Climate

The Galician climate is very varied across the region, broadly as detailed below. Height above sea level also has a major effect and so this topographic map of Galicia provides a useful context for the information below.

Compared to the UK

For an extremely generalised reference comparison with the UK:

  • Rias Altas & Costa de Muerte = Cornwall / North Devon coast +5C year round.
  • A Coruna/Ferrol & Rias Baixas = English south coast +5C year round and with much warmer (and cleaner) sea and great beaches.
  • Inland Galicia = central Wales in winter and central England +10C in summer often producing extreme summer heat/drought.

…and keep in mind that, being further south than the UK, Galicia benefits from around an hour and a half extra daylight each day in winter (and the same amount less in summer) than London.

In general terms the Galician climate is a great climate for a north European to go about a normal daily life in, unless you want to bake in the sun all day for 300 days a year in which case Mediterranean Spain is more suitable.

In Galicia you can enjoy a long summer that normally runs from July to October with often perfect (high 20s) daytime temperatures and nights that are cool enough to sleep well in. Winters are mild, especially by the coast, and interspersed with days of glorious sunshine where you can eat lunch al fresco. And the water never runs out so Galicia always stays green.

The north and north west coasts

The Rias Altas coast north of Ferrol to the border with Asturias at Ribadeo & the Costa de Muerte coast west of Arteixo to Ribeira

These two coastal regions are characterised by steep hills rising out of the Atlantic. This proximity to the ocean moderates seasonal extremes of temperatures but also means these first hills catch the brunt of the wind and rains coming from the sea to the north and west.

Most towns in this area are nestled down near sea level in protected spots that typically also provide a natural harbour. Town expansion normally follows the course of river valleys that meet the sea at the town. In the surrounding hills and valleys are scattered villages and isolated farms that are a little colder and more exposed as a result of being higher up.

The headline average figures and facts are:

  • Spring temperatures: daytime max = 16C, night time min = 9C
  • Summer temperatures: daytime max = 22C, night time min = 14C
  • Autumn temperatures: daytime max = 19C, night time min = 12C
  • Winter temperatures: daytime max = 13C, night time min = 7C
  • Subtract 1C from all temperatures for every 100 metres above sea level
  • 2000 hours of sunshine per year
  • around 1000 mm of precipitation per year
  • No hard frosts at lower altitudes allowing massive range of horticulture

Going inland sees climactic conditions move gradually towards those listed under “inland Galicia” below.

The coast between A Coruna and Ferrol

Large protective hills to the north, south and east and the warm, shallow waters of the Rias de Ferrol, Betanzos and Coruna make this area that crucial bit warmer and less exposed and windy than the Rias Altas and Costa de Muerte climate.
This largely explains the historical high population density of this area and also why it is one of Galicia’s two prime zones for tourism.

The headline average figures are:

  • Spring temperatures: daytime max = 16C, night time min = 9C
  • Summer temperatures: daytime max = 22C, night time min = 14C
  • Autumn temperatures: daytime max = 19C, night time min = 12C
  • Winter temperatures: daytime max = 13C, night time min = 7C
  • Subtract 1C from all temperatures for every 100 metres above sea level
  • Around 2100 hours of sunshine per year
  • around 1000 mm of precipitation per year
  • No hard frosts at lower altitudes allowing massive range of horticulture

Going inland sees climactic conditions move gradually towards those listed under “inland Galicia” below.

The south west coast

The Rias Baixas coast from Ribeira south to Baiona, and continuing south to the Portugese border at A Guarda

A high ridge running east-west divides A Coruna from Santiago. Once you get to the south of this you find the coastal zone of the Rias Baixas. This is Galicia’s other densely populated prime zone for tourism.
With a little more influence from surrounding land mass and a little less from the Atlantic the climate here is somewhat warmer than that around A Coruna in summer and a little colder in winter and these conditions lend themselves to the widespread production of albarino white wines.
Although sunnier than the coast to the north, this area also sees considerably higher rainfall, often in intense winter storms.

To the south of Baiona high hills face directly onto the Atlantic and the section of coast running down to the Portugese border at A Guarda feels bleaker and more exposed than the sheltered Rias of Vigo, Pontevedra and Arousa.

Headline average figures:

  • Spring temperatures: daytime max = 17C, night time min = 8C
  • Summer temperatures: daytime max = 25C, night time min = 15C
  • Autumn temperatures: daytime max = 19C, night time min = 11C
  • Winter temperatures: daytime max = 13C, night time min = 6C
  • Subtract 1C from all temperatures for every 100 metres above sea level
  • Around 2200 hours of sunshine per year
  • Around 1800 mm of precipitation per year
  • No hard frosts at lower altitudes allowing massive range of horticulture

Going inland sees climactic conditions move gradually towards those listed under “inland Galicia” below.

Inland Galicia

Significantly inland from the coasts in Pontevedra, A Coruna and Lugo provinces, and all of Ourense province.

As you move inland from the coast in any part of Galicia you get the same two effects, higher altitude and a more seasonally extreme climate that is influenced more by surrounding land mass than the Atlantic.

Much of inland Galicia is at an altitude of 600-700 metres punctuated by deep river valleys where the humidity hangs in the air for much of the year. Going further inland the south east corner of Galicia is mountainous with peaks over 1500 metres high (and Galicia even has one ski resort, Manzaneda in Ourense province).

The climate for any given part of inland Galicia depends largely on how high up it is (higher = colder), how far from the coast it is (further from the coast = more seasonally extreme) and the local topography which affects shelter and sunlight.

The headline average figures (for Ourense; Lugo is a little colder and less extreme) are:

  • Spring temperatures: daytime max = 18C, night time min = 7C
  • Summer temperatures: daytime max = 29 C, night time min = 14 C
  • Autumn temperatures: daytime max = 22 C, night time min = 10 C
  • Winter temperatures: daytime max = 13 C, night time min = 4 C
  • Subtract 1C from all temperatures for every 100 metres above 500 metres
  • 2200 (Ourense) / 1950 (Lugo) hours of sunshine per year
  • around 1100 mm in Lugo / 800 mm in Ourense of precipitation per year
  • Hard frosts in the winter especially on higher ground (further inland)