Weather and Climate in Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura is an island in which one can make holiday during the whole year. But this does not mean that there is summer time during the whole year in the island; also in the Canarian Islands there are the four seasons the way we know them, but the differences of the temperature are not as extreme as in our latitudes.

This is the reason why most of the island visitors spend their holiday in Fuerteventura, because they appreciate the moderated and mild weather; While in the winter time the day temperatures seldom fall below 19°C, in the summer months, they also seldom exceed the 30°C-limit. Thus, one neither ever has to feel cold nor will extremely sweat, whereby due to the humid climate, 25°C are already enough to sweat. While during the summer months, it is still possible to lay at night on the beach by wearing a short-sleeved shirt, in the winter months, a jumper is needed in case one is still outside at night.

Due to the north east trade wind, there is almost during the whole year a breeze in the island coming from north easter direction. This is the reason why in Fuerteventura there are numerous surf paradises where there are Good weather conditions throughout the year. But due to the breeze one does not notice the power of the sun; many times, people do not notice it until the skin becomes red and a surnburn developed. Even though it does not seem to be extremely hot on the beach or it is not cloudy, the damaging UV irradiation still affects one, thus one should always apply some sun lotion.

On the high-mountain islands Gran Canaria, Tenerife or La Palma, the trade winds cause the trade clouds stick at the north eastern hillsides of the mountain ranges. Thus, in order to get over the obstacles, the clouds have to ascend, a thing they only achieve by releasing some liquidity. In Fuerteventura, the mountains of the island are only a few metres high so that they are not an obstacle for the trade clouds that are located at a height of 1000-1400 m, so that they can easily pass over the island. Due to this reason, there are barely rainfalls in the island Fuerteventura. Statistically, there are cero rainy days per month, and according to the statistics, there is a maximum of three days in the winter months; As Fuerteventura is a bathing island and not a hiking island, one can confidently abstain to take an umbrella, as when it rains it is better to stay in the hotel and have fun there.

Due to the trade winds and the Canarian sea current, the seawater never heats up too much; even in the summer time, the water temperatures never reach the Caribbean level of 25°C and more. Due to the permanent fresh water supply caused by the sea current, the sea around the Canarian Islands is very abundant in fish. By having a look to the table of the water temperatures, they first appear to be low. But one should not forget that in Fuerteventura, most of the sandbeaches run extremely shallow into the water. At those flat shores, the water heats up much faster than it is the case in deeper beaches, so that bathing there is always pleasant.

Back to the index Fuerteventura

Copyright: Patrick Wagner, www.tourist-guide.biz