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Weather Overview for Malaga

Malaga enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate which has helped make it one of Europe’s favourite holiday destinations – it is, after all, the capital city of Spain’s ‘sun coast’, the Costa del Sol.

The climate is characterised by long, hot, dry summers and very mild rainy winters. The city receives almost 3000 hours of sunshine a year which equates to about 300 days every year with sunny weather. However, Malaga is also prone to fog which develops over the sea and blows inland.

Summer

Summer in Malaga runs from June until September. The average high temperature stays in the high 20s for the entire season, climbing to an average high of 27°C in June, and peaking at an average of 29°C in July and August. This period can see temperatures reach into the 30s in the middle of the day, although low humidity and sea breezes offer respite. Stifling temperatures sometimes occur when the sirocco wind blows up from Africa. This wind originates in the Sahara and carries the desert’s extreme heat and aridity across the Mediterranean. It can also carry sand filling the sky with a haze and dropping dust on many of Europe’s Mediterranean resorts.

11 hours of sunshine per day can be expected from June till August but September is sometimes overcast and only sees 8. Any fog that develops during the summer usually disappears by late morning, but it can last for a few days at a time. This is also caused by hot air travelling across from Africa. It picks up moisture from the Mediterranean and as it cools the moisture condenses into fog. Luckily, if you find yourself stuck in the fog you can always travel slightly inland where the sun is guaranteed.

Rain is almost non-existent between July and August while June and September see on average 3 days with rainfall. During these 3 days in June, only 52mm falls in total on average. However, recorded precipitation over the 3 days of rainfall in September is 162mm. This shows that while it may ‘rain’ in June, it is often nothing more than a light sprinkling while a few heavy thunderstorms are more characteristic of September.

Autumn

Autumn, in October and November, is still very warm but also quite wet. This is a great time to visit to avoid heavy crowds and enjoy a more active holiday. The average high temperature is still 23°C in October and 19°C in November while the average low temperature falls to 14°C and 11°C respectively. This means that until late in November the days are beach-worthy while night times will require an extra layer. The sea remains warm enough for swimming till the end of the season. However, heavy showers can be expected on around nine days per month; November is the wettest month in the year. Sunshine levels also reduce but many sunny days still occur. The fog is a little more persistent though it develops on fewer days.

Winter

Winter is quite wet but also very warm; it is known to have one of the warmest winters in all of Europe. From December till February rainfall levels sit around 80mm per month falling on eight days in each month. While this still leaves over twenty days without rain each month it is difficult to predict when these will occur. Sunshine levels get down to around 5 hours per day (rather better than London’s 1 hour per day in December).

Daytime winter temperatures can often reach up to the 20s when warm southerly winds blow from Africa and the sun comes out. January is the coldest month but still sees an average high of 16°C and an average low of 7°C. At night the temperature can drop to freezing but this is rare. Snow is also uncommon. The fog can linger around for days making the pleasant temperatures redundant, and the sea temperature is too low for swimming.

Spring

From March till May conditions steadily improve with increasing temperatures and clearer skies. It is as warm and sunny as an English summer. The average high temperature climbs to 19°C early on, up to 20°C in April and 23°C in May. Night times remain cold, only getting up to an average low of 11°C in May. The sea does not get quite warm enough for goosebumpless swimming but the sun comes out for around 7 hours a day, jumping to 9 in May. Cold winds and stubborn fog can spoil the odd day but generally conditions are more than favourable.

This is a great time to visit if you don’t plan to spend all of your time on the beach. It’s still warm, there aren’t as many tourists and you can benefit from off-peak prices. Remember, Malaga is a big city, the sixth largest in the country, so it isn’t turned into a ghost town out of peak season.

The mountains behind Malaga rise up to heights of over 2000m as you move inland towards the Sierra Nevadamountain range. Since these mountains lie to the north of Malaga they protect it somewhat from the cooler northern winds. This, combined with the warm seas that surround Malaga, means that winter temperatures don’t drop anywhere near as low as they do inland. Conversely, the sea breezes bring welcome refreshment during hot summer days, keeping coastal regions cooler.

Like anywhere else, weather can vary from year to year and heat waves or cold snaps can occur. Some years will be dry, others might be particularly hot. 2004 and 2005, for example, both saw very dry winters while 2006 was the wettest for many years. January 2006 also saw a freak cold period; temperatures plummeted, snow settled in the hills behind Malaga and a few snowflakes were even seen on the beach.

While late spring and summer are by far the most popular times to visit the city, Malaga has much to offer year round, irrespective of the weather. While it is a bustling, modern city, Malaga’s history is everywhere on show in its architecture. Beautiful examples of Baroque, Classical, Roman and Moorish architecture are all to be found. Malaga is also the birthplace of Picasso and the Museo Picasso is home to many of the artist’s early works.