Weather overview for Costa Del Sol , Spain
Located in the most southern region of Spain within the community of Andalucia, Costa del Sol is a popular holiday regio tucked in between the lesser-known Costa de la Luz and Costa Tropical.
The resort covers more than 300km of coastline, with golden sandy beaches on the coastal side and purpose-built holiday resorts, such as Malaga, Marbella and Benalmadena, on the inland side.
Costa del Sol's Climate
Costa del Sol enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate, with four fairly distinct seasons spring (March, April and May), summer (June, July and August), autumn, (September, October and November) and winter (December, January and February) just like in the UK. But, unlike the UK, average temperatures rarely drop below double figures in this resort even in the middle of winter.
Costa Del Sol Summer and Winter Seasons
The difference in temperature between the summer season and the winter season is huge, as is the difference in average monthly rainfall and sea temperature.
Sunshine Hours in Costa Del Sol
Although the number of daily sunshine hours halves in the winter season compared to the summer, the Costa del Sol still enjoys around 325 days of sunshine a year definitely living up to its name, Coast of the Sun!
Spring Weather in Costa Del Sol
In spring the average temperatures quickly increase as the season progresses, beginning at 15°C in March, jumping up to 17°C in Apriland rising again up to 20°C by May.
Although average highs range between 18°C and 23°C during the daytime, evenings can get very chilly, with average lows of 9°C-13°C.
Keep in mind that the cool sea breeze which blows in off the Mediterranean can often make the mild temperatures feel a few degrees cooler, so it's worth packing a warm jumper or jacket, just in case.
Spring Sunshine Hours On Costa Del Sol
With an average of seven-nine daily sunshine hours in spring you'll get plenty of opportunities to work on your tan. If you want to make the most of the sunshine, plan your holiday for May, when the resort enjoys 10 hours of sun.
Sea Temperature In Costa Del Sol In Spring
Although the weather might be warm enough for a day at the beach, the sea will probably be too cold for swimming, ranging between an average of 15°C and 17°C.
Spring Rain in Costa Del Sol
After winter, spring is the wettest season of the year in the Costa Del Sol, but as time passes, the probability of rainfall decreases. March is the wettest month, when an average of 59mm of rainfall occurring over the course of 12 days. This drops down to 40mm over 11 days in April and 23mm over eight days in May.
Summer Weather in Costa Del Sol
Summer is the most popular time for the Costa del Sol so expect flights and accommodation to be more expensive at this time of year.
Summer Temperatures In The Costa Del Sol
During this season, average temperatures begin at a pleasant 22°C in June, rise to 25°C in July and peak at 26°C in August, which is the hottest month of the year.
Average daytime highs range between 27°C and 29°C but temperatures have been known to soar up to the 40s during aggressive heatwaves, so be prepared. The highest temperature ever registered in the Costa del Sol was a scorching 44.2°C, which was recorded in Malaga on 18th July 1978.
Evenings bring some much-welcomed respite from the heat of the daytime, with average lows dropping down to 17°C-19°C after dark. Even when daytime temperatures are at their highest, the cool sea breeze means the heat is never too much.
Summer Sunshine Hours And Sea Temperature In Costa Del Sol
In summer Costa del Sol boasts an average of 11 hours of sunshine each day, making it the sunniest season by far. Summer is also when the sea temperature is at its warmest, rising from 20°C in June, up to 22°C in July and peaking at 23°C in August.
Does It Rain On The Costa Del Sol In Sunnmer?
Summer is the driest season of the year for the Costa del Sol. June is the wettest month of the season, with an average of 13mm falling over the course of five days, followed by August with 5mm over three days and July (the driest month) with just 2mm falling over two days.
It's this combination of hot weather, high number of sunshine hours, warm sea temperature and low chance of rain which attracts millions of tourists to the Costa del Sol each summer.
Autumn Weather in Costa Del Sol
Autumn is another popular time to visit the Costa Del Sol as there's pleasantly warm weather and only a small amount of rain.
Autumn Temperatures In Costa Del Sol
At this time of year, average temperatures start off at a pleasant 23°C in September and quickly drop to 19°C by October and 15°C by November.
There's a significant difference between evening and daytime temperatures, with daytime highs ranging between 26°C and 18°C and nighttime lows ranging between 17°C and 10°C.
With the addition of the cool sea breeze which comes off the Mediterranean and makes temperatures feel slightly cooler than they actually are, you can expect some chilly nights if you visit Costa del Sol in autumn.
How Much Sunshine Is There In The Costa Del Sol In Autumn?
As the temperatures drop as the seasons change, so does the amount of sunshine. Summer sees 11 hours of sunshine each day, September has eight, followed by October with seven and November with six.
Autumn Sea Temperature In Costa Del Sol
Although you might not want to spend hours sunbathing at the beach in Autumn, the sea will definitely be warm enough to go for a swim inSeptember and October, when the average sea temperature is 22°C and 20°C, respectively. By November it drops to 18°C, which might be too cool for some.
Autumn Rain In Costa Del Sol
November is the wettest month of the year, when 115mm of rain falls over an average of 11 days. By comparison, September starts off fairly dry, with just 15mm falling over five days, although October is rather wet, with 57mm falling over nine days.
Costa Del Sol's Heaviest Rain
The highest amount of monthly rainfall ever registered in the Costa del Sol is a staggering 497.4mm (more than four times the average) which was recorded at Malaga airport during November 1989.
Winter Weather in Costa Del Sol
Winter is the coldest season in the Costa del Sol, but despite this, the resort is still much warmer than most northern parts of Europe. It's thanks to the Sierra Bermeja mountain range, which blocks any cold gusts, that the Costa del Sol is very mild during this season.
Winter Temperatures In Costa Del Sol
At this time of year, average temperatures stay fairly constant, dropping from 13°C in December, down to 12°C in January and back up to 13°C by February this makes January the coldest month of the year in the Costa del Sol.
Daytime temperatures are around twice as warm as evening temperatures, so make sure you pack plenty of warm clothing to keep you warm in the evenings.
The cool sea breeze which blows in off the Mediterranean can make these cold temperatures seem even colder than they actually are, so be well prepared.
What's The Coldest It's Ever Been In Costa Del Sol?
The coldest temperature ever registered in the Costa del Sol is -3.8°C, which was experienced at Malaga Airport on 4 February 1954.
How Much Sun Does The Costa Del Sol Get In Winter?
Winter is the least sunny season of the year for the Costa del Sol, when the resort has 5-6 hours of sunshine every day. With cloud coverage at around 42%, the weather will be more overcast than bright for most of winter.
Winter Sea Temperatures In Costa Del Sol
With so few sunshine hours and such high cloud coverage, a day at the beach is probably out of the question. But since the average sea temperature is 15°C-16°C it will be too cold for a swim anyway.
Winter Rain in Costa Del Sol
The Costa del Sol experiences a fair bit of rain in winter. The wettest month is December when 98mm of precipitation falls over 13 days.February is the driest month when 75mm of precipitation falls over 13 days.
Extreme Weather In Costa Del Sol
Dust And Sand Storms
Due to Spain's close proximity to North Africa, the Costa del Sol is subject to dust storms aused by winds which blow across the Sahara Desert. These bring higher temperatures (sometimes up to 10°C hotter than average) and low visibility.
Thanks to the cool sea breeze which blows in off the Mediterranean, the high temperatures which accompany the dust storms usually feel a bit cooler than they actually are..