Spain's climate zones: what to expect where

Key rules

• Several climates: Spain has several distinct climate zones, so the weather depends heavily on the region you choose.
• Sunshine: The south and east are the sunniest, while the Cantabrian coast and Galicia get far fewer sun hours.
• Dry southeast: Almería, Murcia and Alicante are very dry, with rain arriving in occasional heavy storms.
• Mountains and islands: Mountain areas have real winters, and the Canary Islands vary widely within a small distance.

Spain is not one climate

Spain has several distinct climates. Sun and heat are real in the south and east, but the north is green and mild, the interior has hot summers and cold winters, and the mountains get proper snow. Where you live changes what you wear, how you heat your home and whether you need air conditioning.

Spain's weather agency, AEMET, maps these zones using the international Köppen classification. The zones below follow that map.

Hot-summer Mediterranean: the south, the coast and much of the interior

This is the zone most people picture. It covers the Guadalquivir valley (Seville, Córdoba), the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro lowlands and much of the southern and western interior. Summers are hot and dry. Winters are mild, with rain mostly in autumn and winter.

Sunshine is high. Seville and Málaga get roughly 2,900 to 3,000 hours a year, Madrid roughly 2,700 to 2,800 and Barcelona roughly 2,500. These are rounded figures.

Warm-summer Mediterranean: the northern plateau and the hills

The northern part of the central plateau (the Meseta), the interior of Galicia and many upland areas are Mediterranean, but with cooler summers. Expect hot days and cool nights, and colder, longer winters than on the coast.

Oceanic: the green north

The Cantabrian coast (Bilbao, Santander), Galicia and parts of the Pyrenees have an oceanic climate. Rain falls through much of the year, summers are mild and the landscape is green. Sunshine is much lower: roughly 1,700 hours in Bilbao and roughly 1,700 to 1,900 in Santiago de Compostela. Bring a rain jacket, and expect damp homes.

Dry southeast: Almería, Murcia and Alicante

The southeast is semi-arid. Rainfall is roughly 200 mm a year in Almería, among the driest places in Europe, and roughly 300 mm in Murcia and in Alicante. The rain is irregular and tends to arrive in short, heavy autumn and spring storms. Small desert areas exist around Cabo de Gata and Tabernas. Inland parts of Murcia and Alicante, and La Mancha, are also dry, with colder winters than the coast.

Mountains: real winter

The Pyrenees, the Sistema Central, the Sistema Ibérico and Sierra Nevada have cold mountain climates with snow and long winters. If you live in or near them, plan for heating and winter driving.

The islands

• Balearics: mostly hot-summer Mediterranean, with some drier patches.
• Canaries: very varied. Low coastal areas are dry and warm, mid-slopes are Mediterranean, and the top of Teide is cold, with a high-mountain climate.

How to use this

Pick a zone by the weather you can live with, not by the postcard. Check the local climate for the exact town before you commit to a lease or a purchase. Winter and summer can both be harsh inland. The quick answers below cover common questions about snow, rain and winter coats.

Spanish weather: quick answers

How often does it snow in Madrid?

Madrid gets only about 2-3 snow days a year, and snow that settles is rare. The northern outskirts and the nearby mountains get more. Exceptional storms such as Filomena in January 2021 can still leave heavy snow.

Which inland Spanish cities get the most snow?

Burgos gets the most, with about 15-20 snow days a year. Soria, Ávila and Teruel get about 10-20 (Ávila and Soria at the high end), and León about 10-12. Valladolid and Zaragoza get only about 2-5. Snow falls mainly from December to March, with occasional falls in November and April.

Does it rain all year in northern Spain?

Yes, it rains in every month on the Atlantic north coast, though summer is drier. The wettest months are October to January, with about 120-170 mm a month in Bilbao and San Sebastián. July and August still bring about 40-70 mm and 6-8 rain days, and Galicia is drier in summer than the Cantabrian coast.

Do I need a winter coat in Andalusia?

It depends on where you live: you need a proper winter coat in Granada and upland inland towns, but a medium jacket is enough in Seville, Córdoba and on the coast. January highs and lows are about 12/1 °C in Granada, 16/6 °C in Seville and 17/8 °C in Málaga. Homes often have poor heating, so warm indoor layers matter.