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The climate of Spain
Although most of us think it is always warm in Spain, this is not
always the case. Summers are warm to very warm indeed, but during the
winter large regions get (very) wintry weather. This is caused by the
presence of mountainous regions and the absence of the influence of
the Mediterranean Sea in the interior and in the northwestern part of
Spain. According to the Sydow-Wagner climate classification Spain has
three climate types:
- The islands and the coastal regions in the southern and eastern
parts have a Mediterranean climate
- The central part of Spain has a continental climate
- The northern and northwestern parts have a maritime climate
Climate information on cities, islands and regions
in Spain
The climate information on this page is only brief. Specific
information about weather and climate can be found on the climate
pages per area or town. As for Spain the following climate
information is available:
Winters in Spain
During the winter it may get fairly cold in Spain. The northern part
(south of the Pyrenees) and the central part of Spain have fairly cold
winters. Temperatures are a few degrees above freezing point on
average. Subzero temperatures during the night are not uncommon and
wintry precipitation in the form of snow, hail and glazed frost is not
uncommon. The northeast coast (Catalonia) and the north coast (Basque
Country) also get wintry weather.
Winter sports
During the winter and early spring you can practice your favorite
winter spots in the Pyrenees in the north and in the Sierra Nevada in
the south. The mountains north of Madrid also have enough facilities
to practice your favorite winter sports during the winter. During
spring you can also combine a winter sports holiday with a winter sun
holiday when you go skiing in the Sierra Nevada and stay along the
coast south of the mountains. Differences in temperatures of about 25
degrees Celsius (77.0 degrees Fahrenheit) within an hour’s drive are
not uncommon.
To winter in Spain
Spain is a popular destination to stay during the winter. The Costa
Blanca on the east coast is a very popular place to stay during the
winter because of its mild climate. During the winter temperatures
here are between 15-18 degrees Celsius (59.0-64.4 degrees Fahrenheit)
and precipitation figures are low. Temperatures on the Costa del Sol
are almost the same. However, it is slightly wetter here.
Canary Islands
Although the Canary Islands are officially part of Spain the climate
deviates from that of the Spanish mainland. This is because the
islands are geographically part of Africa. During the winter
temperatures are higher here on average. During the summer it is less
hot than along the Spanish coasts. An exception to this is when an
easterly wind comes from the Sahara supplying very warm air and
causing temperatures to rise above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees
Fahrenheit). This type of wind is also known as a Sirocco, when the
wind supplies desert dust this phenomenon is known as a Calima. When
this happens visibility is almost limited to nil and the extreme heat
causes a very unpleasant feel. Fortunately, these condition never last
long. During the winter the weather on the Canary Islands is
spring-like. However, bad weather with fierce winds and precipitation
is not uncommon. Especially when there is a high pressure area which
remains stationary above Western Europe fierce winds and heavy
rainfall are not uncommon from November till February.
Precipitation
On average Spain has low precipitation figures. Differences in when
and where precipitation falls are quite large. The autonomous regions
of Castilla Léon and Aragón in the northern part of the interior are
relatively dry, just like parts of Andalusia, the Costa Blanca and the
interior east and southeast of Madrid. These regions get less than 500
millimeters of annual precipitation, most of which falls during the
winter. The northern and northwestern parts of Spain are the wettest.
These regions also get precipitation during spring and fall. The
period from May till October is the driest period. However, heavy
thunderstorms are not uncommon. In some cases bad weather may even
last for a few days during the summer.
Heat
The first warmth of spring can be recorded in the most southern part
of Spain and on the Canary Islands. In March temperatures may already
rise up to 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit). From May it
gets warm in the largest part of Spain, it remains warm till
September; in some regions even till October. During the summer heat
waves are not uncommon. Along the coasts and in the central part of
Spain heat waves with temperatures around or even above 40 degrees
Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) are not uncommon. Going to Spain
during the summer almost always means guaranteed warm weather. The
city of Seville which is located in the southwestern part of the
country is among the warmest cities in the world during July and
August. Temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius (95.0 degrees
Fahrenheit) are not uncommon. Peaks in temperatures of 44-45 degrees
Celsius (111-113 degrees Fahrenheit) occur on a regular basis. This is
also why the locals have an afternoon siesta.
Climate figures
Throughout Spain several climate figures and temperatures can
be recorded. The figures below are for the capital Madrid and
cannot be seen as an average for the country. Please, visit the
individual climate pages for climate records on other places in
Spain.
More climate information
Climate tables are useful but they don’t give an overall picture of
the climate and possible weather conditions during a period of time.
How high the chances are of hot or cold weather or hurricanes can
often not be found in these tables. This is why we offer extra climate
information per month. The information below is an average for
Madrid. Please, visit the individual climate pages for climate
records on other places in Spain.
Disclaimer
The information at this site was carefully composed from climate data collected by meteorological services, meteorological offices, climate experts and other sources. “More climate info” is based on statistics, climate data and personal experience. No rights can be derived from this site. Weather has no memory and gives no guaranties. Nothing is as changeable and unpredictable as the weather. The authors of this site feel in no way responsible for any damages caused by misinterpretation or other circumstances that may influence your holiday or trip to a certain destination. We provide information, it’s up to the reader to use it to it’s benefit.
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= 0-5 mm ●
= 6-30 mm ●
= 31-60 mm ●
= 61-100 mm ●
= 101-200 mm ●
=
over 200 mm
