Spain Weather

Spain climate

Spain's weather varies dramatically from the "Green Spain" of the rainy Atlantic north to the semi-arid southeast, one of the driest areas in Europe. The central Meseta plateau experiences a continental Mediterranean climate with scorching summers above 40°C and cold winters that can bring snow to Madrid. The Mediterranean coast enjoys mild winters and hot, dry summers with over 300 days of sunshine per year in many areas.

The DANA phenomenon (previously known as "gota fría" or cold drop) is a major weather hazard, occurring primarily in autumn when intense cut-off low pressure systems bring catastrophic flooding to eastern and southeastern Spain. These events can dump an entire year's worth of rainfall in just 24 hours, causing devastating flash floods. The Canary Islands off the African coast have a subtropical oceanic climate with remarkably stable temperatures year-round.

Madrid experiences extreme temperature swings, with summer highs regularly exceeding 38°C and winter nights dropping below freezing. Barcelona has a milder Mediterranean climate tempered by the sea. Seville and Córdoba in Andalusia are among Europe's hottest cities in summer, while San Sebastián and Bilbao in the Basque Country are cool and rainy with a climate more reminiscent of Britain than the Mediterranean stereotype.