Climate of Bilbao

Bilbao and its metropolitan area has an oceanic climate according to the Köppen climate classification ( Cfb)[2] with mild winters and warm summers. According to the Troll-Paffen climate classification, Bilbao has a temperate climate[3] and according to the Siegmund/Frankenberg climate classification, Bilbao has a subtropical climate.[4] According to the European Environment Agency, Bilbao lies within the Atlantic biogeographical region.[5] The climate of Bilbao and the rest of the north-western part of Spain (the so-called Green Spain) is different from the rest of the country, characterized by a higher amount of rainfall and precipitation days, fewer sunshine hours and mild temperatures, in summer comparable to northern half of Europe with temperate climate.

Bilbao
Climate chart (explanation)
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: WMO[1]

Temperatures
Yearly max temp Yearly mean temp Yearly min temp
19.1 °C 14.3 °C 9.4 °C

Said proximity to the ocean also makes that the two most defined seasons (summer and winter) remain mild, with low intensity thermal oscillations. Its average annual temperature is 19.1 °C during the day and 9.4 °C at night. In the coldest month – January, typically the temperature is around 13-14 °C during the day and 5 °C at night. In the warmest month – August, the typically temperature is around 25-26 °C during the day and about 15 °C at night.[6]

Precipitation

Bilbao has on average 128 precipitation days a year, therein average few to dozen rainy days per month (≥ 1 mm), ranging from 7 in July to 13 in January. The average annual precipitation is 1195 mm, ranging from 62 mm in July to 141 mm in November.[6] This is one of the highest results in Spain, like the rest of Green Spain and Bay of Biscay area. Precipitation in the region is abundant, and given the latitude and atmospheric dynamics, rainy days represent 45% and cloudy days 40% of the annual total.[7]

Climate data for Bilbao (precipitation days – 1 mm)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average precipitation mm (inches) 120
(4.7)		 86
(3.4)		 90
(3.5)		 107
(4.2)		 78
(3.1)		 60
(2.4)		 50
(2.0)		 76
(3.0)		 73
(2.9)		 111
(4.4)		 147
(5.8)		 122
(4.8)		 1,134
(44.6)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 13 11 11 13 11 7 7 8 8 11 13 12 124
Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología[6]
Climate data for Bilbao (precipitation days – 0.1 mm)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 16 15 15 17 16 12 11 12 12 14 15 16 171
Source: World Meteorological Organization[1]

Humidity

Average relative humidity is 72%, ranging from 70% in February and March to 74% in August and November.[6]

Climate data for Bilbao
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average relative humidity (%) 72 69 68 69 69 70 71 72 71 71 73 72 70
Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología[6]

Snow

Snow is not frequent in the city, while it is possible to see snow on the top of the surrounding mountains. City recorded to few snow days per year. In February 1956 reported record: 7 of snow days in the month.[8] Sleet is more frequent, about 10 days per year, mainly in the winter months.[7]

Climate data for Bilbao
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average snowy days 0.7 0.7 0.3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.1 0.3 2.2
Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología[6]

Daylight

Bilbao enjoys one of the most optimal number of hours of daylight in Europe. Days in winter are not as short as in the northern part of the continent, the average hours of daylight in December, January and February is 9.66 hours[9] (for comparison: London[10] or Moscow[11] or Warsaw[12] - about 8 hours).

Average hours of daylight[9]
Hours Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Day 9 11 12 13 15 15 15 14 12 11 10 9
Twilight/Night 15 13 12 11 9 9 9 10 12 13 14 15

Sunshine

Sunshine duration is 1,584 hours per year, from 78 - average above 2.5 hours of sunshine at day in December to 188 - average above 6 hours of sunshine at day in July.[6] This is similar result (range of 1,200-2,000 hours) which is recorded in the northern half of Europe, for example: London, Warsaw; but in winter Bilbao has about two times more sun duration than in the northern half of Europe. The city has up to two times less sunshine duration than other Spanish cities besides Green Spain area.

Climate data for Bilbao
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean monthly sunshine hours 86 97 128 128 160 173 188 179 157 123 93 78 1,584
Mean daily sunshine hours 2.77 3.46 4.12 4.26 5.16 5.76 6.06 5.77 5.23 3.96 3.10 2.51 4.35
Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología[6]

Temperature extremes

The highest temperature ever recorded during the day in the city centre is 42 °C on 26 July 1947. In the month of August 2003, the average reported daytime maximum temperature was a record 29.9 °C. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -8.6 °C on the night of 3 February 1963.[8]

Climate data for Bilbao
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 23.4
(74.1)		 26.8
(80.2)		 29.8
(85.6)		 33.1
(91.6)		 36.0
(96.8)		 41.2
(106.2)		 42.0
(107.6)		 41.9
(107.4)		 41.7
(107.1)		 33.4
(92.1)		 27.6
(81.7)		 24.6
(76.3)		 42.0
(107.6)
Record low °C (°F) −7.6
(18.3)		 −8.6
(16.5)		 −5.0
(23.0)		 −1.2
(29.8)		 0.4
(32.7)		 3.6
(38.5)		 6.6
(43.9)		 6.8
(44.2)		 3.8
(38.8)		 0.6
(33.1)		 −6.2
(20.8)		 −7.4
(18.7)		 −8.6
(16.5)
Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología[8]

Sea temperature

Average annual temperature of sea is about 16 °C. In February, the average sea temperature is 12 °C. In August, the average sea temperature is 21 °C. From July to September, average temperature of sea exceed 20 °C.[9]

Average sea temperature:[9]
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
13 °C 12 °C 12 °C 13 °C 15 °C 18 °C 20 °C 21 °C 20 °C 18 °C 15 °C 13 °C 15.8 °C

Climatic data for Bilbao area
Climate data for Bilbao airport: 1981-2010
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 13.4
(56.1)		 14.3
(57.7)		 16.5
(61.7)		 17.6
(63.7)		 20.8
(69.4)		 23.4
(74.1)		 25.4
(77.7)		 26.0
(78.8)		 24.6
(76.3)		 21.4
(70.5)		 16.6
(61.9)		 13.9
(57.0)		 19.5
(67.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 9.3
(48.7)		 9.7
(49.5)		 11.5
(52.7)		 12.6
(54.7)		 15.7
(60.3)		 18.4
(65.1)		 20.4
(68.7)		 20.9
(69.6)		 19.2
(66.6)		 16.4
(61.5)		 12.4
(54.3)		 9.9
(49.8)		 14.7
(58.5)
Average low °C (°F) 5.1
(41.2)		 5.1
(41.2)		 6.4
(43.5)		 7.6
(45.7)		 10.6
(51.1)		 13.4
(56.1)		 15.4
(59.7)		 15.7
(60.3)		 13.8
(56.8)		 11.4
(52.5)		 8.2
(46.8)		 5.9
(42.6)		 9.9
(49.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 120
(4.7)		 86
(3.4)		 90
(3.5)		 107
(4.2)		 78
(3.1)		 60
(2.4)		 51
(2.0)		 77
(3.0)		 73
(2.9)		 111
(4.4)		 147
(5.8)		 122
(4.8)		 1,134
(44.6)
Average precipitation days 13 11 11 13 11 7 7 8 8 11 13 12 124
Mean monthly sunshine hours 85 97 132 138 169 181 186 179 160 127 88 78 1,610
Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología,[13] Aena[14]
Climate data for Bilbao Airport (1971–2000)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 13.2
(55.8)		 14.5
(58.1)		 15.9
(60.6)		 16.8
(62.2)		 20.1
(68.2)		 22.6
(72.7)		 25.2
(77.4)		 25.5
(77.9)		 24.4
(75.9)		 20.8
(69.4)		 16.4
(61.5)		 14.0
(57.2)		 19.1
(66.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 9.0
(48.2)		 9.8
(49.6)		 10.8
(51.4)		 11.9
(53.4)		 15.1
(59.2)		 17.6
(63.7)		 20.0
(68.0)		 20.3
(68.5)		 18.8
(65.8)		 15.8
(60.4)		 12.0
(53.6)		 10.0
(50.0)		 14.3
(57.7)
Average low °C (°F) 4.7
(40.5)		 5.1
(41.2)		 5.7
(42.3)		 7.1
(44.8)		 10.1
(50.2)		 12.6
(54.7)		 14.8
(58.6)		 15.2
(59.4)		 13.2
(55.8)		 10.8
(51.4)		 7.6
(45.7)		 6.0
(42.8)		 9.4
(48.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 126
(5.0)		 97
(3.8)		 94
(3.7)		 124
(4.9)		 90
(3.5)		 64
(2.5)		 62
(2.4)		 82
(3.2)		 74
(2.9)		 121
(4.8)		 141
(5.6)		 116
(4.6)		 1,195
(47.0)
Average precipitation days 13 11 11 13 12 8 7 8 9 11 12 12 128
Mean monthly sunshine hours 86 97 128 128 160 173 188 179 157 123 93 78 1,584
Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología[6]
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See also

Climate in other places in Iberian Peninsula:

References
  1. World Weather Information Service - Bilbao - World Meteorological Organization
  2. M. Kottek; J. Grieser; C. Beck; B. Rudolf; F. Rubel (2006). "World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated". Meteorol. Z. 15: 259–263. Bibcode:2006MetZe..15..259K. doi:10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  3. Climatic map by Istituto Geografico De Agostini, according to Troll-Paffen climate classification Archived October 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  4. Die Klimatypen der Erde - Pädagogische Hochschule in Heidelberg
  5. Europe's environment: the third assessment. Environmental assessment report No 10. European Environment Agency, Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, p. 231 (map)
  6. "Standard Climate Values. Bilbao Aeropuerto".
  7. Geografía de Euskal Herria: Vizcaya - Gómez Piñeiro, Francisco Javier; San Sebastián 1979 ISBN 84-7407-068-6
  8. (pdf)www version - Extreme Values. Bilbao Aeropuerto - Agencia Estatal de Meteorología
  9. "Weather2Travel.com: Bilbao Climate and Weather Averages".
  10. http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/united-kingdom/london.php
  11. http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/russia-europe/moscow.php
  12. http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/poland/warsaw.php
  13. "Guía resumida del clima en España (1981-2010)". AEMET. Archived from the original on 18 November 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  14. "Monthly Weather Averages for Bilbao Airport". Aena. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
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