Spain’s Climate
Spain’s climate and particularly its sunshine is a major attraction for people to live in Spain with most areas (apart from the North and Northwest) seeing over 300 days sunshine a year. Spain is one of the warmest and sunniest countries in Europe, but there are variations in weather patterns depending on which area of Spain you are in. You will experience mild summers and cold winters in the northern regions and hot summers and mild winters in the south.
Spain’s location between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea creates three main climatic zones. The south and east coasts have a Mediterranean climate, whereas the central inland areas have a continental climate and the north and northwest regions are oceanic.
Mediterranean Spain
The coastal Mediterranean region to the south encompasses the popular resort areas of the Costa Brava in the north, the Costa del Sol in the south and the Balearic Islands off the eastern coast.
Mediterranean Spain – Summer
For expats living in the region the 10 to 11 hours of sunshine a day are an attraction but the months of July and August can have a downside as the summer peak temperatures also attract large numbers of tourists making familiar haunts crowded and driving and parking more difficult.
July and August in Barcelona and Calpe see average high temperatures of 29°C and Malaga sees 31°C. These are average highs, however, and much higher temperatures are seen at times.
Summers also tend to be rather humid but the levante winds which are relatively mild often bringing welcome relief from the heat and at times you will have quite windy conditions in the heat.
Rain amounts are fairly minimal in the summer though they vary between the north and south with Malaga seeing only one day of rain generating 6mm in June and August with often none in July, while Barcelona to the north of the region has only two days of rain but sees 25mm in July and 5 days with around 60 mm in August.
Mediterranean Spain – Winter
Winters in Mediterranean Spain are generally mild and much warmer than inlands areas making it an attractive option for expats able to enjoy life throughout the year. Barcelona in the north has average October highs of 23°C with higher averages further south. November, December and January see up to 6 hours of sunshine per day.
Although Mediterranean Spain is generally fairly dry, winter is not immune from rainfall. The further north you go the higher the rainfall averages. Thus Calpe with average high temperatures still at 27°C in September and 24°C in October sees an average of 77.5mm of rainfall over 9 days in September and 70.5mm over 11 days in October. Even in December Malaga has average highs of 18C and sees rainfall peak later in the year than further north with 101mm over 6 days in November and 100mm over 7 days in December.
Central Spain
The interior of Spain has a continental climate with extremely hot and dry summers and much colder winters than the Mediterranean regions.
Central Spain – Summer
The summer months in central Spain are sunny with 10 to 11 hours of sunshine and very hot with temperatures often peaking at over 35 °C. Madrid for example sees an average daily maximum of 33 °C during July and August. Temperatures tend to be even higher further south where places in the Guadalquivir valley record some of the hottest temperatures in Europe
Rainfall is generally low across the region throughout the winter months though some short and heavy showers can be experienced in spring and early summer.
Central Spain – Winter
In contrast to the hot summers, winter tends to be cold with average highs of 10°C to 12°C from December to February in Madrid and some extremely cold temperatures with lows of -15 °C seen at times.
These low temperatures are often accompanied by heavy rainfall. Madrid sees 50mm of rainfall in November and December and rainfall stays fairly high through to May.
Over the year this region is generally fairly dry, but late autumn and winter is the wettest time of year with the monthly averages increasing.
North and Northwest Spain
The North and Northwest has a wet and temperate oceanic climate in stark contrast to the rest of the country.
North and Northwest Spain – Summer
The North and Northwest is cooler and wetter than the rest of Spain, but still has sunny and warm weather in the summer.
Bilbao sees average highs of 25°C to 26 °C in July and August with 6 to 7 sunshine hours in the summer months. From June to September monthly average rainfall ranges from 40mm to 60mm.
North and Northwest Spain – Winter
Winters see rainfall on around half the day each month with 110mm to 120mm in November and December and 80mm to 90mm a month in January to March with a further peak in April at 120mm before reducing for the summer.
Spain’s climate is a major attraction and allows people to enjoy an outdoor active lifestyle. Whether you are moving with family to take up a new life in Spain or retiring to Spain, Spain’s climate will ensure you can get the best out of your life.
Articles you may find useful:
Move Myself To Spain From The UK