Your December weather guide
WarmWeather in Canary Islands in December
Yes, December is a good time to visit the Canary Islands for mild warmth rather than a hot beach holiday. Daytime highs average around 20°C, nights stay near 17°C and the sea is about 21°C. For a UK traveller, that means lighter clothes during the day, a layer for evenings and swimming that may feel bracing. Go for comfortable outdoor weather, but leave room in your plans for rain and cooler spells.
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
- 20.2°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 22°C
- Average night-time low
- 16.9°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 15°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +12.5°C
- London averages 7.7°C in December
- Sea temperature
- 20.6°C
- year to year: 20°C to 21°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 6.1h
- 60% of 10.2 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 5
- 30 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 72%
- Days over 25°C
- 1%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 28.4°C
- 2018-12-07
- Record low 1991-2020
- 8.7°C
- 2017-12-25
- 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 December compares
December is the 9th warmest month of the year in Canary Islands. Within Spain it is 15th of 87 (Spain in December). Against London's average high of 7.7°C in December, Canary Islands is 12.5°C warmer by day and 14.2°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in December
The typical December day in Canary Islands peaks at 20.2°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 22.0°C or more. Roughly 1 in 111 days top 25°C. Nights average 16.9°C; one night in ten drops to 15.0°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest December day here reached 28.4°C (2018-12-07) and the coldest night 8.7°C (2017-12-25).
Rain in December
Some rain (4-8 rainy days): about 5 days with 1 mm or more, 30 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest December was 1991 with 147 mm, the driest 2011 with 0 mm. Humidity averages 72%.
Sea temperature in December
The sea averages 20.6°C - bracing (18-22°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 20.1°C to 21.2°C. For the warmest sea here, come in September (23.4°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 6.1 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 10.2 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:46 and sets about 18:09 local time in mid-December. Average cloud cover is 40%.
Is December 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 lighter clothes, not reliable heat
The daytime average is a clear step up from London's December high of 7.7°C, but this is not the month for dependable heat. Days reaching 25°C account for just 1%, so plan around comfortable warmth rather than hot afternoons. The warmer days reach 22°C or more, making light clothing useful when the sun is out. Even so, bring a jumper or light jacket: colder nights can fall to 15°C or below. A light top with an extra layer gives you more flexibility than packing only beachwear. December suits travellers who prefer being outdoors without intense heat and are happy to add a layer as the day cools.
Useful sunshine, with room for wet weather
December brings about 6.1 hours of sunshine within 10.2 hours of daylight, so there is a useful window for spending time outside, without expecting clear skies all day. Put your beach time or swimming in the warmer middle of the day and keep the rest of your plans flexible. There are about 4 rainy days, enough to justify a light waterproof but not a reason to rule the month out. Treat those figures as a guide rather than a promise for your stay. If your holiday depends on uninterrupted sun, December is a compromise; if you can switch plans when rain arrives, it is a reasonable choice.
A little perspective
Canary Islands through the year
December 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% |
| April | 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% |
| DecemberSelected | 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 December
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Canary Islands in December FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Canary Islands hot in December?
Canary Islands is warm in December: the average daytime high is 20.2°C and nights average 16.9°C. Roughly 1 in 111 December days reach 25°C.
Can you swim in the sea in Canary Islands in December?
The sea around Canary Islands averages 20.6°C in December, which is bracing - fine for a quick dip, cool for long swims. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 20°C to 21°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Canary Islands in December?
Canary Islands sees about 5 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 30 mm of rain in a typical December. The wettest December between 1991 and 2020 was 1991 (147 mm) and the driest was 2011 (0 mm).
How sunny is Canary Islands in December?
Canary Islands gets around 6.1 hours of sunshine a day in December out of 10.2 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Canary Islands compare with the UK in December?
Canary Islands is on average 12.5°C warmer than London by day in December (20.2°C against 7.7°C).
What is the hottest December on record in Canary Islands?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest December day in Canary Islands reached 28.4°C on 2018-12-07, and the coldest night dropped to 8.7°C on 2017-12-25.
Is the sea warm enough for swimming in December?
The sea averages 20.6°C, which is bracing rather than comfortably warm. Swimming is an option if you tolerate cooler water, but do not expect a warm soak. If sea temperature is your main priority, December may disappoint.
How long is the flight from London?
The flight from London takes about 4 h 24 min, making this a short-haul option for December warmth. The weather trade-off is straightforward: you get mild days rather than reliable heat, with some rain to allow for.
Is December the best month for warm weather?
No. July, August and September are better choices for warmth and are the strongest months overall. December makes more sense if you want mild winter days and can accept a bracing sea, cooler evenings and some rain.
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