Best time to visit La Palma
The best time to visit La Palma for a beach holiday is from June to mid-October. Although anytime is good from May through October: spring and autumn are best for hiking and exploring the interior on foot and by car.
La Palma is considered a year-round destination, with good all-year sunshine and a mild climate.
La Palma weather
La Palma has a temperate climate with hot, dry summers. As the north-westernmost island of the Canaries, the climate of La Palma is subtropical oceanic in coastal areas: mild and sunny most of the year, with rainfall concentrated in autumn and winter.
La Palma is more verdant compared with other islands in the Canary archipelago, with thick forests of pine, and laurel among other species. Inland areas are generally cooler as altitude increases with more abundant rainfall.
Here are the average temperatures for Santa Cruz de La Palma, located on the east coast.
What is the best month to visit La Palma?
June through September are the best months to visit La Palma – the climate is perfect with hot, sunny weather and little to no rainfall.
July and August are especially popular, since this is the peak tourist season in La Palma.
To avoid the crowds, higher prices and extreme heat of summer, the months of May, October and November are also good for a range of outdoor activities.
Which is the hottest month in La Palma?
The hottest month in La Palma is usually August, with an average daily high temperature of 27°C (80°F), with moderate heat and humidity, and a low of 21°C (69°F)
On the hottest days of the month, the temperature typically reaches 30°C (86°F).
The hot season lasts from mid-July to mid-October, with an average daily high temperature above 26°C (78°F).
Which is the coldest month in La Palma?
The coldest month in La Palma is February, with an average high-temperature of 21°C (69°F) and an average low-temperature of 15°C (59°F).
The cool season lasts from mid-December to late-April, with an average daily high temperature below 22°C (71°F).
Which is the sunniest month in La Palma?
The sunniest month in La Palma is usually July, with an average of 7.5 hours of bright sunshine per day – that's an average of 55% of daylight hours.
What is the humidity in La Palma?
La Palma experiences seasonal variation in perceived humidity, with approximate average relative humidity calculated at between 65% – 70% over the course of the year.
The more humid time of year lasts from July through October, when you can expect the comfort level to be muggy at least 15% of the time.
The months with the most muggy days in La Palma are August and September, with around 16 days in each month that are muggy.
We derive the humidity comfort level from the dew point temperature, which measures moisture content in the air. A higher dew point feels muggy and uncomfortable.
December through April is generally comfortable, with less than one day in any month that is muggy.
When is the sea warmest in La Palma?
The sea is usually at its warmest in La Palma in September when the water temperature reaches 24°C (75°F), which is warm enough for swimming.
Which month has the most rain in La Palma?
December is usually the wettest month of the year in La Palma, with 75mm (3in) of rainfall on average, distributed across seven days.
The rainy season lasts from mid-October through to mid-March. Inland areas generally receive more rainfall than coastal areas.
The dry season lasts from mid-March through to mid-October. The month with the least rainfall in La Palma is July.
Which is the windiest month in La Palma?
The windiest month of the year in La Palma is July, with an average hourly wind speed of 24 kilometres per hour (15 mph; 13 knots).
The windy part of the year lasts from mid-June to late-August, with average wind speeds of more than 20 kilometres per hour (12 mph; 11 knots).
The less-windy time of year lasts from September to mid-June. The calmest month of the year in La Palma is October, with an average hourly wind speed of 17 kilometres per hour (10.6 mph; 9 knots).
The predominant average hourly wind direction varies throughout the year in La Palma.
La Palma Weather Averages
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Average high temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 22 |
| Average low temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 17 |
| Average daily sunshine (hrs) | |||||||||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Average daily daylight (hrs) | |||||||||||
| 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfort level | |||||||||||
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| Average relative humidity (%) | |||||||||||
| 65 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 67 | 69 | 69 | 70 | 69 | 68 | 67 | 66 |
| UV Index (max) | |||||||||||
| 4 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| Average days of rainfall (≥1mm) | |||||||||||
| 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Average monthly rainfall (mm) | |||||||||||
| 40 | 50 | 25 | 20 | 5 | - | - | - | 10 | 40 | 55 | 75 |
| Average wind speed (km/h) | |||||||||||
| 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 24 | 22 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 20 |
| Average sea temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 21 |
| Santa Cruz de La Palma, La Palma, Canary Islands | |||||||||||
Holiday seasons
Peak season: August is the major vacation month for most Europeans, with many hotels booked out. Traffic, restaurants and beaches are at their most congested.
High season: June and July; not quite as bad as August for crowds and general congestion.
Low season: Spring and autumn when prices are competitive, with minimal foreign visitors and Spanish tourists, while the temperature is still warm and pleasant.
Source: Meteorological data for the La Palma is based on weather statistics gathered for the 30-year period 1991 to 2020 by Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET) – Spain's meteorological agency – from the closest weather station: La Palma Airport (SPC), located 8km (5mi) south of the city of Santa Cruz de La Palma.
Advice on the best time to visit a particular destination is based on average local weather statistics, when the weather conditions are generally better than at other times of the year. We consider high and low temperatures, risk of rain (and thunderstorms, etc.), amount of sunshine and sea temperature. For general outdoor activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 18°C (64°F) and 27°C (80°F); and for hot-weather activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 24°C (75°F) and 32°C (89°F). Often, the best times to visit correspond to high season and therefore involve higher prices.
Latest update: Best time to visit La Palma: 12 May, 2024
Disclaimer: The information on this site is provided as is, without any assurances as to its accuracy or suitability for any purpose. Weather data and conditions at any given location and time are unpredictable and variable. We assume no responsibility and can not be held legally responsible for any decisions made on the basis of the information presented on this site.
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