Thursday, 16 January 2014 00:00

The Truth About Temperatures in Gran Canaria

Temperatures in Gran Canaria are higher than the forecasts say Temperatures in Gran Canaria are higher than the forecasts say

Weather forecasts and especially temperature predictions are often wrong in the Canary Islands and here's why.

The weather in Gran Canaria, and especially in the sunny south, is often much better than forecasting websites say. It's because they use average conditions and temperatures whereas most people really want to know what the weather's going to be like at beach o'clock.

Averaging means that if it's raining in north Gran Canaria but sunny in the south, you get a mixed weather symbol on the map. This happens even if there's ten hours of blazing sunshine at the beach.

Temperature forecasts work the same way: Average temperatures for the island blend the north and south and even the central highlands. In the winter, when it's cold at the top, this brings down the averages.

When you see temperature forecasts for Gran Canaria that say 21ºC, expect the temperature to be much higher during the day. South Gran Canaria reaches 30ºC on the beaches even in January and day highs are rarely below 25ºC. In the summer the standard day temperature is about 30ºC in the resorts. 

This averaging is what causes silly newspaper stories every year about Cornwall being hotter than Gran Canaria. What the papers mean is that the highest recorded temperature in Cornwall on one summer day is higher than the average forecast temperature in Gran Canaria. 

When Melton Mowbray is actually hotter than Maspalomas for a whole day, we’ll eat our straw hats.

At least online forecasts are better than the old Spanish television forecasts. The weatheman stood in front of the islands for the whole thing time, then said, "and in the Canaries, sunny with a bit of cloud". Every day, without fail.

Join the Gran Canaria Info newsletter list

endanlfifrdeisitnoplptruessv

 

 

Follow us on Facebook

Tip of the day

  • Tip Of The Day: Avoid Bank Card Charges By Paying In Euros
    Tip Of The Day: Avoid Bank Card Charges By Paying In Euros

    Save money and avoid rip-off bank charges while in Gran Canaria by paying in euros when using your credit or debit card.

    Many bars and restaurants in Gran Canaria, and in almost all European holiday destinations, give you the option of paying in euros or in your home currency. Opting for your own currency, while it may seem like the safer option, can add as much as 5% to the bill as it triggers dynamic currency conversion. 

    DCC basically means that the exchange rate is calculated at point of sale rather than by your bank. It allows you to see the total cost of the transaction in your own currency but adds up to 5% to the total because it uses a terrible exchange rate. 

    Since the extra money is shared between your bank and the merchant, some places will automatically bill you in your own currency and hope you don't notice. You have the legal right to refuse and void the transaction should this happen. 

    ATMs too

    The same applies when taking money out of ATM machines in Gran Canaria (and anywhere in Europe); Always choose the local currency option to avoid losing money to poor exchange rates.

    If you opt for the local currency option, using bank ATMs is often the cheapest and safest way of getting euros in Gran Canaria. It's far safer than having a big pile of euros hidden in your room or tucked into your shorts.

    More details in this Daily Telegraph article.

Latest articles

Who's Online

We have 3595 guests and no members online

Login / Register

Take this website to the max, login or create an account now! By clicking on any Social Media platform logo, you can login with just one click.