As spring turns into summer in Tenerife, the Las Cañadas del Teide see the blooming of the spectacular Red Tajinaste flowers (Echium wildpretii). These flowers can grow up to three meters tall and are best seen towards the end of May and into June.
Daytime Maximum Temperatures
Tenerife South Airport sees average daily highs of 23.9°C in May, though temperatures may be slightly higher in urban areas such as in the main southern tourist hotspots of Playa de las Americas and Costa Adeje. In the south, the coolest days will still reach 21°C, while the hotter days will hit the high 20s Celsius. The highest temperature ever recorded at Tenerife South Airport in May is 37.7°C – recorded on the 13th of the month in 2012.
Santa Cruz sees similar temperatures to the south at this time of year, while Tenerife North Airport sees average highs of 20.1°C.
Nighttime Low Temperatures
Temperatures in the southern resorts and Santa Cruz see average minimums of between 17 and 18°C in May. There is still a chance of a 14 or 15 degree evening, so it is still worth packing that jacket or cardigan.
Elsewhere, Tenerife North Airport sees average lows of 12°C, and the weather station at Izaña sees average lows of 5.8°C.
Cloud Cover
As usual, the south is sunnier than the north, though Santa Cruz is fairly sunny at this time of year with a median of just 2.5 completely overcast days during the month (compared to 2 in the south). Tenerife North Airport is cloudier with a median of 5 overcast days in May, and Puerto de la Cruz often sees some thin cloud.
Rain
The south is normally dry in May, and Tenerife South Airport sees an average of less than one day with any appreciable rain (over 0.1mm) during the month. It’s a different story in the north of the island though, and Santa Cruz sees an average of 2.9 days with appreciable rain, while Tenerife North Airport sees 7.3 days with appreciable rain. Rain doesn’t tend to be heavy in Santa Cruz, with an average total of just 3.6mm during May.
Sea Temperature
The sea around Tenerife usually hits 20°C towards the end of the month – warm enough for a quick swim, but you will probably still need a wetsuit for any activities that involve an extended amount of time in the water.
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