Tenerife weather in December
December is the heart of winter sun in Tenerife. It is the wettest month on the south coast, yet rain falls on only three or four days. The north is cooler and greener, and Mount Teide can turn white. The figures below are long-term averages from AEMET, the Spanish weather agency, for 1981 to 2010.
The south coast in December
Warm days, mild nights
At Tenerife South Airport, afternoons average 22.8°C and nights 16.5°C. It is a good guide to the resorts of the south coast, from Golf del Sur to Costa Adeje.
Sun and rain
The month has about 195 hours of sunshine, and rain of at least a millimetre falls on only about 4 days.
The sea
The sea is around 21°C, a little cooler than in November.
Daylight
The sun rises at about 07:40 at the start of the month and 08:00 at the end, and sets at about 18:10 and 18:20. Tenerife is on the same time as the UK.
North and south: where the sun is
The north of the island catches the trade-wind clouds, so it is greener, cloudier and wetter than the south.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
On the north-east coast, the capital is about as warm as the south, with afternoons of 22°C and nights of 17°C. It sees rain on about 5 days and 168 hours of sun. Transfers to Santa Cruz.
Tenerife North Airport
The airport sits at 632 metres by La Laguna, so it is cooler: about 17°C in the afternoon and 12°C at night, with rain on about 9 days. If you land there, keep a jacket in your cabin bag. Transfers from Tenerife North.
Mount Teide in December
At the Izana observatory, 2,369 metres up near Teide, December afternoons average 9°C and nights 2°C, with frost on about 8 nights. Snow falls there on about 2 days in the month. The cable car climbs higher still, to 3,555 metres, so take a warm jacket even after a day on the beach. More in the Tenerife guide.
What to pack for Tenerife in December
Summer clothes for the day, a light jumper for the evening, when the south coast drops to about 17°C, and a proper coat if you go up Mount Teide or stay in the north. Sun cream, too: the sun is still strong. A medium case and a cabin bag per person travel free with every transfer.
What's on: Christmas and New Year
Towns across the island see the old year out with fireworks, music and dancing. In Santa Cruz, the New Year party gathers around Plaza de la Candelaria.
Landing in Tenerife this December?
Your driver waits inside arrivals with your name on a sign, at a fixed price for the whole group. Tenerife weather in other months: November, January, February, March, and the whole year in our Tenerife guide.
Averages for 1981 to 2010 from AEMET stations at Tenerife South Airport, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife North Airport and Izana. Sea temperature: approximate average from published sea-temperature records. Sunrise and sunset: calculated for the south coast.