.

The high mountains of Tenerife help to create different climates across the island. The weather can change dramatically depending on where you are. The northern part of Tenerife is much cooler and wetter as this is where the moist trade winds arrive off the ocean. This creates a greener and lusher scenery with banana plantations and palm trees. The south, on the other hand, is much hotter and dryer creating a more desert like landscape.

The difference in weather across Tenerife has caused some to describe the island as a ‘mini-continent’ in terms of weather. Indeed Mt Teide, Spain’s highest peak, can see snow for up to three months a year. At the same time take a trip to the beach and you can be sun-bathing!

Annual rainfall is low in Tenerife. There is generally a hot and dry climate, although the hilly central regions and the north receive greater rainfall than other parts. December and January are generally the wettest months on the island, while there is almost no rain in the summer months.

Occasionally Tenerife can experience hot and dusty days as the phenomenon known as ‘Calima’ brings hot, dry air and sand from the Sahara desert. Such conditions can be quite uncomfortable, and the winds last anything from a few hours to a few days.

The summer of 2007 saw terrible forest fires across Tenerife. Though seemingly started deliberately by a disgruntled forestry worker, the fires were fuelled by the island’s high temperatures and winds and quickly spread. Over 35,000 hectares of forest were lost and also 900 homes. Fires are a common plague for regions with hot and dry weather and Tenerife is no exception, especially with the sea breezes often blowing across the island.

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