Climate of Spain
Encyclopedia
Three main climatic zones can be separated, according to geographical situation and orographic
conditions:
Apart from these main types, other sub-types can be found, like the alpine climate
in the Pyrenees
and Sierra Nevada
, and a typical subtropical climate in the Canary Islands.
, it is dominant in the peninsula, with two varieties:
The typical Mediterranean climate (Csa climate) is present in the most of the country. Like the other Mediterranean regions, the annual rainfall is 300 to 700 mm (11.8 to 27.6 in); most of the Meseta region receives about 500 mm (19.7 in). The northern Meseta, the Sistema Central
, and the Ebro Basin have two rainy seasons, one in spring (April–June) and the other in autumn (October–November), with late spring being the wettest time of the year. In the southern Meseta also, the wet seasons are spring and autumn, but the spring one is earlier (March), and autumn is the wetter season. Even during the wet seasons, rain is irregular and unreliable. Summers are warm and cloudless, producing average daytime temperatures that reach 21 °C (69.8 °F) in the northern Meseta and 24 °C (75.2 °F) to 27 °C (80.6 °F) in the southern Meseta; nighttime temperatures range from 7 °C (44.6 °F) to 10 °C (50 °F).
Some Spanish authors want to distinguish an "inland" variant of this climate (sometimes called "continentalized" Mediterranean climate) which has lower temperatures in winter than the coastal areas (mean temperature in January about 6 °C (42.8 °F) in Madrid , 11.5 °C (52.7 °F) in Valencia). This distinction is rather a local nuance which does not appear in the world academic classifications.
The Mediterranean region is marked by Leveche winds: hot, dry, easterly or southeasterly air currents that originate over North Africa. Episodes of these winds, which sometimes carry fine Sahara
n dust are more likely in spring and are associated with a sudden, usually short-lived, increase in temperature. A cooler easterly wind, the Levante, funnels between the Sistema Penibetico and the Atlas Mountains
of North Africa
. These easterly winds are the ones which most influence the Mediterranean climate, for they are mild in temperature and humid.
prevails from the Pyrenees to the Asturias, area which incorporating Galicia is sometimes called "Green Spain
", characterized by relatively mild winters and warm summers. The climate and landscape are determined by the Atlantic Ocean
winds whose moisture gets trapped by the mountains circumventing the Spanish Atlantic coast. Because of the Foehn effect, the southern slopes fall inside the rain shadow
zone and so Green Spain contrasts starkly with the rest of Spain. But the summers remain warmer than the North-west European stations (about 21 °C (69.8 °F) in July in Santander
vs 16 °C (60.8 °F) in Brest
or Liverpool
. The rainfall is generally abundant, exceeding 1000 mm (39.4 in) and is fairly evenly spread out over the year, with the driest month above 30 mm (1.2 in), which is the minimum criteria for an oceanic climate according to Köppen. If Köppen has limited the oceanic domain to the Asturias and the Basque Country region, some authors like Trewartha
prefer to extend this climatic zone to the north-west part of the peninsula to Galicia, due to the moderate summer temperatures.
Temperatures vary only slightly, both on a diurnal and a seasonal basis, averages range from 9 °C (48.2 °F) in January to 21 °C (69.8 °F) in July. The moderating effects of the sea, however, abate in the inland areas, where temperatures are more extreme than temperatures on the coast. Distance from the Atlantic Ocean also affects precipitation, and there is less rainfall in the east than in the west. Autumn (October through December) is the wettest season, while July is the driest month. The high humidity and the prevailing off-shore winds make fog and mist common along the northwest coast, this phenomenon is less frequent a short distance inland, however, because the mountains form a barrier keeping out the sea moisture.
, Washington and Vancouver
, characterized by year-round mild temperatures, with summers months which are usually dry, often resulting in moderate drought conditions, with one month per year usually accounting less than 40 mm (1.6 in), characteristic that takes it away from a typical Cfb climate, while the rest of the seasons are generally rainy: the annual rainfall is higher than in other regions, usually ranging from 800 to 2000 mm (31.5 to 78.7 in). This climate, which is sometimes classified as "Mediterranean", is classified as "Oceanic" according to other authors like Trewartha, due to the lower summer temperatures and higher rainfall. Nevertheless, the area has typical Mediterranean features, including the regular forest fires, which anyway are caused frequently by arsonists. Galicia keeps a high level of annual sunshine duration, ranging from 1800 hours in the northeast to 2200 in the southwest.
In North-West Castilla, the climate is classified also as Csb because the temperatures of summer are less hot due to the altitude.
) can be found in the South-eastern part of Spain (covering most of Alicante, Murcia and Almería provinces), in some areas of the Ebro Valley too. Very hot in summer (temperatures can exceed 40 °C (104 °F), the drought extends beyond the summer (rainfall about 300 m - ). Very dry, virtually sub-desertic, rainfall as low as 120 mm (4.7 in) a year in the Cabo de Gata which is reported to be the driest place in Europe.
) for the coldest, for the hottest 47°C in Seville
and Murcia
.
Orography
Orography is the study of the formation and relief of mountains, and can more broadly include hills, and any part of a region's elevated terrain...
conditions:
- The Mediterranean climateMediterranean climateA Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
, characterized by dry and warm summers. According to the Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classificationThe Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
, it is dominant in the peninsula, with two varieties: Csa and Csb. - The oceanic climateOceanic climateAn oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
(Cfb), located in north quarter of the country, especially in the region of Basque CountryBasque Country (autonomous community)The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
, AsturiasAsturiasThe Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
, CantabriaCantabriaCantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...
and partly Galicia. - The semiarid climate (Bsh, Bsk), located in the southeastern quarter of the country, especially in the region of MurciaMurcia-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...
and in the EbroEbroThe Ebro or Ebre is one of the most important rivers in the Iberian Peninsula. It is the biggest river by discharge volume in Spain.The Ebro flows through the following cities:*Reinosa in Cantabria.*Miranda de Ebro in Castile and León....
valley. In contrast with the Mediterranean climate, the dry season extends beyond the summer.
Apart from these main types, other sub-types can be found, like the alpine climate
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
in the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
and Sierra Nevada
Sierra Nevada (Spain)
The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in the region of provinces of Granada and Almería in Spain. It contains the highest point of continental Spain, Mulhacén at 3478 m above sea level....
, and a typical subtropical climate in the Canary Islands.
The Mediterranean climate
The Mediterranean climate is characterized by dry and warm summers. According to the Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
, it is dominant in the peninsula, with two varieties:
The typical Mediterranean climate (Csa climate) is present in the most of the country. Like the other Mediterranean regions, the annual rainfall is 300 to 700 mm (11.8 to 27.6 in); most of the Meseta region receives about 500 mm (19.7 in). The northern Meseta, the Sistema Central
Sistema Central
The Sistema Central is one of the main systems of mountain ranges in the Iberian Peninsula.-Description:The Sistema Central is a primary feature of the Meseta Central, the inner Iberian plateau, splitting the meseta into two parts...
, and the Ebro Basin have two rainy seasons, one in spring (April–June) and the other in autumn (October–November), with late spring being the wettest time of the year. In the southern Meseta also, the wet seasons are spring and autumn, but the spring one is earlier (March), and autumn is the wetter season. Even during the wet seasons, rain is irregular and unreliable. Summers are warm and cloudless, producing average daytime temperatures that reach 21 °C (69.8 °F) in the northern Meseta and 24 °C (75.2 °F) to 27 °C (80.6 °F) in the southern Meseta; nighttime temperatures range from 7 °C (44.6 °F) to 10 °C (50 °F).
Some Spanish authors want to distinguish an "inland" variant of this climate (sometimes called "continentalized" Mediterranean climate) which has lower temperatures in winter than the coastal areas (mean temperature in January about 6 °C (42.8 °F) in Madrid , 11.5 °C (52.7 °F) in Valencia). This distinction is rather a local nuance which does not appear in the world academic classifications.
The Mediterranean region is marked by Leveche winds: hot, dry, easterly or southeasterly air currents that originate over North Africa. Episodes of these winds, which sometimes carry fine Sahara
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
n dust are more likely in spring and are associated with a sudden, usually short-lived, increase in temperature. A cooler easterly wind, the Levante, funnels between the Sistema Penibetico and the Atlas Mountains
Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains is a mountain range across a northern stretch of Africa extending about through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The highest peak is Toubkal, with an elevation of in southwestern Morocco. The Atlas ranges separate the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara Desert...
of North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. These easterly winds are the ones which most influence the Mediterranean climate, for they are mild in temperature and humid.
The Oceanic climate
An oceanic climateOceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
prevails from the Pyrenees to the Asturias, area which incorporating Galicia is sometimes called "Green Spain
Green Spain
Green Spain is the name given to the Spanish northern maritime façade exposed to the Atlantic Ocean in Galicia which also runs along the coastal strip lying north of the Cantabrian and Basque mountains, along the Bay of Biscay...
", characterized by relatively mild winters and warm summers. The climate and landscape are determined by the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
winds whose moisture gets trapped by the mountains circumventing the Spanish Atlantic coast. Because of the Foehn effect, the southern slopes fall inside the rain shadow
Rain shadow
A rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems, casting a "shadow" of dryness behind them. As shown by the diagram to the right, the warm moist air is "pulled" by the prevailing winds over a mountain...
zone and so Green Spain contrasts starkly with the rest of Spain. But the summers remain warmer than the North-west European stations (about 21 °C (69.8 °F) in July in Santander
Santander, Cantabria
The port city of Santander is the capital of the autonomous community and historical region of Cantabria situated on the north coast of Spain. Located east of Gijón and west of Bilbao, the city has a population of 183,446 .-History:...
vs 16 °C (60.8 °F) in Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
or Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. The rainfall is generally abundant, exceeding 1000 mm (39.4 in) and is fairly evenly spread out over the year, with the driest month above 30 mm (1.2 in), which is the minimum criteria for an oceanic climate according to Köppen. If Köppen has limited the oceanic domain to the Asturias and the Basque Country region, some authors like Trewartha
Trewartha
Trewartha and Andrewartha is a Cornish family name .According to the Handbook of Cornish Names by G Pawsley White, "Trewartha" is a Cornish name meaning "Upper Farm" or "Upper Homestead".CORNISH NAMES by Dr T. F. G...
prefer to extend this climatic zone to the north-west part of the peninsula to Galicia, due to the moderate summer temperatures.
Temperatures vary only slightly, both on a diurnal and a seasonal basis, averages range from 9 °C (48.2 °F) in January to 21 °C (69.8 °F) in July. The moderating effects of the sea, however, abate in the inland areas, where temperatures are more extreme than temperatures on the coast. Distance from the Atlantic Ocean also affects precipitation, and there is less rainfall in the east than in the west. Autumn (October through December) is the wettest season, while July is the driest month. The high humidity and the prevailing off-shore winds make fog and mist common along the northwest coast, this phenomenon is less frequent a short distance inland, however, because the mountains form a barrier keeping out the sea moisture.
Galician variante
The Galician climate (Csb) is similar to that of the coastal areas of OregonOregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, Washington and Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, characterized by year-round mild temperatures, with summers months which are usually dry, often resulting in moderate drought conditions, with one month per year usually accounting less than 40 mm (1.6 in), characteristic that takes it away from a typical Cfb climate, while the rest of the seasons are generally rainy: the annual rainfall is higher than in other regions, usually ranging from 800 to 2000 mm (31.5 to 78.7 in). This climate, which is sometimes classified as "Mediterranean", is classified as "Oceanic" according to other authors like Trewartha, due to the lower summer temperatures and higher rainfall. Nevertheless, the area has typical Mediterranean features, including the regular forest fires, which anyway are caused frequently by arsonists. Galicia keeps a high level of annual sunshine duration, ranging from 1800 hours in the northeast to 2200 in the southwest.
In North-West Castilla, the climate is classified also as Csb because the temperatures of summer are less hot due to the altitude.
The Semiarid climate
The Semiarid climate (Bsk in the Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
) can be found in the South-eastern part of Spain (covering most of Alicante, Murcia and Almería provinces), in some areas of the Ebro Valley too. Very hot in summer (temperatures can exceed 40 °C (104 °F), the drought extends beyond the summer (rainfall about 300 m - ). Very dry, virtually sub-desertic, rainfall as low as 120 mm (4.7 in) a year in the Cabo de Gata which is reported to be the driest place in Europe.
Other types
Besides the above three major types, we can find two other climate types in Spain :- the mountainous climate is present in Spain in the Pyrenees and Sierra NevadaSierra Nevada (Spain)The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in the region of provinces of Granada and Almería in Spain. It contains the highest point of continental Spain, Mulhacén at 3478 m above sea level....
, qualified as Alpine climateAlpine climateAlpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
.
- The Canary Islands are a subtropical climate in terms of temperature, being these mild and stable (18 °C (64.4 °F) to
24 °C (75.2 °F)) throughout the year. In terms of precipitation, the Eastern islands are semiarid and moister the westernmost ones, with some very wet areas in the mountains of Gomera and La Palma, the cloud forestCloud forestA cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical evergreen montane moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. Cloud forests often exhibit an abundance of mosses covering the ground and...
known as laurisilvaLaurisilvaLaurisilva or laurissilva is a subtropical forest, found in areas with high humidity and relatively stable and mild temperatures. They are characterised by evergreen, glossy-leaved tree species that look alike with leaves of lauroide type...
. Then, the southern Mediterranean coast (Malaga and Granada's coastal strip) shares traits with both Mediterranean and Subtropical.
Extreme temperature records in selected cities
The records of temperatures in Spain have been, -32°C in Lago Estangento in the Pyrenees (LleidaLleida
Lleida is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat and Sucs. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants...
) for the coldest, for the hottest 47°C in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
and Murcia
Murcia
-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...
.
| Location | Record highs | Record lows | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (°C) | (°F) | (°C) | (°F) | |
| Mediterranean | ||||
| Murcia | 47.2 °C | 117.0 °F | –6.0 °C | 21.2 °F |
| Malaga | 44.2 °C | 111.6 °F | –3.8 °C | 25.1 °F |
| Valencia | 42.5 °C | 108.5 °F | –7.2 °C | 19 °F |
| Alicante | 41.4 °C | 106.5 °F | –4.6 °C | 23.7 °F |
| Palma | 40.6 °C | 105.1 °F | — | — |
| Barcelona | 39.8 °C | 103.6 °F | –10.0 °C | 14 °F |
| Girona | 41.7 | 107 °F | –13.0 °C | 8.6 °F |
| Seville | 47.0 °C | 117 °F | –5.5 °C | 22.1 °F |
| Cordoba | 46.6 °C | 115.9 °F | — | — |
| Badajoz | 45.0 °C | 113 °F | — | — |
| Albacete | 42.6 °C | 108.7 °F | –24.0 °C | –11.2 °F |
| Zaragoza | 43.1 °C | 108.7 °F | -16.0º °C | 3.1º °C |
| Madrid | 42.2 °C | 108.0 °F | –14.8 °C | 5.4 °F |
| Burgos | 41.8 °C | 107.2 °F | –22.0 °C | –7.6 °F |
| Valladolid | 40.2 °C | 104.4 °F | — | — |
| Salamanca | — | — | –20.0 °C | –4.0 °F |
| Teruel | — | — | –27.0 °C | –22.2 °F |
| Northern Atlantic coast | (°C) | (°F) | (°C) | (°F) |
| Orense | 42.6 °C | 108.7 °F | –9.0 °C | 15.8 °F |
| Bilbao | 42.0 °C | 107.6 °F | –8.6 °C | 16.5 °F |
| La Coruña | 37.6 °C | 99.7 °F | –4.8 °C | 23.4 °F |
| Gijón | 36.4 °C | 97.5 °F | –4.8 °C | 23.4 °F |
| The Canary Islands | ||||
| Las Palmas de Gran Canaria | 38.6 °C | 102 °F | 11.4 ° | 48.6 °F |
| Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 39.6 °C | 103 °F | 14.4 ° | 49.7 °F |