How many climates are there in Spain

This climate is prevalent on the coasts of southern Spain and on the Mediterranean coast , in cities such as Barcelona, ​​Mallorca or Valencia.

The main characteristic of this climate is to present mild winters and hot summers . Throughout a year, the average temperature is around 16ºC-18ºC. During the summer season, the temperature can reach 35ºC and, even during heat waves, it can reach 40ºC. Winters are not excessively cold, normally around 10ºC, making it difficult for it to drop below 0ºC.

Regarding the level of rainfall , the frequency is scarce and irregular . Summers are usually dry, while most rainfall is concentrated in spring and autumn. Annually, the level of rainfall is usually between 450 and 700 mm.

A variety of this climate is the Continental Mediterranean climate , which is the one that occurs in the interior of the country. This variety is more extreme than the coastal Mediterranean climate, with very low temperatures in winter, very hot in summer and little rainfall. An example of this climate is the one found in Madrid.

The oceanic or Atlantic climate is the type of climate found on the Cantabrian coast and the westernmost part of the Pyrenees . Cities like Santander, Bilbao or Oviedo have a typical Atlantic climate.

The main characteristic of the Atlantic climate is the cool temperatures during most of the year . Its average annual temperature ranges between 11ºC and 16ºC. The thermal amplitude is usually greater in areas that are closer to the coast than among those further away. During the summer season, temperatures are usually between 20 ° C and 24 ° C. In the winter season, they vary between 6ºC and 9ºC and, depending on the area, reaching some degree below.

Another characteristic of this type of climate is the large amount of rainfall throughout the year . These precipitations are distributed in a fairly uniform way, although in the western areas greater amounts of rainfall are received than in the eastern areas. The rainfall data are usually above 1,000 mm per year, although in winter they skyrocket.

This is the climate that is usually found among the highest levels in the country, generally in areas above 1,000-1,200 meters above sea level , such as Los Picos de Europa, Sierra Nevada or in Los Pirineos.

The characteristic temperatures of this area are cold or very cold during the winter and milder during the summer . The average winter temperature is usually around 0 ºC, even reaching some degree below zero. During the summer, it usually oscillates around 18-20 ºC.

The amount of rainfall throughout the year is very abundant and increases the higher the altitude. The annual rainfall varies between 1,000 and 1,800 mm, depending on the mountain system in which we are.

This climate has subtropical characteristics and we can find it in the Canary Islands and in coastal areas in the south of the peninsula , such as Granada, Malaga or Almería.

The characteristic temperatures throughout the year are usually very warm , practically not lower than 15 ° C in any month, and in summer they are quite high, with an average temperature above 25 ° C. In these areas, the amount of rainfall is very low and the annual rainfall is below 300 mm.

There is no one or better time to visit Spain, since that will depend on the type of tourism we are looking for. In addition, as you have seen throughout the article, there are a multitude of climates and they all have their characteristics. If what we are looking for is a beach , the best option will be the southern area of ​​the country, while the northern area is usually less crowded and offers different beaches than those we can find in the Mediterranean area, with a wilder coast and a summer with a much more unpredictable weather.