Today's weather for Menorca, Spain4th Jul 2009 04:00

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Weather Overview for Menorca

Menorca (or Minorca in Spanish and Catalan) is one of the 3 Balearic Islands which lie off the coast of Spain in the Mediterranean Sea. The other Balearics to the southwest are Majorca and the infamous party island of Ibiza.

Menorca enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate with long, hot summers and shorter mild winters. The island sees around 300 days of sunshine per year. Summer is the best time to visit, keeping in mind that everybody thinks the same; be sure to book ahead if you are planning to visit in the summer; July and August are particularly busy.

Summers in Minorca actually begin in early May; visitors and residents can enjoy summer temperatures right through until late September/early October. This period provides Menorca’s best weather with average highs in the 20s, peaking at 28°C in August, and up to eleven hours of sunshine per day. In the height of summer you will often need to escape the heat but this is easily achieved by jumping into the beautiful waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

The peak summer months see rainfall at an absolute minimum but the beginning and end of the season see heavy showers. Early summer is sunnier than late summer, but in late summer the sea temperature is higher.

Autumn is wet and mild. It is the rainiest time of year and sees heavy showers. October is the wettest month with November following closely. The average high temperature drops to 21°C in October which is still very pleasant but in November it is quite mild at an average high of 17°C. Night times are cool and the sky is often overcast.

Winter sees temperatures drop to around 12°C, steady rainfall and about 3-5 hours of sunshine per day. The average minimum temperature in December, January and February is around 7°C and the average maximum sits at about 13°C.

Menorca is the most northern of the Balearics, so it is slightly cooler and wetter than its southern. It is also in the path of no less than 8 prevailing winds, leading to its nickname, the ‘windy island.’ Menorca has the first ever wind farm in the Balearic archipelago.

The tramontana wind that sweeps across the island from the north is prominent during the winter months. This brings unpredictable, changeable weather so a rainy day could very well be followed by a day of uninterrupted sun. Sunshine levels are low but much better than in the UK.

This is the rainy season and while rainfall levels have dropped from autumn, it still rains regularly and the high winds can whip up big storms.

Spring sees temperatures of between 14°C and 18°C, and is considerably sunnier and drier than the autumn months. Showers are still common but the sun usually comes out between them. If the sun stays out for long enough it can even push temperatures into the 20s.

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