Why Spain?
Climate and weather in Spain
Spain is a large country and the climate can be diverse. The weather can be affected by altitude as Spain is the second most mountainous county in Europe and by the sea with the Mediterranean to the east & south or Atlantic Ocean to the north.
There is also a significant difference in weather & temperatures between northern and southern Spain.
Mediterranean Spain has many hours of sunshine that range from 6 hours per day in the winter to 12 hours per day in summer. Winters are usually mild and much warmer than central and northern Spain.
From June to August rain is very rare though but north-eastern Mediterranean coast may suffer to the occasional heavy downpour.
The south can suffer from a very hot and stuffy wind that comes from northern Africa though sea breezes may stop temperatures from rising too high.
Central Spain usually has a low level of rainfall and during the winter snow can be heavy on the sierras (mountains).
Summers are generally hot, especially in the Guadalquivir valley of Northern Andalucia running out to Seville and Cordoba where some of the highest annual temperatures are recorded.
Sunshine levels average 5 hours per day in winter and 12 hours per day in summer. This area can sometimes be cold & windy due to the winds blowing from the snow covered sierras.
North and North West Spain can be influenced by depressions from the Atlantic, particularly in the autumn and winter, making this the wettest and cloudiest part of Spain.
Sunshine levels average 3 hours per day during the winter and 8 hours per day in the summer.
Summer temperatures are lower than other parts of Spain but the weather is still warm and sunny.