The whole territory of Spain can be divided into three parts according to the peculiarities of its climate: the climate is Mediterranean in the south of the country, continental in its central parts and Atlantic in the north-west of the country. In addition, it is worth highlighting the alpine climate in the Pyrenees, the semi-dry climate of Murcia, and the subtropical climate of the Canary Islands. Accordingly, the temperature in Spain for months will depend on what kind of territory we are talking about.
Atlantic climate: Galicia
The Atlantic climate is characteristic of the north and especially the north-west of Spain. This territory is often called "green Spain" and includes part of the Pyrenees mountains and the territory of Galicia.
In this part of Spain, the monthly temperature is such that the winters are relatively mild and the summers are hot. Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year and falls in large quantities. The Gulf Stream has a strong influence on the climate of the north-west of the country along the Atlantic coast. The weather here is warm, humid and cloudy almost all year round. The most precipitation falls in this part of Spain, while summer is relatively sunny and has low temperatures. The temperature drops day and night are small.
Galicia's weather is a prime example of the Atlantic climate in Spain. The average summer temperature here ranges from +20 ° C to +25 ° C. It is not so hot in the beginning of summer. So, in this part of Spain the weather in June is warm, the average temperatures are +16 ... +18 ° C. In winter, these figures fall to +10 ... +12 ° C, very rarely the thermometer in the winter drops below 0 ° C.
The rainy season in Galicia covers autumn, spring and winter. When moving from the north-west to the south-east of the Atlantic climate zone, the number of days in a year when it rains decreases from 150 to 110. Therefore, the best time to visit the north-west of Spain is summer, the weather from June to August is quite sunny and warm.
Continental Climate: Madrid
This type of climate is typical for most of the central territory of Spain, which is located on the central plateau and in the Ebro River Valley. The main features of the continental climate in this region are as follows:
- in this part of Spain, temperatures vary greatly by month and during the day and night;
- irregular precipitation, the average values of which range from 400 to 500 mm per year.
The northern part of central Spain is characterized by two periods of rain: from April to June and from October to November. In the southern part of central Spain, in turn, heavy rains occur in the fall, and also in the spring, in March. Here, summers are always hot and dry, and winters are cold and windy. Often frosts occur in winter, and in the mountainous areas it snows. In this part of Spain, the monthly air temperature varies greatly, from +2 ° C in January and February to +32 ° C in July and August. Here, peak summer temperatures often occur, which reach +40 ° C, while at night the temperature drops to +10 ° C.
Mediterranean climate
The zone of Spain with a Mediterranean climate extends along the entire southern coast of the country, starting from the Pyrenees mountains and ending with the territory of Andalusia. A feature of this type of climate is mild winters, long and hot summers, spring landscapes pleasing to the eye and rainy autumn.
This part of Spain is strongly influenced by the wet winds of the Mediterranean Sea and the dry and hot winds from northern Africa. All this leads to smaller annual temperature drops. So, on the Mediterranean coast, the average temperature in Spain in summer is +22 ... +27 ° C. Moreover, in the interior of the country at this time the air warms up to +29 ... +31 ° C. In this part of Spain, the average winter temperature is between +10 ... +13 ° C, and in the interior it is several degrees lower.
Climate of Andalusia
Andalusia is one of the hottest regions not only in Spain, but throughout Europe. So, the maximum temperatures here were recorded in the Guadalquivir river basin in Cordoba and Seville, they amounted to +46.6 ° C. In the mountainous regions of Andalusia, in turn, the lowest temperatures were recorded throughout the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, in January 2005, for example, –21 ° C in Santiago de Espada, Jaen province.
The climate of Andalusia is mild Mediterranean, with hot and arid summers and mild winters with irregular precipitation. If we talk about the monthly temperature for Spain, then in this part of the country in July and August they are the highest and often reach +40 ° C. Strong annual temperature differences are observed far from the sea, where summers are very hot and winters are cold. When moving from west to east through the territory of Andalusia, the climate becomes more arid. The best time to visit Andalusia is the period from March to June or from mid-September to November.
Costa Brava
By this name is meant the coastal zone, which begins in the city of Blanes and ends on the border with France in Portbou. The length of the Costa Brava is 214 kilometers. The coast is located in the areas of Upper Ampurdan, Lower Ampurdan and La Selva, which are located in the Catalan province of Girona.
Thanks to the mild Mediterranean climate, when winters are not cold and summers are relatively low, Costa Brava has the famous resorts of Spain, for example, Joret de Mar, Tossa de Mar, Roses, Playa de Aro, Cadaqués and others. The average annual temperature here ranges from +14 ° C to +20 ° C. The hottest weather is in July and August, the average temperatures here are +25 ... +28 ° C, it often rains in late autumn, and the winter months are quite cool.
If we talk about the water temperature for months at the resorts of Spain in the Costa Brava, it should be noted that from July to September it is above +24 ° C, and in June and October the water warms up to +21 ° C. The rest of the year, the water in the sea is colder.
Canary Islands
The climate here is subtropical in nature, it is characterized by minimal annual temperature differences. So, the maximum average temperatures here are +20 ... +30 ° C, while the minimum average temperatures fluctuate between +15 ° C and +21 ° C. Therefore, the Canary Islands are called the islands of "Eternal Spring".
Many magnificent resorts of Spain are located on the Canary Islands, for example, the English beach, the port of Carmen, Adeje, Corralejo and others. On these islands of Spain, the weather is monthly and the water temperature allows you to come here to relax at any time of the year, because in January the water here has a temperature of +18 ... +19 ° C, and by July it warms up to +22 ... +23 ° C.
Balearic Islands
Unlike the Canary Islands, which are located near the African continent in the Atlantic Ocean, the Balearic Islands are located in the center of the Mediterranean Sea and have a relatively mild climate throughout the year. It rains here often in October and November, and the rest of the time the weather is pretty clear.
It is recommended to visit the Balearic Islands for tourism from May-June to October, since on these islands in Spain the weather in June allows the sea water to warm up above +19 ° C, and this temperature lasts until mid-autumn. Famous resorts in the Balearic Islands are the city of Ibiza, Playa de Palma, San Antonio, Port of Pojens.
When is the best time to visit Spain?
If you analyze all the information about the weather in Spain for months and the water temperature on its beaches, then we can say that spring and autumn are the most favorable time to visit the country. If you go to Spain in the summer, especially in the hottest months of July and August, it is better to limit yourself to its northern part, where the weather is warm.
Spring is an ideal time to travel to the central part of the country, to Andalusia, on the Mediterranean coast and to the Balearic islands. The first half of autumn is the most favorable time of the year to visit the whole country, since the weather in Spain in autumn is wonderful, with many warm sunny days and a warm sea.
If you visit Spain in the winter, it is recommended to do this in order to practice winter sports in the mountainous regions in the north of the country.