Tenerife · Month comparison
December vs May
May ranks #1 overall vs December at #11. The sweet spot — 24C, near zero rain, schools still in session across most of Europe.
December
#11 of 12 months
Worth considering
Christmas and New Year — Europes warmest reliable December at a price.
- ↑22C Christmas Day is reliable — Tenerife is the warmest European destination accessible on a budget airline
- ↑Belen nativity scenes in La Laguna and Christmas market in Puerto de la Cruz add local flavour
May
#1 of 12 months
Best match
The sweet spot — 24C, near zero rain, schools still in session across most of Europe.
- ↑Driest month of the year (under 10mm rain) with low humidity and full sunshine
- ↑Hotels drop back 30-40% from Easter peaks — best value sunshine month before flights surge in June
| Factor | December | May |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 7 | 10 |
| Value score | 3 | 8 |
| Crowd score | 2 | 7 |
| Events score | 8 | 6 |
| Atmosphere | 8 | 9 |
| Avg high temp | 22°C | 24°C |
| Monthly rain | 40mm | 8mm |
| Daily sunshine | 6hrs | 9hrs |
December trade-offs
- ↓Christmas week and New Year prices spike to August levels — flights from UK push £400 return
- ↓Cloud cover and storm risk higher than November — guaranteed sunshine not guaranteed
- ↓Restaurants and attractions close 24-25 December and 1 January
May trade-offs
- ↓Sea is still on the cool side at 20C — fine for swimming but no warmer than a UK August
- ↓North-coast trade winds at their windiest, making east-coast beaches better suited to kitesurfers than sunbathers
Scores compare months within Tenerife. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →