Your April weather guide
WarmWeather in Canary Islands in April
April is a good time for the Canary Islands if you want mild warmth and mostly dry days rather than strong heat. Average daytime highs are 20.4°C, compared with London's 13.5°C, so it is a useful step up from spring at home. The catch is the sea: at 19.2°C, swimming feels bracing. Go for time outdoors and comfortable daytime exploring, but pack a layer for evenings and keep expectations of hot beach weather modest.
Long-term climate averages for Maspalomas (Gran Canaria), not a forecast · 1991-2020
Canary Islands, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Maspalomas (Gran Canaria).
- Average daytime high
- 20.4°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 23°C
- Average night-time low
- 16.6°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 15°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +6.9°C
- London averages 13.5°C in April
- Sea temperature
- 19.2°C
- year to year: 19°C to 20°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 8.0h
- 63% of 12.7 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 3
- 10 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 71%
- Days over 25°C
- 3%
- 1% over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 35.5°C
- 2017-04-17
- Record low 1991-2020
- 11.3°C
- 2000-04-07
- Flight from London
- ≈ 4 h 24 min
- 2904 km, short-haul (estimate for a direct flight)
Records are observed extremes within 1991-2020, not typical holiday conditions. Warm-day percentages are shares of days, not day counts.
How April compares
April is the 8th warmest month of the year in Canary Islands. Within Spain it is 20th of 87 (Spain in April). Against London's average high of 13.5°C in April, Canary Islands is 6.9°C warmer by day and 11.5°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in April
The typical April day in Canary Islands peaks at 20.4°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 22.6°C or more. Roughly 1 in 30 days top 25°C and 1 in 200 pass 30°C. Nights average 16.6°C; one night in ten drops to 14.9°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest April day here reached 35.5°C (2017-04-17) and the coldest night 11.3°C (2000-04-07).
Rain in April
Dry (3 rainy days or fewer): about 3 days with 1 mm or more, 10 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest April was 2019 with 49 mm, the driest 2005 with 0 mm. Humidity averages 71%.
Sea temperature in April
The sea averages 19.2°C - bracing (18-22°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 18.5°C to 19.9°C. For the warmest sea here, come in September (23.4°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 8.0 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 12.7 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:38 and sets about 20:27 local time in mid-April. Average cloud cover is 37%.
Is April a good time to visit Canary Islands?
It is a reasonable choice: warm days. The best months for Canary Islands on our scoring are July, August, September; months averaging 25°C or more: Jul, Aug, Sep.
Warm enough for light clothes, but not reliably hot
April suits travellers who prefer being outdoors without much heat. Days reaching 25°C account for just 3%, so think T-shirts in the sunshine rather than guaranteed hot afternoons. There is about 8.0 hours of sunshine within 12.7 hours of daylight, leaving plenty of time for outdoor plans, though sunshine is not continuous. Rain is usually a minor interruption: about 3 rainy days makes a flexible itinerary more useful than planning around wet weather. Light daytime clothes, sun protection and a packable rain layer are sensible choices. You are unlikely to need to arrange every outing around avoiding midday heat, but shade can still be welcome in direct sun.
Treat swimming and evenings as the cooler part of the trip
The sea is the main compromise if swimming is central to your holiday. An average of 19.2°C is bracing rather than comfortably warm, and the year-to-year range of 18°C to 20°C does not suggest bath-like conditions. It may suit you for a brief dip if you tolerate cool water; it is less appealing for lingering in the sea. Bring something dry to put on afterwards. Evenings also call for more than beach clothes, with average night lows of 16.6°C and the coldest nights reaching 14.9°C or below. A jumper or light jacket and long trousers should earn their place in your luggage, especially if you plan to sit outdoors after dark.
A little perspective
Canary Islands through the year
April is highlighted. See how it compares with the rest of the year.
| Month | Day | Night | Sea | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19.1°C | 15.7°C | 19.5°C | 6.4 | 15 | 3 | 0% |
| February | 19.2°C | 15.6°C | 18.8°C | 7.1 | 20 | 3 | 2% |
| March | 19.9°C | 16.0°C | 18.8°C | 7.6 | 16 | 3 | 4% |
| AprilSelected | 20.4°C | 16.6°C | 19.2°C | 8.0 | 10 | 3 | 3% |
| May | 21.6°C | 17.7°C | 20.0°C | 8.8 | 4 | 1 | 6% |
| June | 23.3°C | 19.4°C | 21.1°C | 10.1 | 2 | 1 | 17% |
| Julybest | 25.1°C | 20.9°C | 21.9°C | 11.1 | 0 | 0 | 45% |
| Augustbest | 25.9°C | 21.9°C | 22.8°C | 10.4 | 1 | 0 | 58% |
| Septemberbest | 25.3°C | 21.5°C | 23.4°C | 8.6 | 6 | 1 | 53% |
| October | 24.2°C | 20.5°C | 23.2°C | 7.0 | 17 | 4 | 29% |
| November | 22.0°C | 18.7°C | 22.1°C | 6.0 | 17 | 4 | 10% |
| December | 20.2°C | 16.9°C | 20.6°C | 6.1 | 30 | 5 | 1% |
Day = average daytime high, night = average night-time low, 1991-2020.Sun is hours per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more.
Day, night and sea
Monthly average temperatures, 1991-2020
- Day
- Night
- Sea
Best months here
On warmth, low rainfall and sunshine, start with these.
Keep exploring
Similar in April
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Canary Islands in April FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Canary Islands hot in April?
Canary Islands is warm in April: the average daytime high is 20.4°C and nights average 16.6°C. Roughly 1 in 30 April days reach 25°C.
Can you swim in the sea in Canary Islands in April?
The sea around Canary Islands averages 19.2°C in April, which is bracing - fine for a quick dip, cool for long swims. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 19°C to 20°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Canary Islands in April?
Canary Islands sees about 3 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 10 mm of rain in a typical April. The wettest April between 1991 and 2020 was 2019 (49 mm) and the driest was 2005 (0 mm).
How sunny is Canary Islands in April?
Canary Islands gets around 8.0 hours of sunshine a day in April out of 12.7 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Canary Islands compare with the UK in April?
Canary Islands is on average 6.9°C warmer than London by day in April (20.4°C against 13.5°C).
What is the hottest April on record in Canary Islands?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest April day in Canary Islands reached 35.5°C on 2017-04-17, and the coldest night dropped to 11.3°C on 2000-04-07.
Is April a good choice for a short break from the UK?
Yes, if your priority is warmer days and generally dry weather rather than strong heat. The flight from London is about 4 h 24 min, making this a short-haul option with useful daylight for spending time outdoors.
Can I rely on hot weather in April?
No. April is warm rather than hot, with an average daytime high of 20.4°C. Only 3% of days reach 25°C, so choose it for comfortable outdoor weather rather than a holiday that depends on consistently high temperatures.
Should I go in April or wait until summer?
Choose April if mild warmth and little rain suit your plans. July, August and September are the stronger overall weather choices. April works better for travellers who do not need pronounced heat and are happy with a bracing sea.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid) and NOAA Coral Reef Watch 5 km sea temperatures, 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Maspalomas (Maspalomas (Gran Canaria)). Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 3 km from that point. Sunshine hours are estimated from average cloud cover.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C