If you are planning next years vacation to Europe, or more specifically Spain, trying to arrange a break in the wonderful Iberian peninsula later this year involves planning ahead, especially when it comes to what weather to expect, and this should be one of your first points of research.
Coming from a colder country, the various TV lifestyle shows about Spain would have us all believe that Spain is hot and sunny all year round, but nothing could be further from the truth.
This amazing, and interesting country is of course much larger than nearby places like the UK or Ireland, often seen as more popular destinations for the travelling American, but why not consider Spain this year? Its landscape and climate is as diverse and as interesting as the people who inhabit the country.
Different people choose different types of vacations, for a variety of reasons, and the hot sun beating down on you all day is not for everyone, in fact if it gets too hot, it can seriously impede any planned activities and what you want to see and achieve whilst you are here.
Is Spain hot all year round? No!
Some people may not have considered Spain as a vacation destination because of the hot sun, and the prospect of lying on a beach all day topping up the tan, but the year round heat is an urban myth and there are many places in Spain that the climate is far more acceptable to the tourist.
In fact some parts of Northern Spain have a similar climate, rainfall average, and landscape to that of the famous and historic Cornwall in the south of England, and if chosen right, the weather can be very mild and acceptable but lacking the intense heat of southern parts of Spain such as Andalusia.
It does rain in Spain, in fact far more than most people think, but as the country is one of Europe’s larger states, the amount of rainfall can vary wildly, from an average of 600mm a year, down to the desert areas of Murcia, which receive only around 150mm of rain per year.
Rainfall varies quite a bit in Spain
Saying that though, average rainfall can vary dramatically from year to year and form place to place, especially with many of the more mountainous towns and villages which regularly get a good soaking! This is due to Spain being the 2nd most mountainous country in Europe. This water however is not wasted, and is often collected in water channels, which run down the mountains, and help to grow the various crops in the foothills.
Typical produce ranges from Oranges (Valencia and Seville), Grapes (Rioja, vinalopo etc), to the production of salt, largely around the northern Murcia region. These centuries old industries are not only reliant on the weather, but they have learnt to work with nature, and get the best from the weather available.
Of course, Spain gets its fair share of the sun too, but as the old saying goes “What goes up, must come down” and the Mediterranean regions to the east are well known for their storms in late September and early October, known as the “Gota fria”, which is “cold drop” in Spanish. The heavens literally open, and all the water that has been evaporated during the warmer time from Easter until September, suddenly comes crashing back down to earth, often causing widespread flooding, especially when the drains and rivers simply cannot cope.
If you are looking for an interesting, varied and culturally rich vacation this year, then Spain should be your first destination.
Make sure you bring an umbrella with you.