Destination guide
La Palma weather by month
July, August and September are the best months to visit La Palma for warm, mostly dry weather. August reaches an average daytime temperature of 24°C, while September has the warmer sea at 24°C. Summer suits swimming and long days outdoors without very high average temperatures. Spring is a good alternative if you prefer cooler conditions, while winter offers mild days rather than reliable beach weather. Autumn keeps its warmth, but rain becomes more likely.
- Hottest month
- 24.0°CAugust
- Coolest month
- 17.1°CFebruary
- Warmest sea
- 24.1°CSeptember
- Flight from London
- 4 h 24 minShort-haul (up to 4.5 h) · estimated
La Palma, month by month
A little perspective
La Palma through the year
Every month at a glance; "best" marks our three top months on warmth, dryness and sunshine.
| Month | Day | Night | Sea | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17.3°C | 14.9°C | 20.0°C | 6.2 | 21 | 4 | 0% |
| February | 17.1°C | 14.7°C | 19.4°C | 6.9 | 30 | 4 | 1% |
| March | 17.6°C | 14.9°C | 19.3°C | 7.3 | 24 | 4 | 1% |
| April | 18.2°C | 15.5°C | 19.7°C | 7.9 | 12 | 3 | 0% |
| May | 19.6°C | 16.7°C | 20.4°C | 8.7 | 3 | 1 | 1% |
| June | 21.5°C | 18.7°C | 21.6°C | 10.4 | 2 | 1 | 3% |
| Julybest | 23.0°C | 20.2°C | 22.4°C | 11.5 | 0 | 0 | 10% |
| Augustbest | 24.0°C | 21.2°C | 23.3°C | 10.8 | 1 | 0 | 14% |
| Septemberbest | 23.7°C | 20.9°C | 24.1°C | 8.8 | 4 | 1 | 13% |
| October | 22.1°C | 19.6°C | 23.8°C | 6.9 | 20 | 4 | 4% |
| November | 19.9°C | 17.7°C | 22.6°C | 5.8 | 26 | 5 | 2% |
| December | 18.3°C | 16.1°C | 21.1°C | 5.8 | 40 | 6 | 0% |
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.
When to go to La Palma
For beach weather, look at months where the daytime average clears 25°C and rainy days stay low: none reach a 25°C average here, so La Palma suits city breaks and walking more than beach holidays; the warmest is August. December is the wettest month (40 mm, about 6 rainy days) and July the driest (0 mm). The sea is warmest in September at 24.1°C and coolest in March at 19.3°C.
Getting there
A direct flight from London Gatwick to La Palma Airport (SPC, 16 km from Los Llanos de Aridane) takes roughly 4 h 24 min - short-haul (up to 4.5 h) by UK standards. Time-zone: Atlantic/Canary.
Records and extremes, 1991-2020
The hottest day recorded in La Palma between 1991 and 2020 reached 37.2°C on 27 August 2020; the coldest fell to 8.7°C on 25 December 2017. In August one day in ten tops 26.0°C and about 4% of days pass 30°C; in February one night in ten drops to 12.7°C or below. The wettest single month of the period was February 2018 with 154 mm, against a February average of 30 mm.
Sunrise, sunset and daylight in La Palma
Local time on the 15th of each month; daylight-saving rules as of 2020.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Sunshine/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:06 | 18:36 | 10.5 h | 6.2 h |
| February | 07:51 | 19:01 | 11.2 h | 6.9 h |
| March | 07:21 | 19:20 | 12.0 h | 7.3 h |
| April | 07:46 | 20:37 | 12.9 h | 7.9 h |
| May | 07:21 | 20:55 | 13.6 h | 8.7 h |
| June | 07:13 | 21:11 | 14.0 h | 10.4 h |
| July | 07:24 | 21:12 | 13.8 h | 11.5 h |
| August | 07:41 | 20:51 | 13.2 h | 10.8 h |
| September | 07:57 | 20:17 | 12.3 h | 8.8 h |
| October | 08:13 | 19:42 | 11.5 h | 6.9 h |
| November | 07:34 | 18:18 | 10.7 h | 5.8 h |
| December | 07:57 | 18:17 | 10.3 h | 5.8 h |
Winter and spring: mild days, with a drier turn in May
December, January and February suit travellers who want mild weather rather than heat. December averages 18°C by day, slipping to 17°C in January and February, so bring layers rather than packing only beachwear. Nights of 15°C to 16°C make a light jacket useful. December is the wettest month, with 6 rain days, so leave room to adjust outdoor plans. March and April both average 18°C during the day: comfortable for being active, but not especially warm for sitting still outdoors. May is the clearer turning point, reaching 20°C with just 1 rain day and 9 hours of sunshine. Choose it for a drier outdoor holiday, though the sea remains at 20°C and may feel cool when you first get in.
Summer: the strongest choice for sunshine and dry days
June brings daytime averages of 22°C and a sea temperature of 22°C, making it a good start to the swimming season if you dislike hotter weather. July warms to 23°C and has the most sunshine, at 12 hours a day. August is the hottest month, averaging 24°C by day and 21°C at night, with the sea reaching 23°C. All these summer months average 0 rain days, although that is not a guarantee of completely dry weather. Pack light clothes, sun protection and something light for evenings. Average temperatures are moderate, but shade and breaks around midday still make sense during those long sunny days.
Autumn: warmer water, but an increasing chance of rain
September is the strongest autumn choice for a swimming holiday: daytime temperatures and the sea both average 24°C, with just 1 rain day. It keeps August's warmth while offering less sunshine, at 9 hours a day. October stays comfortable at 22°C by day, and the sea holds at 24°C, so it suits travellers who value warm water more than reliably dry skies. The catch is the rise to 4 rain days. November cools to 20°C by day with 5 rain days, although the sea remains relatively warm at 23°C. Keep outdoor plans flexible and bring a light layer for evenings rather than expecting summer conditions throughout.
A little more detail
La Palma weather FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
What is the best time to visit La Palma?
Judged on warmth, low rainfall and sunshine, the best months in La Palma are August, September and July. August is the hottest month (average high 24.0°C) and February the coolest (17.1°C).
How many months a year is La Palma over 25°C?
No month in La Palma averages a daytime high of 25°C; 5 months average 20°C or more.
When is the rainy season in La Palma?
December is the wettest month in La Palma (40 mm on average) and July the driest (0 mm). Annual rainfall averages 183 mm.
What is the hottest temperature recorded in La Palma?
The hottest day recorded in La Palma between 1991 and 2020 reached 37.2°C on 27 August 2020; the coldest fell to 8.7°C on 25 December 2017. Records come from daily data for 1991-2020, not from a single station's all-time history.
When is the sea warmest in La Palma?
September and October have the warmest sea, averaging 24°C. September is the better choice if you also want drier weather, with 1 rain day compared with October's 4. August is another good option, with sea temperatures of 23°C.
Is La Palma suitable if I do not like intense heat?
La Palma's monthly daytime averages stay below 25°C, with August reaching 24°C. That makes summer a reasonable choice for warmth without very high average temperatures. May and November are cooler alternatives at 20°C, though May is much drier.
What should I pack for a winter visit?
Pack layers, a light jacket and rain protection alongside lighter daytime clothes. Winter daytime averages range from 17°C to 18°C, with nights at 15°C to 16°C. December has 6 rain days, so clothing that handles a shower is useful.
See also: Spain weather by month · where else is hot in August
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 Los Llanos de Aridane. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 3.8 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