GRAN CANARIA CLIMATE

Gran Canaria is in a subtropical region. It is actually in the same latitude than Miami, Mexico, Iran, Pakistan, India or the Sahara dessert. When you think about these cities and countries a hot weather comes to mind. In this latitude it is normal to have higher constant temperatures. There is not such a difference between seasons like in countries located further north. The differences between summer, spring, winter or fall are very small. 

For those who don't like winters, this latitude offers a winter-free live. However really high and hot temperatures are also far from being ideal. But, luckily in the Canary Islands we have a unique effect that turn Gran Canaria climate into true magic.

 

Have your ever heard about the vientos alisios? In the Azore Islands, north from Gran Canaria there is an anticyclone, which is a high-pressure area of the atmosphere. Because  the air pressure at the equator is lower a constant wind southwards originates in the Azores. This wind moves for many kilometers until it arrives in Gran Canaria. Have your ever felt a fresh wind in the north of the island? This is the wind coming from the Azores! This is the natural air conditioning in Gran Canaria climate. It refreshes the island generating a much milder weather. The "natural" temperature of the island is hot because of its latitude but with a constant wind refreshing it. 

It's even more fascinating than that. Because actually there are two wind currents coming from the Azore anticlyone and shaping Gran Canaria climate. One at the sea level, and another one at 1.500 meters above the sea level. The wind current on the sea level gets in contact with the cold waters of the Atlantic making this wind current colder with the result of the refreshing effect mentioned above. The current at 1.500 on the other side remains hot and touches the island at the height of 1.500 meters.  What happens next in Gran Canaria climate is a miracle of nature...

All seven islands have a volcanic origin and a crazy relief. The islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura have suffered a greater erosion throughout millions of years and they are more flat. They don't have many big mountains and their higher peaks are below 1.000 meters. These two islands have higher temperature averages, but why?

All other islands have peaks beyond the 1.500 meters mark. And there is where the magic happens. The colder wind at the sea level arrives in the north coast of the island. It refreshes the coastline and temperatures stay around 25ºC. This wind touches the earth and continues moving uphill through the mountains of the islands. When they reach the level around 1.500 meters they can't continue moving up. Why? The upper wind current is hotter. And hot air is heavier than cold air. The upper hot wind current hit the island's mountains at 1.500 meters and stops the cold wind current that was moving uphill from the coast. The cold wind gets stucked in the northern face of the island's mountains between around 1.000 and 1.5000 meters. This cold wind makes villages like Teror, San Mateo or Moya much colder than the rest of the island. That is why the island is so green in this area!

So, what happens beyond 1.500 meters? At this height only the hot wind current has en effect. Once you move over the 1.500 meters you will usually see a perfect clear sky. 

And yes! This is why there is always an awesome weather in the south of the island (Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés, Puerto Rico...)! The refreshing cold wind coming from north only has an effect in the northern side of the islands. The south remains untouched from this effect and is hotter. In the islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote there are no bigger mountains so that this cold wind just moves over the island refreshing the temperatures but it does not get stucked in the north of the island. 

Gran Canaria's highest peak is at 1949 meters. This results on the incredible effect of the two wind currents on Gran Canaria climate. Thus, we have many kind of microclimates. A fresh breath on top of high temperatures in the north coast, a very fresh weather between 1.000 and 1.500 meters, and a very hot weather in the south of the island. And all of it within a 30 minutes drive. 

If you thought so far that this Gran Canaria climate is the result of a miracle...wait for the best! The anticyclone of the Azores, this high-pressure area where the miracolous wind currents originate moves throughout the year!

In summer the anticyclone is far away, right at the Azore Islands. Because the wind currents move for many kilometers they gain speed, resulting in stronger winds in summer. In this way the higher temperature of the island in summer is compensated with stronger and more rereshing winds. A mild Gran Canaria climate in summer is the result.

In the winter, just like as if it was meant to be, the anticyclone moves southwards until it gets very close to the Canary Islands. The wind currents originate close to the islands, resulting in a lower speed and strentgh of the wind. It's like turning off the natural air conditioning of Gran Canaria climate when we don't need it. 

The result of this exciting Gran Canaria climate is that you have many different areas on the island. You can have the right weather depending on your mood. Do you like it really hot? Than drive south. The more you drive south, the hotter it is going to be. You like a nice sunny weather but not sooo hot, than go to Las Palmas or the north coast where a fresh breeze will make your day. If you like it cold, than move uphill on the northern coast. In the same day you could enjoy a nice walk in Las Palmas with 25ºC, hike with the 15ºC in Moya or relax in Maspalomas with 29ºC. But there is one more great thing about this weather: nature!

Gran Canaria climate transform the island into a Paradise for biologists, and for all visitors that love nature. The different micloclimates create different ecosystems. Dessert-like landscapes, humid forests, cliff-ecosystems… You could hike for seven days straight with one totally different landscape everyday. Without leaving the relatively small island of Gran Canaria. That's why we call it a continent in miniature. 

All islands profit from all the effects named above. It is the relief of every island which make the differences between islands. All islands with peaks higher than 1.500 meters: Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro have similar weather zones. The specific relief of each island determines the lentgh of the different microclimates and ecosystems. 

Lanzarote and Fuerteventura on the other hand don't have all weather zones. Thus, there are some ecosystems, like the humid forests of Laurisilva, that are not present in these islands.

Coming to Gran Canaria offers you mild weather guarantee. No matter where you are on the island you won't experience extreme weather conditions as in, for example, Central Europe. No heat waves of 40ºC and no Winter at all. Temperatures stay in a range between 18ºC and 30ºC, although they are between 20ºC and 25ºC most of the time. 

It is true, however that we don't have 365 days of sun on every part of the island. In the northern part of the island perfect sunny days alternate with cloudy days. In the south of the island you have a sun guarantee for over more than 300 days a year.