How to judge the climate of one specific town

Terms used

• AEMET — AEMET is Spain's national weather agency, which publishes official forecasts and long-term climate averages.
• Cierzo — The cierzo is a cold, dry, strong northwest wind in the Ebro valley.
• Tramontana — The tramontana is a strong, cold north wind in Girona's Empordà area and the Balearics.
• Levante — The levante is a persistent, humid east wind around the Strait of Gibraltar.
• Poniente — The poniente is a west wind, usually mild on Andalusian coasts but sometimes hot and dry elsewhere.
• Terral — The terral is a hot, dry summer land wind in Málaga.

Key rules

• Altitude: Temperature drops roughly 0.6 °C per 100 m, so check a town's height first.
• Valleys: A valley floor can be colder and foggier in winter than higher ground nearby.
• Winds: Ask residents about the local wind before choosing, as it can matter more than the average temperature.
• Official averages: Use station climate normals from the national weather agency or your region's service, and use the nearest similar station if your town has none.

Judge the town, not the region

Two towns in the same region can feel like different countries. Teruel and Ávila are far colder in winter than towns at sea level nearby. Check four things for any town you are considering: altitude, distance from the sea, the shape of the land around it, and local winds. Then confirm with official averages.

1. Altitude comes first

Altitude is the strongest local factor. Temperature falls roughly 0.6 °C for every 100 m you climb. A town at 900 m will be around 5 °C cooler than one at the coast, all year. Look up the town's height before anything else.

2. Distance from the sea

The Mediterranean and the Atlantic soften temperatures. Coastal towns have milder winters and smaller swings between day and night. Inland plateau towns have large swings, both between day and night and between summer and winter. If you dislike cold mornings or very hot afternoons, favour the coast or stay close to it.

3. Mountains and valleys

Relief matters more than most people expect.

• Rain shadows. Mountains block rain from reaching the land behind them. Almería and Murcia sit behind the Betic ranges and are very dry. The Ebro valley is dry behind the Pyrenees and the Iberian System.
• Cold air and fog in valleys. On still winter nights, cold air sinks and settles in valley floors. The Ebro, Guadalquivir and Duero basins are known for this. A town on the valley floor can be colder and foggier than a village on the slope above it.
• Slope direction. North-facing slopes get less sun and stay cooler. South-facing slopes are warmer.

4. Local winds

Winds can change how a town feels more than the average temperature does. Ask residents about them before you commit.

• Cierzo: a cold, dry, strong northwest wind in the Ebro valley (Zaragoza, Navarra, La Rioja). It blows mainly in winter and spring and affects cycling and life outdoors.
• Tramontana: a strong, cold north wind in the Empordà area of Girona and in the Balearics, mostly from autumn to spring. Catalonia also has the mistral (mestral).
• Levante: an east wind around the Strait of Gibraltar (Cádiz, Tarifa, Campo de Gibraltar). It is frequent, humid and persistent. Kitesurfers like it. Many residents find it tiring.
• Poniente: a west wind. On the Cádiz and Andalusian Mediterranean coasts it is generally milder and fresher. In Málaga and Granada it can bring dry heat. In Valencia, hot poniente episodes in summer can push temperatures up sharply.
• Terral: a hot, dry land wind in Málaga in summer.
• Alisios: the trade winds of the Canary Islands.

5. Big cities run hotter

Large cities hold heat, so nights stay warmer than in the surrounding countryside. This adds to summer discomfort in a dense neighbourhood.

Check the numbers

Spain's national weather agency, AEMET, publishes official "Valores climatológicos normales" (long-term averages) for its stations. They currently cover 1991-2020. It also publishes the Iberian Climate Atlas, which explains the controls above. Several regions publish their own normals too. These are Meteocat in Catalonia, Euskalmet in the Basque Country, MeteoGalicia, Andalusia's REDIAM and Navarra's weather service. The agriculture ministry's SIAR network of farm stations is another source. Check the period covered on each site.

Normals are published by station, so many small towns have none. In that case, use the nearest station at a similar altitude and similar position, for example on the same side of the same valley. The questions below cover this and other cases.

Frequently asked questions

What if my town has no climate normals of its own?

Use the nearest station that matches your town's altitude and distance from the sea. Normals are published by station, so many small towns have none. A station on the coast or in a valley floor can mislead you about a hill town a few kilometres away.

Which regional weather services publish normals besides the national one?

Several regions run their own services with local normals: Meteocat in Catalonia, Euskalmet in the Basque Country, MeteoGalicia, Andalusia's REDIAM and Meteorologia de Navarra. Farm networks such as SIAR also publish data for rural areas. Check these if the national agency's stations are far from your town.

Which local winds should I ask about before choosing a town?

Ask about the cierzo, a cold, dry northwest wind in the Ebro valley that is strongest in winter and spring. The tramontana is a strong cold north wind in Girona and the Balearics, mostly from autumn to spring. The levante is a humid, persistent east wind around the Strait of Gibraltar that is frequent most of the year.

Can a hot wind change summer in a Mediterranean town?

Yes, the terral in Málaga and hot poniente episodes in Valencia can push summer temperatures up sharply. Both are dry land winds that arrive in short spells. Ask locals how often they happen in the part of town you are considering.