Spain Weather

The first and most important thing to say about the weather in Spain is that it is by no means uniform. Spain is a big country, and there is quite a difference between the climate of north and south. But it is also a very mountainous country in parts, and the weather is considerably influenced by altitude – it would probably be quite a surprise for many people to learn that Granada, in Andalusia, is thinking of bidding for the Winter Olympic Games!

Green Spain

Spain can be divided into two parts on the basis of its climate. The northern part, especially the northwest, is exposed to the Atlantic Ocean and fenced in on the south and east by several different mountain chains. This results in a relatively wet and humid climate, and this part of Spain is known as “la España Verde” (Green Spain).

On the other side of the mountains, that is to say the southern two thirds of Spain, and above all the southeast, rain is much less common, and in fact there are parts of the province of Almeria, in the southeast, that are now classed as desert.

In general, summers in Spain are hot and dry; winters are mild on the coast but can be very cold inland; spring is very much a hit-and-miss season – some years it can be magnificent, and other years you hardly notice it; and autumn is probably the very best time to visit most parts of the country. The extreme heat has gone, leaving a very pleasant temperature during the day, while the night is beautifully fresh without being cold.

All-Year Destination

Having said that, you can find somewhere in Spain to visit all year round – especially if you include the Canary Islands, where the weather is usually superb all through the winter. In fact, the winter is a great time to visit the most popular tourist areas, such as the Costa del Sol or Costa de la Luz. If you go to these places in summer, you’re going to find it difficult to move around, to get a place on the beach, to get in to the best restaurants for lunch, etc. But in winter, when the weather is still mild and extremely pleasant, you’ll have everything almost to yourself!

If you’re interested in seeing what sort of weather you can expect in different towns in Spain, just visit Spain Weather Forecasts on Yahoo. Choose the town or city you’re interested in and then look for the link that says “Records and Averages” (it’s usually just below the globe in the top box giving you the current conditions). There you’ll find a summary of the average temperatures and rainfall for each month of the year.