Wednesday, 01 July 2015 06:12

Super Useful Gran Canaria Weather Websites

Gran Canaria's weather forecast is mostly sunny Gran Canaria's weather forecast is mostly sunny www.photosgrancanaria.com

These super-useful weather resources are what we use to check the daily weather forecast all over Gran Canaria.

What do you need a weather forecast in Gran Canaria for? Isn't it always sunny? Well mostly it is, at least in the south, but different bits of the island have their own microclimates so it's always useful to know what to expect.

The Ultimate Gran Canaria Weather Guide

AEMET: State Weather Agency

Spanish Waether service websiteThe best weather forecast for Gran Canaria is from the Spanish State Weather Agency, called the AEMET. Its website gives detailed information on the weather in each Gran Canaria municipality and even a forecast for each main beach. The website has an English version (click on welcome in te top right corner of any page for the English version)  and most of the information is displayed in symbols and is easy to understand. The AEMET is also the source of all the weather warnings we publish for Gran Canaria: Heat warnings in the summer and the occasional wind and wet weather warnings in winter. 

Click here for the forecast by Gran Canaria municipality. You want San Bartolome for San Agustín, Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas, and Mogán for Puerto Rico, Arguineguín, Taurito and Mogán. For the weather forecast for your favourite Gran Canaria beach, check this AEMET page.

Click here to see an AEMET map of the water temperature in Gran Canaria and the Canary Islands.

AEMET even has a dust forecast for calima periods.

MET Norway

MET Norway weather forecast websiteThe Norwegian Meteorological Institute has excellent live maps of weather conditions for the Canary Islands (and the rest of Europe). They include live rain, temperature and wind maps, as well as graphic forecasts for the next week. The text is all in Norwegian but the information is all graphic and easy to understand.

On the rare occasions when we get heavy rain, this is the site to check to see what is coming. It's also a useful guide to temperatures in Gran Canaria during the summer.

Click here for the live weather map and click through the options on the left-hand side of the screen.

Wind Guru

Wind Guru wind and wave forecasts websiteThe website for wind and wave forecasts in Gran Canaria, windguru gives detailed and accurate information for swells, wind speed and wind direction for Gran Canaria as a whole and for important water sports areas such as the east coast around Pozo Izquierdo. 

Windguru is excellent if you are planning to learn to surf in Gran Canaria as its forecasts are pretty accurate so you can pick a few days with waves (you don't want them too big if you're learning). 

The Maspalomas forecast is a great way to assess how windy it will be on Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés beaches. If you see red numbers in the wind row, it may be a good day to head round the corner to Anfi or Amadores beach instead. 

The Best Climate In The World

best climateFor a stack of interesting facts and info about the climate of Gran Canaria and the Canary Islands, visit the Tourist Board microsite that is unapologetically called "The Best Climate In The World". It's got some great stuff about the climate and the history of tourism in the Canaries, an excellent weather forecast with detailed info about each Gran Canaria beach, and even a cool video with a Canary in it (see below).

There's even a fun app under the weather forecast map that lets you compare the climate in the Canary Islands to your home city.

El Tiempo

The best site for local forecasts for each resort and beach in Gran Canaria. The text is in Spanish but the weather icons and temperature data are easy to understand. 

While this forecast is pretty accurate if you look a couple of days ahead, take any forecast that goes more than a week into the future with a pinch of salt. 

Media

The best Climate In The World www.thebestclimateintheworld.com

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Tip of the day

  • How To Choose A Legal Gran Canaria Airport Transfer
    How To Choose A Legal Gran Canaria Airport Transfer

    Gran Canaria's hotels have to be licensed and offer a quality level of service as well as having insurance and complying with fire regulations. The same goes for the boats that take people out to watch dolphins, the companies offering jeep safaris, and even the holiday let apartments. 

    However, not everybody in Gran Canaria follows the rules. For example, there is a significant industry running illegal and uninsured transfers between Gran Canaria airport and the island's resorts. These cars, driven by locals and foreign-residents, are just private vehicles and the drivers are unregulated and uninsured. They don't pay tax and there is no way to hold them responsible if something goes wrong. 

     At Gran Canaria Info we believe that all people and all companies offering services to tourists should legal and above board.

    So, how do you know that your airport transfer service is legal and registered with the Gran Canaria authorities?

     Using legal Gran Canaria airport transfers

    It is quite easy to know if your airport transfer service is operating in a legal way because all registered transfers have the following...

     A blue license plate: Taxis and other public service vehicles in Gran Canaria all have blue plates.

    A VTC sticker in the window: This stands for Vehículo de Transporte con Conductor, the official designation for licensed transfer drivers ans chauffeurs.

    An SP sticker on the car: This indicates that the car offer a Servicio Publico or public service and is therefore allowed to pick up and transfer members of the public. 

    Parked in the transport zone: Official airport transfer vehicles don't park in the public car park of the airport. Instead they have their own parking zone right by the arrivals gates at the airport (next to the taxis and package tour buses). Your transfer driver therefore should not have to pay a parking fee before leaving the aiport. 

    How to spot an unlicensed transfer service

    Unlicensed drivers get away with offerring their service because they claim that they are just members of the public picking up a friend. They are allowed to stand at arrivals with a sign (just like any member of the public can).

    However, they also have to park their car in the public car park and will walk you there with your luggage, stopping to pay the parking fee at the meter. A licensed transfer driver does not need to do this because they have their own parking zone right by arrivals.

    Some unlicensed drivers don't even wait at the arrival gate because the official drivers recognise them and get annoyed. Instead they have to stand further away (often by the Spar supermarket or the car rental desks). 

    When an unlicensed driver drops you at the airport they will not want to be paid in a public area because this proves that they are charging rather than "transporting a friend" for free. 

    An unlicensed car will not have a blue license plate, or a SP or VTC sticker, and will often look like a private car (because it is a private car). 

    What's the problem with unlicensed airport transfers?

    Some people use unlicensed cars because they are the cheapest option and don't realise that they are unlicensed. 

    There are several problems with unlicensed services. The most obvious is that they are uninsured so if something goes wrong or there is an accident, you are not protected. The price that unlicensed drivers offer is only low because they cut corners (hopefully not literally). You have no way of even knowing if your unlicensed driver has a Spanish driving license, insurance and a good driving record. Licensed drivers are vetted regularly and must be fully insured and licensed to work.

    Another problem is that unlicensed transfers undermine the legitimate transfer drivers and businesses in Gran Canaria. Local drivers make a living from transfers and offer a legal, regulated service with minimum standards. Every time an unlicensed service undercuts them, it is effectively stealing from local people and the island economy.

    We believe that everybody in Gran Canaria deserves better!

    Gran Canaria Airport Transfer Services

    To find out more about the Gran Canaria airport transfer, see our Gran Canaria airport transfer article which explains the three different models; man/woman from pub with car, online transfer websites, and local transfer services.

    Or you can book a legitimate Gran Canaria airport transfer at a great price right here. Our service uses local drivers and supprts the island economy because all the money you spend stays in Gran Canaria.

    Alex Says: Using our service also helps the Gran Canaria Info team to keep providing quality local information here and in our Facebook Group

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