February Weather in Gran Canaria

A Continent in Miniature

As always, it should be remembered that there are four distinct climate zones on the island of Gran Canaria, and the temperature and weather is often wildly different from one area to another. For the most part, in this article we will focus on the popular tourist areas in the south of the island.

Daytime High Temperatures

At Gran Canaria Airport, February daytime highs typically range between 19 and 25°C, with an average of 21°C. Meanwhile at Puerto de Mogan in the south, temperatures are distinctly higher, with average daily highs of about 24°C – and on some days into the high 20s Celsius. In the city of Las Palmas, high temperatures are similar to those at the Airport. The record high temperature for Puerto de Mogan in February is 31.7°C – recorded on the 7th of the month in 2010.

Nighttime Lows

At night, the situation is somewhat reversed, with the warmest temperatures being found in Las Palmas thanks to the effects of the urban heat island. The median low temperature in Las Palmas in February is about 16°C, and about 15°C elsewhere around the coast. The record low for Puerto de Mogan is 10.3°C – recorded in 2005. In the mountainous interior, it is considerably colder, with sub-zero temperatures and even snow possible at high altitudes.

Rain

There is huge variation in rainfall across the island at this time of year, and the northern part of the island will normally have more than twice the number of rainy days as the south. The average number of days with rain at the airport is 4.8 during February, while the southern resorts will typically see just 2.

The average total precipitation at the airport during the month is 24.4mm, though there may be none at all. Rain in February is subject to wild variation, and during some years, there can be substantial rain: the highest amount ever recorded at the Airport during the entire month is 125mm. In terms of torrential rain, the record total precipitation in a single day in February is 65.2mm at the Airport, and 12.3mm at Maspalomas.

Cloud

As always, the north-east half of the island is much cloudier than the south-west. Gran Canaria Airport sees some clouds in the sky on about 75% of days, while Maspalomas will likely see about half that number. On average, there are about two completely overcast days during the entire month. To put it another way: there are typically no clouds at all in the sky in the south on about 6 out of 10 days.

Windy?

February is not a windy time of year in Gran Canaria. The Airport (on the windier east side of the island) sees an average wind speed of 22kmph. On the leeward (South and South-west) side of the island where the big resorts such as Maspalomas, Puerto Rico and Puerto de Mogan are located, it is much less windy.

Sea Temperature

The sea is at its coldest at this time of year and is typically 18 or 19°C. This might be okay for a quick dip in one of the sheltered beaches on the south coast, but you will need a light wetsuit if you plan to spend a long time in the sea.