The average temperatures above might appear a bit low for Barcelona and Spain, but remember that average temperatures are measured in the shade and not in direct sunlight. All official temperatures on weather forecasts are measured in the shade. It will always feel hotter if you are standing in direct sunlight  because what you are feeling is the air temperature and also the 'heat' radiation caused by the direct light of the sun. So it will be hotter in the sunlight than in the shade. The same applies to a thermometer. It will give a higher reading in direct sunlight than in the shade.  Because the amount of sunlight can vary a lot depending on the time of day, cloud cover etc, average temperatures are always measured in the shade and also out of the wind, so that the thermometer only reads the temperature of the air around the thermometer.

Rainfall & humidity in Barcelona
The amount of rain that Barcelona gets in the winter is much less than northern Europe. It it really doesn't feel like it rains very often, even in the winter. It is also quite rare in Barcelona to have many consecutive cloudy or rainy days like one often sees in the northern Europe. Most days in Barcelona the whole year round are sunny, bright and clear.

Humidity levels in Barcelona are generally high and can become quite unbearable in July and August. Here are the average levels:

Sunshine hours in Barcelona
Sunshine is a big attraction of a visit to Barcelona. A sunny climate does make life here seem more agreeable than in northern European countries. But Barcelona is not hot all year round, Summers are long and hot and winters are much cooler, but with lots of sunshine.  Barcelona gets 2500 hours of sunshine a year on average. That's an average of 7 hours a day. Rainfall varies and can cause low water levels in reservoirs at times, and lack of rain the the spring can cause increases in forest fires.

With so many sunshine hours it is natural for Barcelona to be on the forefront of solar energy. Barcelona was one of the first cities in Europe to introduce special legislation concerning the use of solar energy. The Solar Ordinance law, which came into force in August 2000, applies to newly built, rehabilitated and fully renovated buildings. This law make the use of solar energy compulsary for 60% of sanitary hot water supplies. This regulation applies to buildings intended for residential, health-care, sports, commercial and industrial use and, generally, any activity involving the existence of dining rooms, kitchens, laundries or other circumstances that lead to a large consumption of hot water.




Weather seasons and climate in Barcelona
We have four seasons in Barcelona and they tend to follow the rest of Europe seasonal calendar. The difference is that our seasons are more reliable. Every year in Barcelona almost without fail we can expect 6 months of warm dry weather from the beginning of May until the end of September. May, June and September are usually the months with the highest numbers of sunshine hours sometimes up to 13-14 hours a day. July and August are the hottest months, which is why the Mediterranean countries traditionally take a holiday for all of August, because it is simply too hot to work. Temperatues can reach 40C (= 105F)



Sea water temperatures Barcelona beaches
Water temperature of Barcelona beaches. You can swim comfortably off the beaches of Barcelona for around 4 to 5 months of the year. The sea swimming season is usually from mid June until the end September and early October is probably the last chance to swim in the sea without too much discomfort. Click on the links below for Barcelona beach weather forecasts and beach water and sea water temperatures.

  Water temperatures of Barcelona beaches
  Sea water temperatures beaches north and south of Barcelona
  Wind conditions Barcelona
  Beaches north and south of Barcelona

Snow and ice in Barcelona.
The city of Barcelona can get a very light fall of snow about once a year so snow is a rare sight in the city, but there are quite a few frosty nights, especially up in the hills behind the city. See photos of Barcelona snowstorm in March 2010  There is a city plan of action called '"Operacio Fred d'Emergencia," which is ready to deal with icy road conditions. This plan has 13 salt spreaders and 5 snow ploughs on the alert for any significant snowfall. In addition almost 100 salt bins can be distributed around the higher parts of the city, in the districts of Les Corts, Gracia, Sarria-Sant Gervasi, Horta-Guinardo and Nou Barris, so that residents can salt pavements. For the homeless, municipal shelters are made ready in case the temperature drops to freezing levels and emergency teams of city aid workers and Red Cross (Creu Roja) volunteers around the city keep a watch for homeless people and offer them a place in a shelter. If you are a skiing or snowboarding fan, then head for the Pyrenees mountains where there is an abundance of snow and ice at the many ski resorts near Barcelona in the Catalan/Spanish and French Pyrenees. 

 Snow reports of ski resorts near Barcelona
  Ski resorts near Barcelona

Barcelona weather forecast links

  Barcelona 8 day weather forecast (Click on "Dia seguent" to change days)
  Satellite pictures for last two hours of weather in Spain
  Meteo.cat - meteorological office Catalonia
  Aemet.es - meteorological office Spain

Weather webcams in Barcelona

  Webcams in Barcelona