Climate Zones & Trade Wind Clouds — Microcontinents
Each of the major Canary Islands is a microcontinent with a range of climate zones that elsewhere are thousands of kilometers apart. The key to this is the trade winds, which push moist air from the northeast against the mountains.
The principle is simple yet spectacular: The moist trade winds from the North Atlantic hit the islands' mountains and are forced to rise. As they rise, the moisture condenses and forms the famous trade wind cloud layer (Mar de Nubes — "Sea of Clouds"), which lies like a lid on the north sides of the high islands at an altitude of 600–1,500 m. The result:
- North side (windward): Humid, green, cloudy — laurel forests and lush vegetation grow here. Cooler temperatures, more rain
- South side (leeward): Dry, sunny, desert-like — the tourist centers are located here. Less than 200 mm of rain per year
- Coast: Subtropical, 18–25 °C year-round, hardly any temperature fluctuation
- High altitudes (over 2,000 m): On Tenerife (Teide) and La Palma alpine climate — snow can fall in winter
The consequence for travelers: You can lie on the beach in the south at 28 °C, hike through the mystical fog forest in the north, and stand in the snow at 5 °C on Teide on the same day. Layered clothing is a must!
The flat eastern islands (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura) have no mountains to catch the trade wind clouds — hence they are consistently dry, sunny, and windy. Ideal for beach and water sports, less so for hikers.
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On Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and La Palma, you can experience the sea of clouds from above — the trade wind clouds hang at about 1,000 m altitude, forming an endless white sea beneath you. The best viewpoints: Pico del Inglés (Anaga, Tenerife), Roque Nublo (Gran Canaria), and Mirador de la Cumbrecita (La Palma).
