Many people ask us about the weather in Almuñécar, so that means it time to make a post about it! Let’s first start by saying that the sun is usually shining, but it too needs to take a siesta once in a while. The weather we have described in this post is what we’ve experienced from 2012 and we consider to be “usual”. That said, for the past few years there has been a little more “unusual” weather, with cold snaps in October and a warm February. This is only meant as a rough guide for each month, as we obviously can’t control Mother Nature.
Table of Contents
No matter who you speak with in town, they are likely to boast and rave about the weather in Almuñécar. With temperatures ranging between 10°C (18°F) and 32°C (89°F) wouldn’t you? If you want to see the average temperatures for a year in an interactive chart, click here.
If you are speaking with a local and want some good small talk, ask them about “el tiempo en Almuñécar“. I know what you are thinking, you learned the word tiempo back in Spanish class long ago and it meant time. Well it is one of those words with a few meanings and weather is another meaning for tiempo, meteo Almunecar. Other languages – väder Almunecar, météo Almunecar, Wetter Almunecar, sää Almunecar, & weer Almunecar.
There is one other small item to clarify. When we say Almuñécar we mean the entire municipality and not just the town itself. The municipality of Almuñécar stretches from Cerro Gordo Park (Cantarriján Beach) on the west, to the east it takes you along the N340 to just beyond the A7 on/off ramp. It also stretches inland quite a bit to El Rescate and Peña Escrita natural park.
Meteo Almunecar – Almuñécar Weather
Subtropical Climate
Subtropical climates are often characterized by warm to hot summers and cool to mild winters with infrequent frost. Most subtropical climates fall into two basic types:
- Humid subtropical, where rainfall is often concentrated in the warmest months
- Dry-summer (or Mediterranean), where seasonal rainfall is concentrated in the cooler months
Costa Tropical Microclimate
Costa Tropical is in the Granada province and stretches from Cerro Gordo Park on the west to La Rábita to the east. Almuñécar is at the heart of it all and is the popular tourist resort area, mainly for Spanish tourists. Costa Tropical is a little more lush than the surrounding areas on the south coast. This is because the Sierra Nevada mountain range hugs Costa Tropical and catches more rain and thus supplies the area with abundant irrigation. This same mountain range creates a pleasant microclimate of very mild winters and mild summers compared to inland Spain. There can often be temperature difference of more than 10°C (18°F) between the coast and the city of Granada. It could be 38 °C (100 °F) in the summer in the city of Granada and only 28°C (82°F) on the Costa Tropical. So it is no joke when they say you can ski in the Sierra Nevada snow and in just over an hour you can be back on the beach enjoying a sunny 10°C (50°F) afternoon.
So let’s start chatting about el tiempo en Almuñécar, plus a few other little bits of information!
The weather in Almuñécar
el tiempo in Almunecar, väder Almunecar, météo Almunecar, Wetter Almunecar, sää Almunecar, weer Almunecar
The Weather in Almuñécar by Month
As we are travel bloggers and not meteorologists, magicians or psychics we can’t guarantee what the weather will be like. However, we have lived in Almuñécar for more than 6 years, so we’ve noticed some patterns and few quirky things. If you want the full weather report with statistics and predictions, hop on over to el tiempo and read the forecasts. Rumor has it that the Costa Tropical has about 320 days of sun a year, and that is pretty accurate. If you are here in the winter you may wonder where those 320 days are. Just keep in mind, it rarely rains a good 6 months out of the year, so that leaves a good 45 days of rain to spread out over 6 months (about 7 days a month on average). Of course it doesn’t really work like that. We will like get a few days of rain each month September through January. Then it is the luck of the draw for February through April, as this is when it seems we get more overcast or rainy days.
January
January can be tricky, with the days the teens°C (50’s-60’s°F) and cooler nights, but we still get the sun! You will likely need a jacket, especially in the evenings. There is sun and some days with warmer temperatures, but not much over 20 °C (70 °F). The sun is setting earlier and a little further south. If the sun is shining, it is likely a nice day to be out and may feel warm. If you happen to have a home which doesn’t face south, you may feel a little colder indoors. The morning or afternoon sun really makes all of the difference to warm up your home for the day.
February
In the years we have been here, this always seems to be the coldest month of the year. You still get plenty of sunny days, but it is cooler. The days tend to be in the low or mid teens°C (50’s°F) and cooler nights down to 9°C (48 °F). You will likely need a jacket during the day and especially in the evenings. More overcast days and less sun make it feel much cooler. Once in a while you can watch the town disappear as a fog bank rolls in and hangs out for a while. Depending on where your home is located and how much sunlight you receive, it may feel colder than it really is, so just step outside to warm up. All of this to say in February of 2017, there were a couple of weeks of sun and 17 °C (62 °F), so you just never know. That same year the month of March was the coldest.
March
March usually brings us rain, with the days the teens°C (50’s-60’s°F) and cooler nights, but still plenty of sunny days. You will likely need a jacket, especially in the evenings. There is sometimes a few days with warmer temperatures, but not much over 20 °C (70 °F). This is the month when you are likely to have a stretch of rain over a few days. When the sun isn’t shining, it really drops the temperatures down. If the sun is shining, it is likely a nice day to be out and may feel warm. If you happen to have a home which doesn’t face south, you may feel a little colder indoors. The morning or afternoon sun really makes all of the difference to warm up your home for the day. This is when it is more difficult to get some good sunny days to dry your clothes on the terrace. This is Feria month for La Herradura for Fiestas de San Jose (March 19).
April
April is very much like March, but with even more sunny days. Remember the saying, “April showers bring May flowers”? April usually brings rain, with the days the teens °C (50’s-60’s°F) and cooler nights. You will likely need a jacket, especially in the evenings. There are sometimes a few days with warmer temperatures, but not much over 20 °C (70 °F). This is the month when you are likely to have a stretch of rain over a few days. When the sun isn’t shining, it really drops the temperatures down. If the sun is shining, it is likely a nice day to be out and may feel warm. If you happen to have a home which doesn’t face south, you may feel a little colder indoors.
May
Ahhhh! Spring has usually sprung in May and the sun is almost a sure thing every day! The weather can be still Spring like in the early part of the month, but by the end of May you know it is summer or soon to be! There still may be a random day or two with rain, but not always. The sun is out and usually in the low 20’s °C (60’s – 70°F), towards the end of the month it is usually warmer and likely to stay that way through the summer. There still may be a random day or two with rain, but not always.
June
Summer! The weather can be still Spring like a few days in the early part of the month, but by the end of June you know it is summer! With bright sunny days and a slight breeze, it is amazing. It is usually in the 20’s °C (70’s – 80’s°F), towards the end of the month it is usually warmer and likely to stay that way through the end of August. Swimming pools open, shorts are worn, souvenir shops are open. Schools are usually out the 3rd week of the month, just before Fiestas de San Jan (June 23). This celebration is the true start to summer.
July
Summer sun! You can count on a sunny day for sure and a slight breeze, sometimes windy. It is usually in the upper 20’s – low 30’s°C ( 80’s°F), with a bit of humidity. Summer’s in full swing and people start to flock to the coast from inland Spain to enjoy the cooler summer weather.
August
Summer Sun! You can count on a sunny day for sure and a breeze, sometimes windy. It is usually in the low 30’s°C ( upper 80’s°F), with a bit of humidity. Summer’s in full swing and people flock to the coast from inland Spain to enjoy the summer weather. The city is buzzing with activity and the population triples in size. The big celebration is the Feria or Fiestas de Virgen de la Antigua (August 15 and the week prior).
Timelapse video of San Cristobal Beach on a typical summer day
September
When it comes to the weather in Almunecar, this tends to be a transitional month. The first few weeks and sometimes the entire month, still feels like summer. Nice sunny days with a rare day of rain. Sometime in September the weather makes its change and you start to get a feel for Autumn. While we don’t have much in the way of leaves changing and fall colors, we do start to get very welcomed cooler nights. The days still tend to be in the upper 20’s °C (80’s°F), so it is the ideal month to enjoy the beaches and the sea without all of the crowds. Sometimes towards the end of the month our first rains in many months may fall. Because this is the first rain, the ground is very dry and doesn’t always absorb the rain as quickly as it is coming down, so this can cause problems. Looking back to the flash floods of 2007 and having been through less severe flash floods September of 2012, we know how this goes. The municipality has taken several actions to improve drainage and riverbeds to help prevent the floods, so it may not be likely again.
October
You can almost count on amazing weather in October, with plenty of sun and a few days of rain. The sea becomes a little more active, the clouds tend to pass through the sky and the temperature is just about perfect. The days still tend to be in the 20’s °C (upper 70’s – low 80’s°F), so it is another great month to enjoy the beaches and the sea without all of the crowds. There is also a possibility of one or two good thunderstorms coming through this month. Often those storms are out to sea and it is an amazing sight to watch a storm blow by without getting wet! That said, sometimes the skies open up and the rain comes down with a fury. The fall storms tend to come and go, but with some force. Several times, we have seen Cotobro beach get thrashed and repaired again. Also in the fall, there tends to be cloudier skies. Don’t fret, it is usually still amazing weather, with plenty of sun, and these clouds will not disappoint when it comes time for sunrise or sunset.
November
This tends to be a standard Autumn month, with the days the upper teens°C (60’s°F) and cooler nights. The sun is still shining! We’ve experienced a couple of Novembers with temperatures in the in the low 20’s °C (70’s °F). There is also a possibility of one or two good thunderstorms coming through this month. Often those storms are out to sea and it is an amazing sight to watch a storm blow by without getting wet! That said, sometimes the skies open up and the rain comes down with a fury. The sun is setting earlier and a little further south. If the sun is shining, it is likely a nice day to be out and may feel warm. If you happen to have a home which doesn’t face south, you may feel a little colder indoors. The morning or afternoon sun really makes all of the difference to warm up your home for the day.
December
December can be tricky, with the days the teens°C (60’s°F) and cooler nights. You will likely need a jacket, especially in the evenings and the sun will still be shining most of the time. There are almost always a few days in the low 20’s °C (70’s °F). The sun is setting earlier and a little further south. If the sun is shining, it is likely a nice day to be out and may feel warm. If you happen to have a home which doesn’t face south, you may feel a little colder indoors. The morning or afternoon sun really makes all of the difference to warm up your home for the day.
Remember we can’t promise any kind of weather and there will certainly be times when things are different than described above. This is just based on years of experiences and personal observations. If you have anything you would like to add, feel free to comment below. No matter when you decide to come, we are pretty sure you will enjoy the Almuñécar weather!
Holiday, Ferias & Fiestas
Do you want to know what’s going on when you arrive? We have a full calendar to keep you informed about the holidays, festivals and fiestas in Almuñécar & La Herradura
[sc name=”to-do-tours”]
[sc name=”ad”]
