Puerto de la Cruz weather: today, 7-day forecast & sea temperature

Weather in Puerto de la Cruz vs. the south of Tenerife

Puerto de la Cruz is situated on the north coast of Tenerife. There, right at the foot of the Orotava Valley and just a few metres above sea level, the land rises steeply up towards the Mount Teide massif. These geographical features influence the weather in Puerto: the north-easterly trade winds push moist Atlantic air up against the slope, where it rises, cools as it ascends and forms a blanket of clouds. The clouds often thicken as the day progresses. The trade winds are so reliable in this region that the northern area around Puerto de la Cruz and La Orotava is considered evergreen.

For holidaymakers, this means that the sun may be shining in the south of Tenerife whilst it is overcast in Puerto de la Cruz. And, of course, the other way round too. The difference can be huge: there is often a difference of several degrees between the north and south of Tenerife.

The climate in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife

The average annual temperature is 21 degrees. The variation from month to month remains remarkably small: the average difference between the coolest month, February (18.2 degrees), and the warmest month, September (24.1 degrees), is less than six degrees Celsius.

The Atlantic Ocean warms up slowly in summer and takes longer to release that heat. As a result, the peak temperature also shifts towards autumn. At 23.1 degrees, October is practically on a par with July, when the average temperature reaches 23.2 degrees.

Rainfall in Puerto de la Cruz is moderate, averaging 250 millimetres over the year. However, almost none of this falls in summer: July brings 0.6 millimetres and August 1.9. The wettest month is November, with 54.8 millimetres. Cloud cover ensures that humidity remains between 65 and 75 per cent all year round.

Long-term averages from the AEMET station at Puerto de la Cruz, at an altitude of 25 metres.

Swimming conditions in Puerto de la Cruz

The town has three official bathing areas: Playa Jardín with its black lava sand, Playa de Martiánez and Playa de San Telmo. All have roughly the same weather data and sea temperatures. The section above shows the current water quality at each of these beaches.