Thursday, 06 September 2018 15:58

What's The Weather Like Right Now In Gran Canaria?

It is sunny in south Gran Canaria almost every single day of the year It is sunny in south Gran Canaria almost every single day of the year photosgrancanaria.com

The most common question we get in our Gran Canaria Facebook group is "what is the weather going to be like when I come to Gran Canaria?". The short answer is "it's going to be warm and sunny". Here's the long answer...

Gran Canaria, and particularly the south of the island where most people go on holiday, is one of the sunniest places on earth. San Agustín, Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés get well over 300 days of blue skies every year while Puerto Rico and Mogán get over 320 sunny days every year. The north of the island is cloudier but gets plenty of sunshine too.

It can't always be sunny in Gran Canaria!

Of course, there are cloudy days in Gran Canaria. However, because of the geography of the island, the south is sheltered from all but the worst weather and exists in a bubble of sunshine even when the north is cloudy. 

This confuses weather apps and forecasts as they tend to give an average weather forecast for the island. So, when you look at a weather app and see a cloudy or mixed forecast for Gran Canaria, it is almost always sunny in the resorts.

The same goes for temperatures. The south is the warmest part of the island but weather forecasts give average temperatures that include the much cooler highlands. It is well over 20ºC every day in south Gran Canaria. 

We have a detailed breakdown of the average weather every month of the year in the Gran Canaria Info weather section.

What about rain, does it ever rain in Gran Canaria?

Rain in south Gran Canaria is rare and tends to come in short bursts that are a few days long at most. This means that even if you are unlucky and a get a rainy patch during your holiday, you'll also see plenty of sunshine either side of it. 

Rain is most common in Gran Canaria from December to March but some years it barely rains at all. Even in the wettest months of a rainy year, you're talking about 8-10 wet days maximum. It's extremely rare for anyone to come to Gran Canaria for a week and not see plenty of sunshine. 

And hey, if you do hit a wet patch, enjoy it because it's not something a lot of people see. 

I'm coming in three weeks and the internet says it's cloudy!

Gran Canaria is a small island in a big ocean and nobody can forecast the weather further ahead than about seven days (except to say that it is most likely to be sunny). Long-term forecasts are simply inaccurate so don't take much notice of them.  Even short-term forecasts can be way off. Even when a patch of cloud heads towards the Canary Islands it often misses Gran Canaria or gets blocked by the mountains and doesn't affect the south of the island. 

When is the weather best in Gran Canaria?

This depends on why you are coming to the island. Walkers love the winter when it is coolest up in the hills. People who just want a roasting hot, sunny holiday will be happy from May to November when temperatures are at their highest. 

That said, it's warm enough to sunbathe even in the depths of the Gran Canaria 'winter'. Day temperatures on most days from December to March are well over 20ºC.

There is no off-season when the weather in Gran Canaria isn't good enough for a sunny holiday. 

Is north Gran Canaria always cloudy?

People who live in south Gran Canaria always say this but it isn't true. The north is cloudier than the south as the clouds that blow in off the Atlantic Ocean get stuck against the steep north coast. However, Las Palmas gets sunshine most days and is often cloudy either in the morning or the afternoon. It's is sunniest between September and November and tends to be cloudy in July (a relief when the rest of the island is scorching). 

The Agaete Valley and Puerto de las Nieves in northwest Gran Canaria have the same sunny climate as south Gran Canaria. 

The north gets more rain and is consequently much greener than the south.

So I don't need an umbrella then?

No, not unless you need it for the beach.

Just bring a light layer and one pair of long trousers if you are coming in the 'winter'. 

 

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Tip of the day

  • How To Choose A Legal Gran Canaria Airport Transfer
    How To Choose A Legal Gran Canaria Airport Transfer

    Gran Canaria's hotels have to be licensed and offer a quality level of service as well as having insurance and complying with fire regulations. The same goes for the boats that take people out to watch dolphins, the companies offering jeep safaris, and even the holiday let apartments. 

    However, not everybody in Gran Canaria follows the rules. For example, there is a significant industry running illegal and uninsured transfers between Gran Canaria airport and the island's resorts. These cars, driven by locals and foreign-residents, are just private vehicles and the drivers are unregulated and uninsured. They don't pay tax and there is no way to hold them responsible if something goes wrong. 

     At Gran Canaria Info we believe that all people and all companies offering services to tourists should legal and above board.

    So, how do you know that your airport transfer service is legal and registered with the Gran Canaria authorities?

     Using legal Gran Canaria airport transfers

    It is quite easy to know if your airport transfer service is operating in a legal way because all registered transfers have the following...

     A blue license plate: Taxis and other public service vehicles in Gran Canaria all have blue plates.

    A VTC sticker in the window: This stands for Vehículo de Transporte con Conductor, the official designation for licensed transfer drivers ans chauffeurs.

    An SP sticker on the car: This indicates that the car offer a Servicio Publico or public service and is therefore allowed to pick up and transfer members of the public. 

    Parked in the transport zone: Official airport transfer vehicles don't park in the public car park of the airport. Instead they have their own parking zone right by the arrivals gates at the airport (next to the taxis and package tour buses). Your transfer driver therefore should not have to pay a parking fee before leaving the aiport. 

    How to spot an unlicensed transfer service

    Unlicensed drivers get away with offerring their service because they claim that they are just members of the public picking up a friend. They are allowed to stand at arrivals with a sign (just like any member of the public can).

    However, they also have to park their car in the public car park and will walk you there with your luggage, stopping to pay the parking fee at the meter. A licensed transfer driver does not need to do this because they have their own parking zone right by arrivals.

    Some unlicensed drivers don't even wait at the arrival gate because the official drivers recognise them and get annoyed. Instead they have to stand further away (often by the Spar supermarket or the car rental desks). 

    When an unlicensed driver drops you at the airport they will not want to be paid in a public area because this proves that they are charging rather than "transporting a friend" for free. 

    An unlicensed car will not have a blue license plate, or a SP or VTC sticker, and will often look like a private car (because it is a private car). 

    What's the problem with unlicensed airport transfers?

    Some people use unlicensed cars because they are the cheapest option and don't realise that they are unlicensed. 

    There are several problems with unlicensed services. The most obvious is that they are uninsured so if something goes wrong or there is an accident, you are not protected. The price that unlicensed drivers offer is only low because they cut corners (hopefully not literally). You have no way of even knowing if your unlicensed driver has a Spanish driving license, insurance and a good driving record. Licensed drivers are vetted regularly and must be fully insured and licensed to work.

    Another problem is that unlicensed transfers undermine the legitimate transfer drivers and businesses in Gran Canaria. Local drivers make a living from transfers and offer a legal, regulated service with minimum standards. Every time an unlicensed service undercuts them, it is effectively stealing from local people and the island economy.

    We believe that everybody in Gran Canaria deserves better!

    Gran Canaria Airport Transfer Services

    To find out more about the Gran Canaria airport transfer, see our Gran Canaria airport transfer article which explains the three different models; man/woman from pub with car, online transfer websites, and local transfer services.

    Or you can book a legitimate Gran Canaria airport transfer at a great price right here. Our service uses local drivers and supprts the island economy because all the money you spend stays in Gran Canaria.

    Alex Says: Using our service also helps the Gran Canaria Info team to keep providing quality local information here and in our Facebook Group

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