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La Palma lies in both the cool north-easterly Canary current and the north-easterly trade winds, giving it a sunny climate with year-round moderate temperatures, rather cooler than would be expected given the latitude of the island.
Rainfall levels vary substantially across the island. The prevailing north-easterly trade winds bring moisture down to the Canaries, and the high altitude of the island means that most of this is deposited to the north-east. The southern part of the island is relatively dry and sunny. Temperatures drop substantially with altitude; average temperatures at El Roque de los Muchachos vary from 18°C in summer to 3°C in winter, with a typical daily range of 7°C.
La Palma is like all the other Canary Islands occassionally affected by winds from the Sahara desert, bringing very fine clouds of dust in suspension (calima). The months most affected are July and August.
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