Canary Islands Sea Temperature Calendar, Month by Month
The sea around the Canary Islands ranges from about 18-19C in late winter (February-March) to 23-24C in early autumn (September-October). It is warm enough to swim for most people (21C or more) from roughly July to December. The southern and western islands run slightly warmer than the flat eastern pair, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
The sea around the Canary Islands is mild all year, never freezing and never tropical. It bottoms out at about 18-19C in February and March, then warms steadily to a peak of 23-24C in September and October, before cooling again through winter. For most swimmers the comfortable season runs from roughly July to December, when the water sits at 21C or above. The table below shows the average sea temperature for every island in every month, drawn from multi-year sea-surface records.
| Month | Tenerife | Gran Canaria | Fuerteventura | Lanzarote | La Palma | La Gomera | El Hierro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20.1 | 20.0 | 19.4 | 19.4 | 20.3 | 20.2 | 20.5 |
| February | 19.4 | 19.1 | 18.6 | 18.6 | 19.6 | 19.6 | 19.8 |
| March | 19.3 | 19.1 | 18.6 | 18.6 | 19.5 | 19.5 | 19.6 |
| April | 19.5 | 19.3 | 18.8 | 18.8 | 19.9 | 19.9 | 20.1 |
| May | 20.1 | 20.0 | 19.6 | 19.6 | 20.7 | 20.6 | 20.9 |
| June | 21.1 | 21.0 | 20.7 | 20.7 | 21.8 | 21.7 | 21.9 |
| July | 22.0 | 21.8 | 21.3 | 21.3 | 22.6 | 22.4 | 22.6 |
| August | 22.8 | 22.5 | 21.9 | 21.9 | 23.4 | 23.2 | 23.4 |
| September | 23.7 | 23.4 | 22.7 | 22.7 | 24.2 | 23.9 | 24.1 |
| October | 23.6 | 23.4 | 22.6 | 22.6 | 23.9 | 23.8 | 24.0 |
| November | 22.3 | 22.1 | 21.2 | 21.2 | 22.8 | 22.8 | 22.9 |
| December | 20.8 | 20.5 | 19.8 | 19.8 | 21.4 | 21.4 | 21.6 |
When is the sea warmest in the Canary Islands?
Counter-intuitively, the warmest sea is not in mid-summer but in early autumn. The Atlantic lags the air temperature by a couple of months, so the water keeps warming through September and peaks in late September or October at around 23-24C on most islands. The western and southern islands — La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and the south of Tenerife — tend to read about half a degree warmer than Lanzarote and Fuerteventura in the east.
Can you swim in the Canary Islands in winter?
Yes, with a caveat. Even in the coolest months the sea only drops to about 18-19C, which is swimmable for many people, especially with a short wetsuit, and is why the islands are Europe's premier winter-sun beach destination. It is cooler than a heated pool, but warmer than almost any mainland European coast in winter.
Sea temperature by island
Each island has its own live sea-temperature page combining these monthly averages with today's actual reading from the monitored beaches:
- Tenerife sea temperature
- Gran Canaria sea temperature
- Lanzarote sea temperature
- Fuerteventura sea temperature
To see which island has the warmest sea for swimming right now, check the best Canary Island for swimming ranking.
Frequently asked questions
When is the sea warmest in the Canary Islands?
September and October, when the Atlantic peaks at about 23-24C on most islands. The sea lags the air temperature, so early autumn is warmer than mid-summer.
Can you swim in the sea in the Canary Islands in winter?
Yes. Even in February and March, the coolest months, the sea only falls to about 18-19C, which is swimmable for many people, especially with a short wetsuit.
Which Canary Island has the warmest sea?
The western and southern islands — La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and southern Tenerife — are typically about half a degree warmer than Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.