Tenerife weather in December

In December, Tenerife sees average daytime highs of 19°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 32 mm of rain across 6.4 wet days and about 10.2 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 19°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 46% of the time in December, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 18 min at the start of December to 10 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Tenerife's 11th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Tenerife's year-round climate.

Daytime high
19°
7th warmest
Overnight low
18°
6th coldest
Rainfall
32 mm
6.4 wet days
Daylight
10 h 12 min
7:55 AM – 6:07 PM
Cloud cover
47%
11th clearest
Wind
19 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
3.31 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

Tenerife is innhabited place in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.

Founded
1494

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 19°C through the month.

A typical December day in Tenerife reaches about 19°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 17°C and 20°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C cooler than November and about 1°C warmer than January.

15°18°20°23°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11918
21918
31918
41918
51918
61918
71918
81918
91918
101918
111918
121918
131918
141918
151918
161918
171918
181918
191918
201918
211918
221918
231917
241917
251917
261917
271817
281817
291817
301817
311817

Tenerife weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 7th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan18° / 16°245.110.46.6
Feb17° / 16°255.5116.3
Mar17° / 16°224.611.86.6
Apr18° / 17°13312.76.9
May19° / 18°61.913.47.5
Jun20° / 19°41.313.87.9
Jul21° / 20°51.713.68.1
Aug22° / 21°51.2138.5
Sep22° / 21°82.112.28.4
Oct22° / 21°235.111.37.7
Nov20° / 19°306.810.67.0
Dec19° / 18°326.410.26.8

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 46% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 35%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16535
26436
36436
46436
56337
66337
76238
86238
96238
106337
116337
126337
136337
146337
156337
166436
176436
186535
196535
206535
216634
226634
236733
246733
256733
266832
276832
286832
296931
306931
316931

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Tenerife gets around 32 mm of rain over 6.4 wet days in December, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 21% and peaks near 23% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
122
223
323
423
523
623
723
823
923
1023
1123
1223
1323
1423
1523
1623
1722
1822
1921
2020
2120
2219
2319
2418
2517
2617
2716
2816
2916
3015
3115

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the comfortable band about 46% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
13247201
23248191
33249191
43249181
53150181
63151171
73151171
83151171
93151171
103151171
113151171
123250171
133251170
143251170
153350170
163349181
173448181
183547181
193646181
203744181
213843181
223942181
234141181
244240181
254339171
264538170
274638160
284737150
294837140
304937130
315137120

Wind in December

Winds average 19 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
220light breeze
320light breeze
420light breeze
519light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1519light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1819light breeze
1919light breeze
2019light breeze
2119light breeze
2219light breeze
2319light breeze
2419light breeze
2519light breeze
2619light breeze
2719light breeze
2819light breeze
2919light breeze
3019light breeze
3119light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 18 min at the start of December to 10 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:45 AM to 8:02 AM, and sunset from 6:04 PM to 6:15 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.37:456:04
210.37:466:04
310.37:476:04
410.37:476:04
510.37:486:05
610.37:496:05
710.37:506:05
810.27:506:05
910.27:516:05
1010.27:526:05
1110.27:526:06
1210.27:536:06
1310.27:536:06
1410.27:546:06
1510.27:556:07
1610.27:556:07
1710.27:566:07
1810.27:566:08
1910.27:576:08
2010.27:576:09
2110.27:586:09
2210.27:586:10
2310.27:596:10
2410.27:596:11
2510.28:006:11
2610.28:006:12
2710.28:006:12
2810.28:016:13
2910.28:016:13
3010.28:026:14
3110.28:026:15

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 3.31 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.31 kWh/m² to a high of 7.37 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 3.31 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.4Moderate
23.4Moderate
33.4Moderate
43.4Moderate
53.4Moderate
63.3Moderate
73.3Moderate
83.3Moderate
93.3Moderate
103.3Moderate
113.3Moderate
123.3Moderate
133.3Moderate
143.3Moderate
153.3Moderate
163.3Moderate
173.3Moderate
183.3Moderate
193.3Moderate
203.3Moderate
213.3Moderate
223.3Moderate
233.3Moderate
243.4Moderate
253.4Moderate
263.4Moderate
273.4Moderate
283.4Moderate
293.4Moderate
303.4Moderate
313.4Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Tenerife

In seasonPeak

None of Tenerife's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Tenerife sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Tenerife sees seasonal dust haze (July–August), heaviest in July.

Atlantic hurricane
Dust
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Tenerife?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.8
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
2.8
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Tenerife for sightseeing.

What to pack for Tenerife in December

From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In December, Tenerife sees daytime highs around 19°C and nights near 18°C. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 6 days see rain.

Sea temperature near Tenerife in December

The nearest coast averages about 21°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 16 km away) is warmest in September at about 24°C and coldest in March near 19°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 10 to Jan 8 — about 8 months when the water holds above 20°C.

18°20°22°24°26°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan20Cool
Feb19Cool
Mar19Cool
Apr19Cool
May20Refreshing
Jun21Refreshing
Jul22Refreshing
Aug23Refreshing
Sep24Refreshing
Oct24Refreshing
Nov22Refreshing
Dec21Refreshing

UV index in Tenerife in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Tenerife peaks around July 17 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 4 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highModerateJul 17UV 11Dec 18UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb6High
Mar9Very high
Apr9Very high
May10Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep9Very high
Oct9Very high
Nov5Moderate
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Tenerife in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Tenerife is worst in February — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.9× the cleanest month (June, 6 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodGoodModerateFeb 1118 µg/m³Jun 147 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan16Moderate
Feb19Moderate
Mar10Good
Apr8Good
May8Good
Jun6Good
Jul9Good
Aug13Moderate
Sep8Good
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec16Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Tenerife?

Tenerife sits at 28.5°N, 16.3°W, 10 m above sea level, in Spain. The nearest listed city is La Laguna, 7.0 km away.

Topography around Tenerife

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Tenerife.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Tenerife has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 543 m around an average of 113 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,515 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,670 m.

The land around Tenerife is covered by water (37%) and artificial surfaces (31%) within 3 km, water (55%) within 16 km, and water (82%) within 80 km.

3 km
543 m
16 km
1,515 m
80 km
3,670 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: La Laguna 7.0 km · Tacoronte 15 km · Candelaria 17 km · Güimar 23 km · La Orotava 28 km · Puerto de la Cruz 30 km · Los Realejos 33 km · Realejo Alto 34 km

Spain travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 65% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$38,627
2025
Happiness
6.5 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
99%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
3.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 540
Religion
Roman Catholic 58%atheist 16%agnostic 11%non-believer 11%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Tenerife (28.4682°, -16.2546°, elevation 10 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).