Climates of Spain: A Comprehensive Overview
Climates of Mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands
Climates Predominantly Oceanic or Atlantic
Atlantic and Oceanic Climate
The Atlantic and oceanic climate, and its varieties, are influenced by low pressure systems, resulting in high humidity throughout the year. These are the only climates in Spain with typically Mediterranean summers.
Oceanic or Atlantic Climate
This climate is found in Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country, Navarra, and the Aran Valley. It is characterized by frequent Atlantic depressions, producing abundant rainfall throughout most of the year, with less in summer. Cloudiness and humidity are high, with average temperatures between 11 and 15°C. The prevailing winds are moderate westerly winds, although they can sometimes lead to Galerna (sudden wind storms) and intense storms. Due to this climate, there are many rivers, most of which are abundant and relatively regular. Deciduous forests thrive in these areas. When these forests are degraded, they form heathlands (dense brush). The oceanic climate favors natural meadows, which are used for cattle grazing.
Oceanic Climate Varieties
- Ocean-mountain variety: Found in the Galician Massif, the Cantabrian Mountains, the Basque Mountains, and the Pyrenees of Navarra, Aragon, and Catalonia. Altitude causes a decrease in temperature and an increase in precipitation.
- Ocean-transition variety: Found in the lowlands of Ourense, Castile and León, Álava, La Rioja, Navarra, and areas of Catalonia and Aragon close to the Pyrenees. It is characterized by Atlantic influence but with less precipitation, dry summers, and very cold winters.
Mediterranean Climates
This climate extends east of the Atlantic coast of the peninsula, across the Mediterranean coast, the Balearic Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla. It also includes Andalusia, much of Extremadura, and parts of the interior, despite receiving continental influence. They are characterized by the dominance of subtropical anticyclones during summer, resulting in warm and dry weather. In contrast, winter, autumn, and spring are dominated by the movement of depressions accompanied by rain. There is a lack of rain in summer, causing dryness. The prevailing wind is a more humid easterly wind, and there is a frequent presence of the very cold, dry northwest wind and the westerly wind. Summer dryness causes lower river flow; however, torrential rain causes increased flow. Vegetation: Holm oak forests are degraded and replaced by pine. There are maquis (dense, evergreen shrubs), scrub, and steppe. Crops: Wheat, vineyards, and olive groves.
Mediterranean Climate Varieties
- Atlantic-Mediterranean influence variety: Found in the strip from Tarifa in Andalusia, part of the Guadalquivir basin, and Extremadura, with abundant rainfall in the cold season, hot, dry summers, except for the coasts, which are milder.
- Mediterranean mountain variety: Found in all the hilly coastal reliefs, from the Pyrenees to the Sierra Nevada. Precipitation comes from the Mediterranean Sea, with cool winters and mild summers.
- Dry variety with less than 400 mm of annual precipitation: Found in the southern part of Murcia and the coastal region of Almería, with a dry climate and a high aridity index due to a significant water deficit.
Continental or Interior Climates
This climate encompasses the whole of La Mancha and the Community of Madrid. It is characterized by very cold winters, the formation of fog banks, particularly long winters, and very hot and dry summers. Rainfall is scarce throughout the year, with occasional snow due to polar air influence. The rivers are irregular. Vegetation: Holm oak and pine forests, while the plains are dominated by shrubs. Agriculture: Devoted to dry cereal crops and wool livestock.
Continental Climate Varieties
- Long, cold winters and short, mild, dry summers: Found in Castile and the northern plateau. In winter, the minimum temperature is below -3°C. Summers are shorter, very dry, with little rainfall.
- Mountain variety: Found in the Iberian System, the Central System, and the Mountains of Toledo. Atlantic storms cause significant rainfall; there is also Mediterranean rain in the afternoon. Winters are long and cold, with periods of frost, while summers are short, cool, and quite dry.
- Areas with little rain and dominance of the cierzo wind: Found in much of the Ebro Depression, La Rioja, southern Navarra, much of Aragon, parts of inland Tarragona and Lleida. Precipitation is minimal in Zaragoza (Monegros Desert). The most important feature is the cierzo, a dry northwest wind. Winters are cold.
The Climate of the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands have mild temperatures throughout the year. Rainfall is caused by westerly winds in the western islands, while the eastern islands are dry due to Saharan air. There is little rain on the islands near Africa. Climatic varieties exist according to altitude.