The Weather in Tenerife in March

Mixed Weather

March often sees fairly mixed weather – there could be wall-to-wall sunshine, or it could be wet and cool. As always, the resort towns in the south (Playa de las Americas, Costa Adeje etc.) see the sunniest weather, so it’s best to choose accommodation in the south to maximise your chances of good weather.

Las Cañadas del Teide National Park
The sea of clouds and ‘lunar landscape’ in the Las Cañadas del Teide National Park

Daytime Temperatures

In the south of the island, March sees an average daytime maximum temperature of 23°C – with highs ranging between 20 and 29°C. In Santa Cruz, daily maximums are typically one or two degrees cooler than in the south, while Tenerife North Airport sees average highs of 18.2°C.

There is considerable variation in maximum temperatures in March, and average highs (in the south) have been above 25°C in some years. The record high for March is 34.2°C, recorded at Tenerife South Airport on the 27th of March 2017.


Nighttime Temperatures

Temperatures around the coast remain cool in March with nightly lows ranging between 12 and 20 degrees (the average at Tenerife South Airport is 15.6°C). Away from the coast nighttime temperatures are colder: Tenerife North Airport sees average lows of 10.7°C, and the Izaña Weather Station (2371m) sees average lows of just 2.7°C.

So, even if you are staying in one of the southern resort towns (Playa de las Americas, Costa Adeje etc.), you will still need a jacket or cardigan for the evenings. Incidently, the lowest temperature ever recorded at Tenerife South Airport in March is 9.6°C, recorded in 2011.

Cloud Cover

The usual pattern of cloudy in the north and sunny in the south continues in March. Tenerife South Airport sees an average of 2 overcast days during the month, and although there are some clouds on most days, there is also plenty of sunshine with an average of 9 completely clear days during the month. On the other hand, Tenerife North Airport sees an average of 6.8 totally overcast days in March, with only 4 completely clear days.

Rain

As with cloud cover, there is a massive difference between the north and south when it comes to rainfall. Tenerife South Airport gets an average of 2.7 days with appreciable rain during March, whereas Tenerife North Airport sees 9.6 days. In terms of total precipitation, Tenerife North receives an average of 61.4mm in March, while Tenerife South sees just 14.7mm. Santa Cruz sits somewhere between those extremes with an average of 37.8mm over the course of the month.

It should also be noted that the south of the island is subject to extreme variability, and it often does not rain at all in the south during March. Of course, extreme amounts of rain have also been recorded in March, and up to 53.3mm has been recorded in a single day at this time of year. Conversely, even during a dry year, the North always receives at least some rain.

Sea Temperature

The sea around Tenerife remains fairly cool in March with an average temperature of about 19°C. This is fairly cold, so if you plan on any water-based activities such as snorkelling or surfing, then a summer wetsuit is advisable.

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