The year-round beautiful weather means that the Canary Islands attract visitors from across the globe, with each island boasting slightly different temperatures. Unlike the majority of the Canary Islands, Lanzarote doesn’t have any high mountains, meaning that there are distinctly fewer clouds than in other parts of the archipelago – which is why Lanzarote is the second sunniest island in the Canaries after Fuerteventura, with the two islands seeing a combined rainfall of less than 150mm each year. Lanzarote also benefits from the most consistent climate in the Canaries, making the island a prime choice for holidaymakers flying to the archipelago.
It can be surprisingly difficult to find accurate and detailed weather forecasting for Lanzarote online. Most of the larger weather channels offer very generalised forecasts, with quoted temperatures bearing little relation to actual conditions on the ground. Like many other locals, we tend to use the excellent Wind Guru website. This gives users accurate wind and temperature information in 14 different spots across the island and is the best online weather resource for Lanzarote that we know of.
We’re frequently asked when is the best time to visit Lanzarote by our clients. The simple and quick answer is anytime at all, as you can enjoy sunny weather and beach holidays on the island all year round. That’s why the Canaries were once dubbed the Fortunate Islands – as temperatures here rarely fall much below 20 Celsius. The annual weather in Lanzarote tends to mean that the island boasts a warm, mild climate throughout the year, as well as endemic flora and palm-filled valleys – which is why Lanzarote is known to many as the Island of Eternal Spring.
The island does see other weather conditions, such as wind and cloud, and these can occasionally make the island feel a little cooler. This tends to happen more in the earlier months of the year – so keep in mind the chance of experiencing slightly poorer weather between January and April. That being said, temperatures will still be in the 20s – way above anything you can expect back in the UK or Ireland at that time of year.
If we were going to take a holiday on Lanzarote, our preferred time of year would probably be October, as both air and sea temperatures are still high, while visitor numbers are lower than during the summer months. This means you can enjoy all of Lanzarote’s beaches in ideal climatic conditions, minus the crowds.
With Lanzarote’s latitude being so close to the equator, you might expect the island to be unbearably hot, especially with such a small amount of vegetation – however this just isn’t the case, as can be seen from the annual climate chart (summary).
The year-round mild climate not only means that tourists looking for a summer break are guaranteed to enjoy exploring the island in good weather, but the high temperatures in Lanzarote in January, February and March mean that travellers from across the globe can escape the cooler winter in pursuit of the sun. Similarly, as autumn falls, those in the UK will start wrapping up for the season – but with the weather in Lanzarote in September and October promising high temperatures, it couldn’t be easier for travellers can extend their summer.
The weather in Lanzarote varies across the island due to its two mountain ranges, and with the mountains blocking the majority of the trade winds from the northeast, the southern part of the island is typically drier and hotter than the northern region.
All of our villas are located in and around the resort of Playa Blanca and this is the warmest part of the island. Playa Blanca sits right at the southern tip of Lanzarote and even though the island is small, there’s a marked difference in temperatures between north and south, especially during the winter months.
Playa Blanca enjoys more sunshine and higher temperatures than the rest of the island, which is why it has become such as popular tourist hotspot. And with the weather in Playa Blanca meaning visitors can expect temperatures to reach highs of 28℃ and range to lows of 15℃, the resort promises a sub-tropical climate throughout the year and is widely considered to be the best Lanzarote resort.
Despite a difference in latitude, there’s no time difference in Lanzarote in relation to the UK – so British and Irish holidaymakers needn’t worry about jet lag when travelling to the Canaries. The Canary Islands lie within the Western British time zone, and follow Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), so the clocks here are changed at the same time as the UK.
For more information on the weather in Lanzarote and other common customer queries, visit our FAQs page.