Spain has a generally warm, mostly Mediterranean climate, but it varies a lot by region, from rainy and mild in the north to hot, dry and almost semi‑desert in parts of the south and southeast.

Quick Scoop

Big picture

  • Spain is sometimes described as one of Europe’s most climatically diverse countries, with over 10 Köppen climate types identified.
  • Main patterns: Mediterranean (most of the country), oceanic/maritime (north coast), semi‑arid (southeast and some interior areas), and mountain climates in higher ranges.

Main climate zones

  • Mediterranean climate (most common)
    • Hot, dry summers and mild, wetter winters.
    • Dominant over much of the Iberian Peninsula and Mediterranean coasts; typical cities include Barcelona, Málaga, Seville and Palma.
  • Oceanic/maritime north (“Green Spain”)
    • From Galicia across the Bay of Biscay to northern Catalonia.
    • Temperate, humid climate with rain spread through the year, cooler summers and mild winters.
* Example: A Coruña averages about 9 °C in winter and 18 °C in summer, with roughly 965 mm of rain annually.
  • Semi‑arid and dry interior/southeast
    • Large semi‑arid areas, especially in the southeast and parts of the central plateau (Meseta Central).
* Hot summers, low rainfall; some of the driest areas in Europe are in southeastern Spain.
  • Mountain climates (Pyrenees, Cantabrian ranges, central ranges)
    • Cooler temperatures, more precipitation, and snow in winter at higher elevations.
* These ranges also create rain shadows and help trap warm, dry air over much of Spain in summer.
  • Canary Islands (off Africa’s northwest coast)
    • Subtropical Atlantic climate: mild temperatures year‑round, moderate humidity, and micro‑climates depending on altitude and exposure.

Seasons and typical feel

  • Summers (especially July–August) are generally hot and dry across most of Spain, with inland areas often hotter than the coasts.
  • Winters (December–February) are coolest and tend to be the rainiest months, especially in the north; inland plateaus can be quite cold, while coasts are milder.

Simple HTML climate summary table

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Region</th>
      <th>Climate type</th>
      <th>Summer</th>
      <th>Winter</th>
      <th>Rain pattern</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>North coast (Galicia to Basque Country)</td>
      <td>Oceanic / temperate humid[web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Mild, not very hot[web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Mild, cool but rarely severe[web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Rainy all year, quite wet[web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Most of interior & Mediterranean coasts</td>
      <td>Hot- or warm-summer Mediterranean[web:1][web:3][web:5]</td>
      <td>Hot and dry[web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Cool to mild[web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Mainly autumn–winter rain, dry summers[web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Southeast & some interior basins</td>
      <td>Semi-arid[web:3][web:5]</td>
      <td>Very hot, very dry[web:3][web:5]</td>
      <td>Mild to cool[web:3][web:5]</td>
      <td>Low annual rainfall, frequent drought[web:3][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Mountain areas (Pyrenees, central ranges)</td>
      <td>Mountain / cooler continental[web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Cooler than surrounding lowlands[web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Cold, with snow at higher altitudes[web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Higher precipitation, often snow in winter[web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Canary Islands</td>
      <td>Subtropical Atlantic[web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Warm but usually not extreme[web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Mild[web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Moderate, varies locally with altitude and exposure[web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.