The Climate of Spain

The country of Spain had two distinct climates. One is continental and the other is Mediterranean in character.

The Continental Climate

The continental climate prevails in the central parts of Spain. Hot summers, scanty rainfall and extremes of temperatures are the hallmark of this type of Climate. The typical station is Madrid. In Madrid summer temperatures usually exceed 80 and temperatures of over 90 F are not uncommon. This is despite the fact that it is located about 2000 feet above sea level. Winters are quite severe with freezing temperatures due to the proximity to Hills and remoteness from sea.. The rainfall is scanty and even the rainiest month do not exceed 2 in. The same is true for Seville and Granada. To escape the great heat of summer, people prefer to take Siesta or afternoon nap and shops are normally closed during this period.

The Mediterranean Climate

Such type of climate is found all along the coastal areas of Spain.. Warm dry summers and cool wet winters are typical of this climate. This climate has no extremes of temperatures. Barcelona and Valencia are the best examples. At both the stations summers temperatures rarely cross 75 F or rarely falls below 40 F. So these two places are famous tourist resorts especially for the North European people who come here to escape the great cold found in their countries during this time of the year.

In a nutshell, the central parts of Spain have a continental climate while the coastal areas experience the Mediterranean Climate.