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February 2026 | Gazette Life | 17are showers, they are usually accompanied by rainbows, and the wet weather and calimas of December did provide the consolation of some stunning sunsets, with the entire western sky filled with shades of pale pink, deep salmon and glowing orange. Clear skies that follow rainfall also add to the beauty, meaning that the early months of the year are perfect for walking, hiking and getting out and about and discovering the beauty that Lanzarote has to offer. WEATHER WISDOM%u201cWhat will the weather be like next week/ month?%u201d is one of the most common enquiries by tourists planning a trip to Lanzarote, but reliable answers are almost impossible to give. This is a small island in a vast ocean. The best way to get an idea of the weather is to rely on previous years and the general patterns that affect the island. Rainstorms are most likely in late autumn and winter, showers in spring, summer often brings intense heat along with strong breezes while early autumn is generally calm and sunny.It%u2019s also the case that different parts of Lanzarote can experience different weather. Higher-lying areas inland are often colder than the coastal zones, and the north of the island often receives worse weather than the sheltered south. Long term weather forecasts for the Canaries are rarely very reliable, but large-scale models can warn of significant weather systems that may affect the islands up to a fortnight in advance. More precise forecasts are only possible a few days ahead.Weather watchers should get to know the AEMET website, where Spain%u2019s national meteorological service provides the most exhaustive information based on several weather stations on the islands, as well as important weather warnings. Other providers, such as the BBC rely on information from the American DTN group which is often quite different from the AEMET forecasts.Other apps, such as Windy and Windguru, are popular with surfers and provide online maps that show the development of major weather systems in the Atlantic. Nevertheless, although official forecasts are generally reliable, they are not infallible. Weather systems are so varied and Lanzarote so small that weather can take a freak turn, such as the heavy flooding that occurred in Costa Teguise last April, which was not predicted by any agency.