The weather in Gran Canaria is warm and pleasant throughout the year since it's located in the subtropics relatively close to the African continent. For this reason you should be able to travel here at nearly any time of year, although there's a couple of weather related matters that you should know about first.
Dust storm weather in Gran Canaria Yes, dust storms can be problematic during the months of February and March each year on the island of Gran Canaria. These dust storms can significantly reduce the visibility to less than 1000 metres. Consequently this will make life quite uncomfortable for you if you're going to spend most of your time outdoors. However, even though dust storms are common throughout these months, not every part of Gran Canaria will be affected by the dust. If you're staying on the western side of Gran Canaria you may be fortunate enough to avoid the dust altogether since the inland mountains generally prevent the dust from reaching this area. However, since you're more likely visiting the tourist resorts like Puerto Rico, Maspalomas, and Playa del Inglés then you may not be able to avoid the dust. Be aware that some flights to the Canary Islands may have to be cancelled during February and March due to the low visibility during dust storms. Heat waves
Very hot weather in Gran Canaria can occur any time from June through to early September, especially over the southern coastal parts of the island. The most frequent occurrence of hot weather is in August. During this time, hot plumes of dusty air from the African continent pass over Gran Canaria causing both the night time and day time temperature to spike. Daytime temperatures as high as 38°C are recorded during these times. If you're planning of spending a couple of weeks in Gran Canaria during the summer months, you should make sure that your accommodation has some form of air conditioning. You certainly don't want to be stuck in a tent during the heat wave. These heat wave conditions don't normally hang around too long in Gran Canaria. As soon as the wind switches direction back to a north easterly (wind coming from the north east), then cooler conditions will return to Gran Canaria. Air pollution weather in Gran Canaria
Yes, even Gran Canaria has air pollution problems. This occurs during periods when there's hardly any wind (normally during the winter). On most days during summer, north easterly trade winds are buffeting the northern and eastline coastline of Gran Canaria and consequently air pollution during this time is quickly blown out of the region. The most common locations in Gran Canaria for air pollution are within the cities of Las Palmas and Telde. The two main areas in Las Palmas where air pollutants are high occur in:
The city of Telde is also subject to moderate levels of air pollutants due to thick traffic congestion on days with little wind to disperse the air pollutants.
Also, significant respiratory problems occur in people living within the Jinámar Valley. This valley is located halfway between Las Palmas and Telde and is home to approximately 25,000 residents. The valley is separated from the coast by a small hill which helps prevent the removal of air pollutants from passing out to sea. In fact, the Jinámar Valley has the highest rate of hospital admissions in Gran Canaria due to the persistent smog. This area is particularly hazardous to human health during periods of calm weather since all the air pollutants from both Las Palmas and Telde become trapped in the Jinámar Valley with no means of escape. . In the southern parts of Gran Canaria, air pollution is minimal. Should You Worry About The Wet weather in Gran Canaria? If you're only going to be staying along the coastline, then you won't see much rain during any time of the year. Normally the wet weather in Gran Canaria occurs from December to February, with the majority of the heavier rain falling in the mountains. During these months, occasional storms move in from the west and south west in association with an Atlantic low pressure system. Most coastal regions on Gran Canaria receive less than 150mm (5.9 inches) of rain annually. You can be assured that flooding in Gran Canaria is quite rare although it does occur once every 15-20 years. When it does rain heavily many roads are blocked and you may stranded until the water recedes. Just beware that it is highly dangerous to drive around in the mountainous areas after heavy rain since many roads can be washed away.
If you're planning to travel up into the mountains on Gran Canaria then you should expect much higher rainfall. In fact, some of these mountainous areas (above 1200 m above sea-level) receive between 800-1000 mm (31.5-39.4 inches) of rain annually. It does snow in the winter on the higher parts of the mountains. Since the weather in Gran Canaria varies considerably you may find that the highland regions of Gran Canaria will be overcast and rainy whilst at the same time, the coastal regions will be bathed in sunshine. The northern side of Gran Canaria is wetter and cooler than the southern side of Gran Canaria. If you want to avoid the rain (if it rains) then staying at the many resorts on the southern side of Gran Canaria is a must. There should be practically no rain during the months of June through to mid-September in the coastal areas of Gran Canaria. This is a great time to visit, but just beware that your trip may coincide with heat wave conditions.
If you need more information on the weather in Gran Canaria, please contact me and I'll give you more detailed information.
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