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Spain is located between the Atlantic and the west of the Mediterranean, on the Iberian Peninsula, that is, the temperate region of the planet. In addition, since its orography is very uneven, its climate is not the same throughout the state, but there are variations depending on the area in which we are. In Spain there are four main climates, with notable differences between them. These are: the Atlantic climate, the mountain climate, the subtropical climate and the Mediterranean climate. However, of these, the predominant climate in Spain is the Mediterranean.
You want to know how many climates are there in Spain and know the characteristics of each one? In this Green Ecology article we explain it to you and give you information that may be of interest to you.
The Mediterranean climate in Spain
This climate is the predominant one on the coasts of the southern Spain and on the Mediterranean coast, in cities like Barcelona, Mallorca or Valencia.
The main characteristic of this climate is to present some 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 to drop below 0ºC.
Regarding the level of rainfall, the frequency is sparsely and irregularly. Summers are usually dry, while most of the 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 climate Continental Mediterranean, which is the one that is presented to 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 climate in Spain
The Oceanic climate or Atlantic is the type of climate found in 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 are the cool temperatures 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 tend to be between 20ºC and 24ºC. In the winter season, they vary between 6 ºC and 9 ºC 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.
Mountain climate
This is the climate that is usually found among the highest levels in the country, generally in the areas above 1,000-1,200 meters above sea level, like Los Picos de Europa, Sierra Nevada or Los Pirineos.
The characteristic temperatures of this area are cold or very cold during winter and more mild 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 rains throughout the year, it is very abundant and increases the higher the altitude. Annual rainfall varies between 1,000 and 1,800 mm, depending on the mountain system in which we are.
The subtropical climate in Spain
This climate has characteristics subtropical and we can find it in the Canary Islands and in coastal areas in the south of the peninsula, like Granada, Malaga or Almería.
Characteristic temperatures throughout the year are usually very warm, it does not fall below 15 ºC in practically any month, and in summer they are quite high, with an average temperature above 25 ºC. In these areas, amount of rainfall is very scarce and the annual rainfall is below 300 mm.
What is the best plan to visit Spain?
There is no one or better time to visit Spain, since that it will depend on the type of tourism that we are looking for. In addition, as you have seen throughout the article, there are many climates and they all have their characteristics. If what we are looking for is beach, the best option will be the southern part of the country, while the northern part is usually less crowded and offers different beaches than those found in the Mediterranean area, with a wilder coastline and a summer with a much more unpredictable climate.
If you want to read more articles similar to How many climates are there in Spain, we recommend that you enter our category of Other environment.
