World Travel 4 Indians

Spain's climate is determined by its unusual world position, on the south western edge of Eurasia and just 13.4 kilometers from Africa at its narrowest point, with an ocean to the west and a sea to the east, and by its continental land mass and high mountainous terrain, producing a mosaic of climates, the most assorted in Europe. Peninsular Spain experiences three climatic types: continental, maritime, and Mediterranean. The locally generated continental climate covers the greater part of peninsular Spain, influencing the Meseta Central, the adjacent mountains to the east and the south, and the Ebro Basin. A continental climate is characterized by wide diurnal and seasonal variations in temperature and by low, uneven rainfall with high rates of evaporation that leave the land arid. Continental winters are cold, with strong winds and high humidity, despite the low precipitation.

A maritime climate prevails in the northern part of the country, from the Pyrenees to the northwest region, characterized by moderately mild winters, warm but not hot summers, and generally copious rainfall spread out over the year. Temperatures vary only to some extent, both on a diurnal and a seasonal basis. The moderating effects of the sea, however, subside in the inland areas, where temperatures are 9 to 18 C more extreme than temperatures on the coast. Distance from the Atlantic Ocean also affects precipitation, and there is less rainfall in the east than in the west.

The Mediterranean climatic region extends from the Andalusian Plain along the southern and eastern coasts up to the Pyrenees, on the seaward side of the mountain ranges that parallel the coast. Total rainfall in this region is lower than in the rest of Spain, and it is concentrated in the late autumn-winter period. Generally, rainfall is slight, often insufficient, irregular, and unreliable. Temperatures in the Mediterranean region usually are higher in both summer and winter, and diurnal temperature changes are more limited than those of the continental region.