Madrid climate: weather by month, temperature, rain (2024)

The climate of Madrid is moderately continental, with quite cold, relatively rainy winters and hot, sunny summers.
The city is the capital of Spain and is located in the center of the Meseta, the plateau that occupies the interior of the country, at an altitude ranging between 570 and 740 meters (1,870 and 2,430 feet). The city center is at 655 meters (2,150 feet).
At Cuatro Vientos airport, the average temperature of the coldest month (January) is of 6.5 °C (43.5 °F), that of the warmest month (July) is of 26 °C (79 °F). Here are the average temperatures.

Precipitation is not abundant, since it amounts to 455 millimeters (18 inches) per year, in fact, the landscape of the plateau is semi-arid, especially during the summer months. The rains, however, are quite frequent from October to April. In May, and more rarely in summer, some thunderstorms can break out in the afternoon, but generally, from June to August it almost never rains.
Here is the average precipitation.

Winter, from December to February, is relatively cold.
The rains, brought by Atlantic depressions, are quite frequent, but generally not abundant.
Days can be mild, especially when the Azores anticyclone settles on the Iberian Peninsula, bringing periods of good weather even in winter, with highs around 13/15 °C (55/59 °F), but nights remain typically cold, with minimum temperatures near freezing (0 °C or 32 °F). Sometimes, at night and in the early morning, especially in December and January, fog can form.
There may be some cold and windy days, with maximum temperatures around or below 5 °C (41 °F).
Every now and then, even cold waves can occur.
The lowest temperatures are reached in the north-east of the city (see Torrejón de Ardoz, Alcalá de Henares). In this area, at Barajas airport, 610 meters (2,000 ft) above sea level, the record cold was set, even -15 °C (5 °F) in January 1945 and February 1963. Thereafter, the temperature reached -10 °C (14 °F) a few times (after the year 2000, it happened in December 2001 and in January 2005), although in January 2021, it dropped to -13 °C (8.5 °F). At Cuatro Vientos airport, on the southwestern outskirts of the city, the record is -13 °C (8.5 °F), recorded in January 2021. The previous record was -11.5 °C (11.5 °F) and dated back to February 1963.
Snowfalls in Madrid are usually rare and not abundant. However, snow is a bit more frequent in the northern districts of the city, which are located at a higher altitude. Light snowfalls can be observed every year or almost, but a significant accumulation is rarely observed. In January 1952, the snow reached 30 centimeters (12 inches) in some areas. In March 1971, 20 cm (8 in) of snow fell in the center, and up to 30 cm (12 in) in the northern districts. In December 1977, 20 cm (8 in) fell on the north side. In February 1984, 15 cm (half a foot) of snow fell hom*ogeneously in the city, while in February 2005, snow depth reached 10 cm (4 in). In January 2009, the snow reached 15 cm (6 in).
The snowfall of January 2021, when the snow reached half a meter (20 in), was therefore the most abundant of the post-war period, but we must probably go back to that of November 1904 to find a similar or greater thickness.

Summer, from June to August, is hot and sunny.
There is often scorching heat during the day, in fact, the temperature easily reaches 35/36 °C (95/97 °F), and almost every year 40 °C (104 °F), however, the air is dry, so the heat is more bearable. In addition, at night, the temperature becomes fairly cool, hovering typically from 15 °C to 20 °C (59 to 68 °F). However, in the hottest periods, the temperature drops to acceptable values only late at night, also because the sun sets late because of the time zone adopted (the sun sets at 9.45 pm in mid-July and at 9.10 pm in mid-August). Generally, the maximum temperature is recorded around 5 pm, and at 8 pm the heat is still intense.
The heat record was set in August 2021: 43 °C (109.5 °F) at Barajas airport and 42 °C (108 °F) at Cuatro Vientos. The previous records were 42 °C (108 °F) at Barajas (in July 1995) and 41 °C (105.5 °F) at Cuatro Vientos (in August 2018).
The city empties in the summer, those who work in Madrid return to their place of origin, while locals go on vacation to the sea. Those who stay in the city go out after dark, or go in search of coolness in the mountains north of the city (the Sierra de Guadarrama).

Spring and autumn are mild and variable, with sunny periods, but also the passage of Atlantic disturbances, which bring clouds and rain. Spring, being the most contrasted season of the year, is also the windiest.
In both seasons, there are pleasantly warm and sunny days, but the temperature drops rapidly after sunset.

The amount of sunshine in Madrid is great in summer, when clear skies prevail: in July, there are on average 12 hours of sunshine per day. Sunny days are possible throughout the year: after all, even from November to January, there are no less than 4/5 hours of sunshine per day.
Indeed, with 2,800 hours of sunshine per year, Madrid is one of the sunniest cities in Spain and in all of Europe. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.

Best Time

The best periods to visit Madrid are spring and autumn, in particular, you can choose the month of May, and from mid-September to mid-October. In June, it can already be hot. In April, it can be a bit cold, especially in the first half of the month, and at night, also in the second half of the month, when the days are generally pleasant.
September, too, is a good month, but it can still be hot at the beginning, while during the month, the first rains can occur. In October, the air is often mild, but the days are getting shorter, the rains are more frequent, and it can get a bit cold at night.
Those who can stand the heat can choose July and August, but they must be prepared to stroll around the city in very hot weather.
The temperature range between day and night is often high, so it is useful to dress in layers and to bring something warm: even in midsummer, you may want a sweatshirt for the evening (or maybe late at night, when the city is still alive).
Also, in the summer it is useful to bring a sun hat and ... to drink a lot.