General weather conditions over Lanzarote
Lanzarote together with Fuerteventura lies further east than any of the other Canary Islands, just 70 miles from the north-west African coastline. This means the climate is very similar to that of northern Africa – dry and warm, with an average yearly rainfall of only about five to six inches.
Why is Lanzarote drier than other islands that make up the Canary archipelago?
In fact, Lanzarote is considerably drier than all the other Canary Island (with the exception of Fuerteventura). There is a number of reasons for this:
- Given Lanzarote's close proximity to the North African mainland, any wind blowing from this direction results in dry, sunny weather conditions similar to those experienced on the African mainland.
- There's a cool ocean current known as the Canary Current that flows southward passed Lanzarote's eastern coastline. This current minimises the occurrence of frequent high daytime temperatures during the summer months by modifying the vertical temperature structure as wind blows over this current from North Africa.
- The Canary current flows in the same direction as the persistent north-easterly trade winds and together these help to lower the chance of significant cloud rain events.
- There's a distinct lack of mountainous terrain combined low vegetation. As such, there's a much lower chance that weather systems can interact with the topography and lead to prolonged periods of wet weather.
Best time to travel to Lanzarote
It's your choice really. There really are no compelling reasons to choose a certain season to visit over another; Lanzarote has decent, tolerable weather no matter what time of year it is, and attracts tourists throughout the whole year. Although, the air can get quite dusty at times during February and March with the occasional arrival of the calima.
The hottest weather occurs from late July through to early September, so if you want summer heat and blazing sunshine, then come to Lanzarote then.
Weather in Lanzarote during winter
Even during winter (December to February), the daytime temperatures may only drop down to 20°C for at least one week throughout the month of January. For most of winter, most days will experience maximum temperatures rising to between 21-23°C.
However, winter is the cloudiest time of year and also the rainiest. Of course, the weather in Lanzrote is not the same across the whole island. The southern parts, particularly around Playa Blanca has less cloud cover and is generally a little warmer since it's somewhat protected by the hills to the north.
Having said all that, there's still plenty of sunshine on Lanzarote during most afternoons throughout the winter months.
Weather in Lanzarote during spring
Spring (March - May) with April and May generally having much sunnier and warmer weather than March although there is much year-to-year variability. Daytime maximum temperatures reach 22°C in March and rise towards 24-25°C on most days by mid-May.
The sea-breeze combined with the north-easterly trade winds becoms quite gusty during the afternoon on the warmest days (particularly in May). These winds prevent the daytime temperature from spiking much higher given lanzarote's close proximity to the African landmass.
Weather in Lanzarote during summer
Summer (June - August) is you would expect is has the highest temperatures since the sun is almost directly overhead at midday given it's only 400 kilometres (250 miles) north of the Tropic of Cancer.
Daytime temperatures rise to 26-27°C in June, 28°C in July and 29-30°C in August. Some days will be considerably hotter if winds change direction and blow directly in from North Africa. Such days may see temperatures rise into the low 40's°C.
However, for most of the summer, the trade winds dominate the weather and so you can expect clear sunny skies, very warm days and gusty afternoon sea breezes. There's little chance of rain during any month in summer.
Weather in Lanzarote during autumn
The weather across Lanzarote in autumn (September - November) is still very warm and dry in the early part of the season. However, by mid-October, there's a noticeable change in the weather with the return of cloudy mornings and cooler daytime temperatures.
Overall though, mid-autumn is a wonderful time to visit Lanzarote since the heat of summer has gone but you'll still have beautiful weather with minimal chance of rain. Daytime temperatures rise to 28-29°C in September, around 26-27°C in October, and cooling down to
24-25°C in November. Like in any season, there is much year-to-year variability and as such these temperature values only serve as a guide, not a weather forecast.
The sea-breezes and the north-easterly trade winds that were so common throughout summer begin to disappear by mid-October, so there's more chance of enjoying the coastal areas without being blown away by the wind.
Lanzarote's volcanic past
Lanzarote’s climate is dry enough that lava and other materials from early volcanic eruptions have been quite well preserved, even though most of the eruptions occurred many centuries ago. (The last known eruption was in 1824). This results in some surprising and bizarre landscapes: ancient lava floes next to sandy beaches, for example. This phenomenon is called “hydro-volcanism,” and the best example occurs at a point called Los Hervideros, on the southern coast of Lanzarote. Here, the ocean waves can reach all the way to the adjacent lava beds.
But before you leave, please refer to Lanzarote’s
five-day forecast
, so you can decide whether or not to bring along an umbrella. The likely answer: no if you're thinking of going from April to October. You can also look at year round
climate information
as well as the month-by-month weather guide to help you decide what time of year to go.