-- RachelCrawford - 07 Sep 2010

Spain’s climate is determined by its unusual world position, on the south western edge of Eurasia and just 13.4 kilometres from Africa at its narrowest point, with an ocean to the west and a sea to the east, and by its continental land mass and high mountainous terrain, producing a mosaic of climates, the most varied in Europe. Weather presenters here often have a lot to fit in their two minutes

Mainland Spain can be divided into four climatic zones:

1. Atlantic climate of northern coast. Average temperatures here are 9ªC in winter and 18ªC in summer. This is the wettest part of the peninsula with annual rainfall between 800-1500mm, brought by a successive depressions from the Atlantic , particularly in autumn and winter. Although summers are cooler and wetter here than the rest of Spain , there is a marked summer drought and plenty of warm, sunny weather.
2. Continental Mediterranean climate of interior central plateau (mesetas). Low temperatures in winter, with temperatures under -15ºC not uncommon, and under -20ºC regularly occurring. Summer an average 24ªC. Annual rainfall under 400mm. Heavy snowfalls in winter. As the Castilians say " nueve meses de invierno y tres meses de infierno. " "nine months of winter and three months of hell".
3. Mediterranean climate proper. Eastern and southern coast and much of the Guadalquivir Valley . Average temperatures of 11ºC in winter and 23ºC in summer. Annual rainfall between 250 mm and 600 mm.
4. Alpine climate
5. SubtropicalClimate . Canary Islands . Average winter temperatures above 14ºC. Average summer temperatures around 22ªC. Varied rainfall figures, MORE TO COME