When to Cycle Andalusia?
Andalusia is one of Europe’s warmest regions with dry, hot, summers and mild winters. Most notable is the amount of sunshine in the region, where many areas enjoy more than 300 days of sunshine! During the summer months, this causes the inland areas of the region to resemble a frying pan. As expected, the summers are much warmer in the inland areas, while in the winter, it’s the other way around. Although summers are mostly dry, there are a few exceptions in certain mountainous regions where microclimates exist. For example, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains snow falls early in the autumn, while the Sierra de Grazalema region (Malaga province) experiences as more yearly rainfall as Amsterdam and London combined. It should be noted, however, that the rain generally falls for short bursts of time, rather than all day in early spring and late autumn.
Almeria, on the other hand, is the driest place in Europe.
December, January, February
This time period offers pleasant cycling weather, especially in the flatter areas of Andalusia, such as the western part of the region. It is important to note, however, that the mountainous parts of the region have their own climate, increasing the risk of rain or snow in these areas. No matter where you are in the region, cold nights are to be expected.
March, April
Overall, with the exception of the highest elevation areas, the spring months provide good cycling weather. Be aware that you can encounter rain showers (which can linger for up to 2 days). The nights during this time period are cool and refreshing.
May, June
These months offer accessible cycling weather throughout the region, with temperatures rising steadily into the month of June.
July, August
If visiting during these peak summer months, expect extremely high temperatures, especially in the inland and lower elevation areas. Lower temperatures are to be found in the coastal or more mountainous parts of the region.
September, October
These late summer/early fall months remain very hot during the beginning of the time period, especially in the lower elevations. Towards October, however, the temperatures drop to pleasant levels and the chance of precipitation increases.
November
During this part of the year, Northern Europe experiences brisk, fall-like, while the weather in Andalusia resembles spring, with temperatures that can easily reach up to 20 degrees in the early parts of the month.
