Madrid, the capital city of Spain, and the centre, quite literally, of one of Europe’s largest member states, has an annual weather pattern that may surprise the unwary.
This exciting, vibrant and cosmopolitan city is full of culture and history, and if you plan to visit the city at some point in the near future, choosing a specific time of year can make the difference between being able to see exactly what you want to see, or to be sheltering from the summer heat in a bar and perhaps not seeing it as one should?
Madrid is, in general, quite a dry city and rain is rare and unusual. The high heat levels the city experiences from time to time are not as oppressive as other cities in Spain such as Seville and this is largely due to the low levels of humidity in Madrid, which are quite apparent at the onset of summer.
However, as mentioned above, the city has quite a diverse weather pattern due to its level above sea, and also its location in the centre of the country.
Madrid, the weather, and the seasons.
To really explain the weather here in Madrid and how it changes throughout the year, we look at the four seasons as separate sections, just as the 4 different climate types experienced here as diverse from each other, in fact quite surprisingly so as the typical tourist who comes to Spain often mistakenly believes it is hot and sunny all year round. This is not true, and here’s why.
Winter in Madrid.
The winter comes a little late in Spain and usually starts around December time, and ends around the middle of March, although there have been exceptions to the rule in more recent times.Being in the city during the winter can be quite an eye opener for the first time visitor to the city as it’s surprisingly cold! It is an ideal time to visit Madrid for shopping, especially just before Christmas, as there is nothing worse if you are trying to shop during the summer and the intense heat really makes getting those bargains quite tough! In act the average temperature at this time is only around 10 degrees!
If you want an unusual experience, it has been known to snow in Madrid during the winter time which, if your opinion of Spain is the sunny beaches along the costas, can be a surreal experience.
Madrid is packed with museums and other cultural points of interest and winter is a great time to visit because the tourists largely stay away from the city during this time so if you are planning to see a few things, you can rest assured you will not be waiting in line with a few thousand other people with the same idea as you!
One thing to note though is the night time in the winter, because for the unwary, it can shock you when the temperature in Madrid dips well below freezing, so if you come to Madrid in December, January of February, make sure you bring some nice warm clothes, gloves and scarf.
If this doesn’t interest you and you do want at least some sun, but without the intense heat then why not visit Madrid in the spring time?
Spring in Madrid
I have to say, and this is from the view of an experience travel writer, that spending time in the city during spring is one of my favourite times of year. Usually starting from the middle of March through to some time in may, Madrid springs to life in many ways and the days become longer and the nights not so cold, so there are more opportunities to enjoy the outside culture that is so cherished here in Madrid.
For night owls, the entertainment and socialising opportunities increase in Spring time and what better way to experience the real flavour of the city, than to visit some of the multitude of tapas bars that can be found anywhere around the city.
During spring time, we see the onset of Easter which in this Catholic country, is taken far more seriously than say in the UK, or the USA, and the city becomes far quieter during Easter, which is known in Spain as “Semana santa”, literally “Saints week” and sees many businesses closing for a week or two.
The “madrilenos” (the citizens of the city) often escape to the beaches for a week during this time. Popular destinations are often located on the eastern shores, in places such as Valencia, Denia, Gandia, Cullera and so on.
Above all, a very pleasant time to visit. Average daytime temperatures are around 18 degrees.
The summer time in Madrid
Spending the summer months in the city needs some forewarning and planning, not least of all because the temperatures in the city can sometimes be what I can only describe as “scorching”.
The summer here is although pleasant if you choose the right time to come here because early summer, and the end of the summer are actually quite nice times to be here, but the height of the summer when it is hottest is certainly not for the faint hearted, and if you plan on bringing children to Madrid, forget the summer time, you will have a lot of hard work on your hands and some very hot and bothered kids. The temperatures in the city during August can reach 40 degrees easily and fair skinned people at this time can quickly suffer heat stroke and sun burn.
In addition to that, many city workers and families abandon their home altogether in late July and August and either head for the beach for a few weeks, or to their “chalet”(country house”, often in cooler mountain areas. This also means that some shops and bars will also close and you may find yourself in the middle of an empty city!
The heat means that if you come to Madrid in the summer, bring the sort of clothes that you would wear for the beach and also make sure your hotel has air conditioning as the nights get so hot and stuffy you won’t be able to sleep at all without it.
Autumn (Fall) in Madrid
The autumn time sees the city come back to life after the hot summer, and families and office workers start to return and life gets back to normal, if life in Madrid could be described as “normal”!
Apart from my own personal favourite time to visit Madrid, which is spring, visiting here in Autumn is also very pleasant and a different mood seem to come across in the people here. It’s very much a “back to work” time for many after a long and hot summer and cultural and leisure pursuits start to appear across town so there’s plenty to do , in fact far more than during the summer.
The average temperature in Madrid for October is around a pleasant 17 to 20 degrees and it is still nice and sunny but without the intensity of the summer sun. If you plan to visit Madrid in the fall, take the sort of clothing that you would wear on a normal day in your country perhaps, light but practical and do expect a little bit of rain during this time but it rarely lasts.
Madrid is a vibrant, diverse and interesting place to start your discovery of what Spain has to offer.So as you can see, if you are planning to come to Madrid on business or for a holiday or short city break, careful planning and research into the weather can make all the difference.
Hasta pronto! (See you here soon!)
Madrid Post Office.