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Weather Overview for Valencia

Valencia, Spain’s third largest city, is located on the South-Eastern coast and due to its proximity to the Mediterranean experiences typical Mediterranean weather conditions consisting of warm dry summers and mild winters. The average temperature of Valencia rarely drops below 12 ºC and for this reason it is a popular destination year round.

SUMMER

Summers in Valencia are hot, but not unbearable. Throughout July and August the average daily temperature is about 30 ºC, accompanied by mild humidity. If the heat and humidity do become a discomfort do as the Valencians do and hop into the Mediterranean Sea which during summer has an agreeable average water temperature of above and over 20 ºC. June sees Valencia with an average daily temperature of 22 ºC, July 25 ºC and August is the hottest month averaging 26 ºC with an average maximum temperature of 30 ºC.

Valencia, like many Mediterranean coastal cities, is cooled down by the local sea breeze with starts blowing at about midday and begins to calm by 4pm. This sea breeze was the focus of much analysis during the 2007 Americas Cup in hosted in Valencia. This wind saw one day of sailing being postponed when it was thought that the strength of the wind would cause damage to the racing yachts.

AUTUMN

Autumn and spring see Valencia, like other cities of similar climate, experience milder temperatures and heavier rain fall. Despite the fact that Valencia only averages forty four rainy days per year, most of these fall during the period October through December. Autumn is the wettest time in Valencia, particularly September and October. With autumn comes the Spanish Weather phenomenon known as ‘Gota Fria’ (‘cut-off low) which brings stormy unsettled weather and periods of rain along the Mediterranean coast. Gota Fria is a cold low which brings air from polar origin causing the region to cool significantly. It also brings several days of overcast, unsettling dreary weather.

WINTER

Winter in Valencia is pleasant, mild and filled with clear blue skies, it does however get considerably colder come sundown. The months December through to February are not particularly wet either, generally averaging 51mm to 52mm of precipitation in December and falling to 32mm to 36mm come January and February.  January is generally the coldest month, with an average minimum of 7 ºC and an average maximum of 16 ºC.

SPRING

Spring brings the festival season and flowering countryside, so it is a popular time to visit. The crowds haven’t quite picked up in time for summer so Valencia’s famed beaches aren’t as full and accommodation prices haven’t reached summer highs. March sees an average temperature of 14 ºC moving up to an average daily temperature of 18 ºC in May. It is considerably drier in spring than autumn; however the city receives more rain in this period of time than once the summer months arrive. The mild weather and sea breeze that Valencia receives makes it a great destination year round for wind surfing, parasailing, kite surfing and other wind sports.

WEATHER HAZARDS

As Valencia in Spain is close to North Africa, dust storms- caused by hot winds blowing across the Sahara- are a problem in the area.

These tend to last on average for 1-4 days, but can last for up to 2 weeks every 10 years or so.

Dust storms will usually hit Valencia between May and September. They can severely reduce visibility and irritate asthma and other respiratory problems, so always make sure you carry any medication with you if you suffer from such a problem. It’s best to stay inside when a dust storm hits.

Another common complaint in Spain are the droughts, which, though not more frequent now, tend to last for longer and are thus more of a problem. Though they are unlikely to directly affect your holiday, they can make other problems, such as bush fires, worse.

Bush fires are an issue in summer in Valencia. The dry vegetation caused by the droughts mean that they can last for longer and be more intense, so make sure you are staying in a location that is unlikely to be affected by them. 60% of the time they are either deliberately lit or the result of careless mistakes or accidents.

Periods of draught can also bring on thunder storms, hail storms and heavy rain, which in turn can lead to flash flooding. Around 10 hail storms a year are likely to be seen in Valencia, with 10-20 thunder storms. These will usually occurring Spain in the autumn or winter so the summer is the best time of the year to visit Spain if you want to entirely avoid any wet weather.