Last checked November 2026.
If you’re travelling in Europe you’re probably hoping for some good weather. The long-term averages that each country’s national weather service publishes for its weather stations, worked out over 30 years, are a good guide to where to find it in each season: the Met Office for the UK, Météo-France, AEMET for Spain and IPMA for Portugal.
Average temperatures
Average daily high in January, April, July and October, and the average January low (°C, rounded). The averages are for 1991 to 2020, except in Spain, where AEMET’s station averages are for 1981 to 2010.
| Place | Jan high | Jan low | Apr high | Jul high | Oct high |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK (Met Office, 1991–2020) | |||||
| London (Heathrow) | 8 | 3 | 15 | 24 | 16 |
| France (Météo-France, 1991–2020) | |||||
| Paris | 8 | 3 | 17 | 26 | 17 |
| Bordeaux | 11 | 4 | 18 | 27 | 20 |
| Biarritz | 12 | 5 | 17 | 24 | 20 |
| Nice | 13 | 6 | 17 | 28 | 21 |
| Spain (AEMET, 1981–2010) | |||||
| Santander | 14 | 6 | 17 | 24 | 20 |
| Madrid | 10 | 3 | 18 | 32 | 19 |
| Barcelona | 14 | 5 | 18 | 28 | 22 |
| Málaga | 17 | 7 | 21 | 31 | 24 |
| Portugal (IPMA, 1991–2020) | |||||
| Porto | 14 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 21 |
| Lisbon | 15 | 9 | 20 | 28 | 23 |
| Faro (Algarve) | 16 | 8 | 21 | 29 | 23 |
Average rainfall
Average rainfall in January, April, July and October (mm, rounded), from the same stations and periods.
| Place | Jan | Apr | Jul | Oct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London (Heathrow) | 59 | 42 | 46 | 65 |
| Paris | 48 | 46 | 59 | 55 |
| Bordeaux | 87 | 76 | 49 | 83 |
| Biarritz | 140 | 118 | 77 | 147 |
| Nice | 74 | 69 | 14 | 128 |
| Santander | 106 | 102 | 52 | 120 |
| Madrid | 33 | 45 | 12 | 60 |
| Barcelona | 37 | 40 | 21 | 91 |
| Málaga | 69 | 44 | 0 | 57 |
| Porto | 151 | 96 | 17 | 149 |
| Lisbon | 104 | 72 | 3 | 111 |
| Faro (Algarve) | 49 | 39 | 1 | 56 |
The stations are Paris-Montsouris, Bordeaux-Mérignac, Biarritz-Pays-Basque and Nice in France; Santander airport, Madrid Retiro, Barcelona airport and Málaga airport in Spain; and Porto airport, Lisbon (Instituto Geofísico) and Faro airport in Portugal.
Autumn (September to November)
Autumn is when many people head south in their vans. France, Spain and Portugal usually have good weather in early autumn, but it can be changeable. If you want to stay in the sunshine, and you’re travelling south like most people, Darren’s advice is to try to get into Spain by mid-September and Portugal by October. After that you risk more rain.
The averages bear that out. At Santander, on Spain’s north coast, average rainfall goes up from 83 mm in September to 120 mm in October. In Porto it more than doubles, from 68 mm to 149 mm, and in Lisbon it nearly triples, from 39 mm to 111 mm. Faro, on the Algarve, still only averages 56 mm in October. Darren saw both sides of a Portuguese autumn at Peniche in 2006: in late October the rain and wind didn’t stop from early morning, and in early November a sunny, warm day ended in the most aggressive thunderstorm of the trip.
Winter (December to February)
The Algarve region of Portugal and Spain’s southern Mediterranean coast are the mildest of these places in winter. In January, the coldest month, the average daily high is 16°C in Faro and 17°C in Málaga, and much the same as far up the Mediterranean coast as Alicante (17°C, AEMET, 1981 to 2010). Nice, in the south of France, has an average January high of 13°C, three or four degrees cooler than Faro or Málaga. For comparison, the average January high at Heathrow is 8°C.
Nights are cool everywhere. The average January low is 8°C in Faro and 7°C in Málaga, and only 3°C in Madrid, on Spain’s high central plateau. Bring warm bedding: in late January 2007 Darren woke to ice on the windscreen at Sagres. See Winter in Europe for where to go, and the rules for a long winter stay.
Surfers looking for the best waves will want to consider staying north of the Algarve, around Ericeira and Peniche. The crowds will thin a little but the waves will be good. You might need a 4/3 wetsuit though, rather than your summer 3/2.
Spring (March to May)
The region starts to warm again in March, with Lisbon averaging 19°C and Barcelona 16°C. In France it’s about 15°C in March at Nice, Bordeaux and Biarritz alike, and 13°C in Paris. By April the average high is 20°C to 21°C in Lisbon, Faro and Málaga.
Summer (June to August)
Summer is the hottest time of year in all these countries. In July the average high is 32°C in Madrid, 31°C in Málaga and 29°C in Faro, but only about 24°C on the Atlantic coast at Santander, Biarritz and Porto. To escape the crowds, and the heat, try going north. Summers in the south are dry: in July Lisbon, Faro and Málaga get almost no rain. gov.uk warns that wildfires happen often in Spain in summer, and points to AEMET for the fire risk; see camping in Spain for the fire rules.
Forecasts and weather warnings
For the forecast where you are, and any warnings, use the official national weather services:
- Meteoalarm (meteoalarm.org): the official warnings from 38 European national weather and hydrological services, on one map.
- UK: the Met Office. Its warnings are yellow, amber and red. Amber means travel delays, road closures and power cuts are possible; red means dangerous weather is expected, and you should act now to keep safe.
- France: Météo-France’s Vigilance map shows warnings for each department, with advice on what to do at orange and red.
- Spain: AEMET issues warnings of severe weather up to 72 hours ahead, and has forecasts for the mountains. For snow on the roads, see Winter in Europe.
- Portugal: IPMA issues colour-coded warnings for each district.
Darren’s trips
- The worst weather yet in Peniche (October 2006)
- Peniche, sunny, and huge thunderstorms (November 2006)
- Cold and rainy day at Praia do Barranco (January 2007)
- Ice on the windscreen, but a sunny day, Sagres (January 2007)
More on Europe
Sources: Met Office climate averages 1991 to 2020 (Heathrow); Météo-France climate statistics 1991 to 2020 (Paris-Montsouris, Bordeaux-Mérignac, Biarritz-Pays-Basque, Nice), published under the Licence Ouverte; AEMET climate normals 1981 to 2010 (Santander airport, Madrid Retiro, Barcelona airport, Málaga airport, Alicante); IPMA climate normals 1991 to 2020 (Porto airport, Lisbon Instituto Geofísico, Faro airport); Meteoalarm; Met Office, Météo-France, AEMET and IPMA warning services; gov.uk Spain travel advice; checked November 2026. Know of a change? Tell us in the comments below.