Today's weather for Tossa del mar, Spain16th Oct 2008 20:30

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Weather Overview for Tossa del mar

Tossa del Mar is a popular beach resort on Spain’s Costa Brava or ‘wild coast’. The Costa Brava lies in Catalonia in north-eastern Spain and covers the stretch of coast from Blanes, just north of Barcelona, to the border with France. This stretch of coastline was identified in the 50s as ideal for tourism and its popularity has grown ever since.

Tossa del Mar itself lies roughly halfway between Barcelona and the French border, roughly 100km from each.

The region enjoys an excellent Mediterranean climate with long hot summers and relatively mild winters. The warm seas ensure that winters are mild and temperatures don’t get nearly as cold as they do inland.

Tossa del Mar is famous for its great summer weather and fantastic beaches. Hot temperatures and plentiful sunshine make it a perfect summer beach holiday destination. Good weather can be enjoyed either side of the main summer months too.

Annual rainfall isn’t high at around 600mm but it can happen at any time of year with although summer is certainly the driest time and late spring/late autumn the wettest.

Summer

Summer is the prime season for Tossa del Mar as people come from far and wide to enjoy the sunshine and great beaches.

Summer weather can first appear in May and certainly lasts right through to September. Average temperatures are above 20 all this time. July and August see the hottest weather with daily highs often up towards 30C. Temperatures meanwhile remain in the high teens even at night during summer months.

Summer heat waves can and do occur each year and can see temperatures rise up into the mid 30s. Thankfully Tossa del Mar benefits from cooling sea breezes in summer, which are very welcome on the hottest days – it can get even hotter inland without the wind. There are also the Tramonata Winds which bring cool air down from the Pyrenees Mountains in the north.

Rainfall is low but in summer but it does occur. July averages 40mm of rainfall and is the driest month of the year, with the other summer months seeing around 50-60mm. Much of this rainfall is in short heavy showers so that quickly clear to make way for the sun. Summer days enjoy an excellent 8-9hrs of sunshine on average.

Winter

Winter is generally mild in Tossa del Mar thanks to the coastal location; away from the coast temperatures can often drop below zero in this part of Spain. The winter months of December to February have average temperatures of about 8C, varying between highs of 13 or 14C to lows of 2C. Temperatures below freezing are rare on the coast but they do occur some years.

Rainfall averages around 50-60mm a month in winter. Although not particularly high, you are sure to get some wet and windy weather. Still there is plenty of sunshine to enjoy in winter; about 4-5 hrs per day on average.

It can occasionally get cold in winter when the Tramonata Winds bring cold weather down from the Pyrenees.

Spring/Autumn

These are both good times to visit as you are outside the main tourist season but the weather is still good, especially in late spring and early autumn.

May and September are great months that enjoy virtually as good weather as the main summer months, albeit with a little more rainfall. Daily highs are frequently in the low to mid 20s and there is plenty of sunshine.

October enjoys good temperatures, with daily highs often in the 20s and lows remaining in double figures. By November it starts to cool down noticeably and temperatures can drop to around 5C at night.

Conversely things warm up rapidly throughout spring with average temperatures going from around 11C in early march to almost 20C by late May.

Rainfall is at its highest in spring and autumn, especially at the latter end of each season. May is the wettest month, closely followed by October and November. Even in these months though, you can find plenty of sunshine – up to 6 or 7hrs a day.

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