Climate: Spain has a predominantly warm Mediterranean climate, with dry summers and winters with balanced temperatures. Here you can enjoy more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. The climate varies tremendously in Spain, due to its large size. Visitors can generally expect a Mediterranean climate, characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. The vast central plateau, or Meseta, has a continental climate with hot, dry summers and cold winters. Rain generally falls in spring and autumn. The mountains surrounding the plateau have a higher rainfall and often experience heavy snowfalls in winter. North of the Cantabrian mountains, the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia have a maritime climate, with cool summers and mild winters. The weather is often cloudy with frequent rainfall. On the Mediterranean coast, the climate is moderate with rain in spring and autumn. Murcia has an almost African climate and is characterized by numerous palm trees. Rainfall is low and the calina, or heat haze, is common during summer.

On the Atlantic coast, the summers are cooler and fairly heavy rainfall occurs during winter. Inland, the summers are hot and the rainfall decreases. Nevertheless, variety is the main characteristic of the climate here, due to Spain’s immense geographical diversity. So that if you travel to the north, to the Cantabrian coast, you will find a mild climate with high rainfall. Winters are mild and in summer temperatures rarely exceed 25ºC. However, in the higher parts of the country, the climate is harsher and it is common to see snow from the beginning of winter to the end of spring. This is the case of the Pyrenees, the mountains of Sierra Nevada, the Central and Iberian ranges, and the Cantabrian Mountains, amongst others.

Spanish climate can be divided into three main types of climate: Mediterranean climate in the south, continental in the center of the country and Atlantic-oceanic in the north-west. Besides these three main climates, Spain presents a climate of Alpine character on the highest peaks of the Pyrenees, while in the region of Murcia, the climate is semi-arid, the Canary Islands enjoy a sub-tropical semi-arid climate. 

OCEANIC CLIMATE: The oceanic climate is characteristic of northern Spain, often called "Green Spain", the area affected by this type of climate is that west of the Pyrenees until the coast of Galicia. The climate is characterized by relatively mild winters and hot summers but not muggy, the rains are very abundant and distributed throughout the year. The north and north-west of the country, particularly the coast along the Atlantic Ocean benefits of the Gulf Stream which owes its mild temperature but also the high humidity and intense cloud. In fact, the depression coming from the Ocean cause frequent rains and dense fog along the coast and often cloudy days, autumn is the most rainy season, while summer is usually sunny but cooler temperatures comparated with the rest of Spain. Temperatures vary little between day and night either on a seasonal basis. The distance from the Ocean attenuates the intensity of the rain that decrese gradually move toward the east. 

Galicia: During the summer the average maximum temperature varies between 20-25°C, while in winter between 10°C and 12°C, the average minimum are around 10-13°C in summer and 3-6°C in winter. The most rainy seasons are winter, autumn and spring, the rain decrese from moving northwest toward the southeast with a reduction in days of annual rainfall from 150 to 110. The best time to visit the region are the months between June and August, more hot and sunny. 

CONTINENTAL CLIMATE: This kind of weather affects most of the Iberian peninsula, influencing the Meseta Central and the basin of the river Ebro. The climate of these areas are characterized by significant differences in temperature between day and night and also between seasons, irregular and poor rains, with annual averages between 300 mm and 600 mm. The northern part of the Meseta and the basin of the river Ebro has two rainy seasons, that relatively more intense between April and June and then the second between October and November. The area south of Meseta has two rainy seasons, but reversed, because the most rainy periord is the autumn, while another shorter period of rain is in March. The Meseta and the central regions of Spain has a continental climate, which has very hot summers, with extremes of temperature and aridity of the air, windy and cold winters, with frequent frosts. Spring and autumn can be rainy. In the mountains during the winter snows in abundance. Summer temperatures undergo major changes between day and night going from 30-40°C during the day to 10°C during the night. 

Castilla: Castilla has a continental climate with cool winters, with temperatures often below 8°C, and with night frosts and occasional snow. Summers are very hot with average temperatures over 24°C in July and August, with maximum that often reaching 35°C. The rains are rather scarce, the relatively rainy months are those between October and December. 

MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE: The Mediterrnaen climate area of Spain stretches along the coast south of the Pyrenees until Andalusia. The Mediterranean area enjoys mild winters, dry and long summers, rainy autumns and beautiful springs, the summer heat is usually mitigate by a sea breeze, while the extreme southern regions are affected during the hot summer by winds coming from north Africa. The average winter temperatures along the coast are around 10-13°C, while in inland Andalusia are a few degrees lower. In summer temperatures average around 22-27°C along the coast and 29-31°C in inland areas. 

Catalonia: Catalonia enjoys a temperate climate all year round. Summers are usually hot and muggy, sometimes reaching temperatures of 35°C while the average temperature is around 29°C. The rains are more frequent between September and November, January is the coldest month of year even though the winters are usually mild. 

Valencia: Valencia area has a Mediterranean climate with mild winters, while the rainest period is autumn. Average annual rainfall is 450 mm and rain is concentrated between September and December. Spring and summer are the best seasons for visiting the city. 

Murcia: this area of Spain, which also extends over parts of Andalusia, has a semi-arid climate with very hot summers and cold winters. The rains are very scarce and reach the minimum area around the Cabo de Gata with an average annual rainfall of 150 mm, this is one of the most arid places in Europe. 

Andalusia: Andalusia is one of the hottest regions of Europe, presents a temperate Mediterranean climate with hot and dry summers and mild winters with irregular rains. In July and August temperatures are hot and often reach 40°C. The climate on the coast is more temperate, while inland winters are harsh and summers are torrid. In the eastern areas the climate is drier than in the West. The winter can be gloomy and rainy and rather cold in the mountains. The best time to visit is from March to June and from mid-September up to November. 

Balearic Islands: The Balearic islands have a maritime climate, with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Thanks to their position at the center of the Western Mediterranean this archipelago has a temperate climate throughout the year. The precipitation reached the highest in the autumn months of October and November, the annual average is anyway quite low at around 430 mm. For the visit the optimal period is from May to October, however, the months of July and August are very crowded. 

Canary Islands: Canary Islands have a sub-tropical dry climate, mild and pleasant throughout the year, with no sudden changes in temperature between day and night. Their special location, facing the coast of Africa, gives them a benign climate with mild temperatures (22ºC year-round average on the coasts), with only small temperature differences between day and night, whatever the season. The maximun average temperatures vary between 20°C and 30°C while the average minimum temperatures vary between 15°C and 21°C. As for the rains eastern islands are semi-arid, while most western receive more rain. The coastal areas are fairly mild, but the interior, especially in arid areas of Tenerife, can get very hot during the day with cold nights. Mount Teide is often snowcapped in winter and the vast majority of rain falls in winter.

Best time to visit Spain: Spring and fall are undoubtedly the best times to travel to Spain. Spring is the ideal season to visit the central regions of Castile, Andalusia, the Mediterranean coast and the Balearic Islands. Summer is the best time to visit the northern regions, especially the Cantabrian coast, Galicia and the path of Santiago. Autumn is probably the best time of year to visit the country. The climate is excellent, with sunny days and blue sky. During the winter the mountain ranges of both the north and the south offer excellent opportunities for winter sports.