Weather in Tenerife in January: The Right Time For a Beach Holiday?

My first trip to Tenerife happened in January. To be honest, I had low expectations about the weather in Tenerife in January, as I had previously been to the other two Canary Islands in winter – Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. I was humbly prepared for strong winds and an icy ocean and was going to spend lots of my holiday time in the heated pool. But Tenerife turned out better than I thought. I swear by all my flip-flops and dozens of bikinis, it really is the warmest and most windless island among the Canary Islands. What kind of weather to expect in Tenerife in January? Can you swim in Tenerife in winter? What clothes to bring? – You can find the answers to all these questions in this brilliant article.

Why Tenerife in January is an awesome idea?

So, you woke up one morning and realised that you wanted to escape from the winter city and swap winter for summer. It’s OK! I really understand and support you! 🙂 Who likes winter with grey skies and dismal weather anyway? Right, nobody.

Well, Tenerife is perfect for a January escape to warmer climes.

How hot is Tenerife in January?

Temperature in Tenerife in January

Tenerife’s daytime temperatures range between +19 and +23 degrees.
Temperatures at night range from +16-19 degrees.

Some days can be hotter, others cooler or windier. There are days when it can rain in the morning and even during an entire day. You may get 2 or 3 of these days in a month.

But overall, January weather in Tenerife is consistently good.

Moreover, at midday, it seems that the temperature is considerably higher than indicated by the thermometer. Don’t forget, Tenerife is relatively close to the equator. +23 degrees somewhere in Paris or London is not the same as +23 degrees in Tenerife.

Is Tenerife hot in January? The sun shines strongly here, so in January in Tenerife at 23 degrees, for instance on the Costa Adeje, you’ll get a proper summer day on the beach with sunbathing and swimming.

So if you want to swap your fur coat for a T-shirt and your boots for flip flops, make sure you head to Tenerife in January.

Where to stay in Tenerife in January ?

Here it is, the ubiquitous and most challenging question – where to stay in Tenerife? It seems to be as difficult a question as “to be or not to be.” Or “to go or not to go.”

And it’s a reasonable question indeed because the island is very diverse. In addition, different parts of the island have different climatic conditions.
To find an answer to this question, you’ll need to determine the purpose of your trip to Tenerife. What is your WHY? 🙂

So, where to stay in Tenerife in winter? If your main purpose is to forget about everything, lying on the beach and splashing in the ocean, then it’s best to stay in the south of the island. You can choose any resort from Los Cristianos to Los Gigantes. The weather there is always nice and sunny in January, with a minimum of cloudy days. It’s the hottest part of Tenerife in January.

If you want to practice windsurfing and other water sports, or simply like the wind to blow over you, choose El Medano.

If you’re interested in both beach and sightseeing, visiting fascinating sites, and going on excursions, then Puerto de la Cruz is the place to stay. There’s a wonderful black sand beach called Playa Jardín, surrounded by tropical greenery. There can often be waves in January, so for a quiet swim, you can go to the seawater pools of Lago Martianez. They are open in January and are full of holidaymakers.

What is the weather like in Tenerife in January?

On my first trip, the weather in Tenerife in January was amazing! Except for the days when a calima came to the Canary Islands.

So I’ll tell you a little bit about this extravagant climatic feature of Tenerife, the calima. The more extended version is here.

On the one hand, the temperatures got higher these days, and it got warmer. I was in the north of the island, in Puerto de la Cruz, on the days when the calima started. The beaches were packed. And yes, I was swimming in the ocean in the north of Tenerife in January! The water was really warm.

Some people (often those who live in the south and never visit the north) say that it’s impossible to swim in the north of Tenerife in January, but that’s not true.

Calima was light that time, so both locals and tourists were stuck on the beaches for days enjoying the January heat.

Then I moved to the south of Tenerife, Los Cristianos. Calima continued. But compared to the north, the difference was noticeable. The air in the island’s south was drier, so it was a bit harder to breathe.
Also, this dry air mixed with sandy dust made my eyes red. I wrote about what to do during the calima here. Moreover, during the calima, it was much hotter in the south than in the north: +29C in January, can you imagine!

Important: the calima is becoming more and more common in Tenerife. You need to be aware of it and be prepared for it. It is especially applicable to people from sensitive groups.

Is swimming in Tenerife in January possible?

I didn’t expect at all that I would be able to swim in Tenerife in January, but it turned out to be possible! Many thanks to the great Poseidon, I am very grateful for this opportunity.
The water temperature was quite comfortable for swimming, +20-21 degrees. Of course, it doesn’t compare with swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, let’s say in August when you can spend hours in the sea. But I enjoyed doing 30-minute swims a few times per beach session.

The warmest water was on the beaches in the island’s south, which have breakwaters. There are never big waves there, so the water warms up better in the sun. These are the beaches of Los Cristianos, Las Vistas, El Camison, and Costa Adeje. The weather in South Tenerife in January is quite good for swimming.

If you cringe when you hear the phrase “water temperature 19-21 degrees”, a great solution would be staying in a hotel with a heated pool.

There you can enjoy a swim at a pleasant 26 – 28 degrees, just like in the Mediterranean. Great news for those who hate chlorinated pools – many hotels in Tenerife fill their swimming pools with water straight from the ocean! Great, isn’t it? Honestly, I love Tenerife for this!

Things to do in Tenerife in January

January in Tenerife is also a time to see the island’s natural attraction, the almond blossom. Walking under the trees with pink almond blossoms is almost as popular with locals as cherry blossom days in Japan are with the Japanese. So if you have never seen an almond blossom, take a walk along the almond blossom trails to soak up the beauty. Just please mind the bees. They, too, are on an excursion to the almond blossom. It is best not to use sweet perfume so that the bees don’t mistake you for a flower.

What to wear in Tenerife in January?

As I was going to visit different parts of Tenerife with different climates, I brought clothes for different situations. And I’m very glad I did, as all these clothes came in handy for me.

What to pack for Tenerife in January? The first thing I put in my suitcase, of course, was a swimming suit, four swimming suits to be exact. Then dresses, T-shirts, shorts, skirts, flip-flops, sandals – everything one needs for daytime life in Tenerife.

The evenings were quite chilly and windy, so jeans, a blouse, and a light down jacket came in handy.
I also went to Teide volcano, so I brought trekking boots, a merino blouse, a jacket, and a fleece blouse. Be sure to pack a sun hat for daytime activities and a warm hat to protect your ears from the wind for night excursions to the volcano (such as the stargazing night excursions in Teide National Park).

As Tenerife has several climate zones, my recommendation for a holiday in Tenerife in January is to pack a little bit of everything, from a swimming suit and a light dress to a down jacket.

I wish you fantastic holidays in Tenerife in January!!!