Climate & when to cycle Northern Spain

The Climate of Northern Spain

The North of Spain is also known as Green Spain. This area is much greener than the rest of Spain due to the temperate oceanic climate. The moisture from the Atlantic Ocean gets trapped by the mountains, producing higher amounts of rain, between 1000 and 1600 millimeters a year – more than Brussels and Amsterdam, which get less than 900 mm. A Belgian man that we talked to living in the region says that the rain patterns are much different than in the North, which can experience gray skies and rain for days at a time. In Northern Spain, he said, after a large rainstorm, the skies open up and the sun shines again.

Temperatures in Northern Spain are much milder in the summer than in the rest of Spain. The climate south of the mountains is very different: dry and warm in the summer, cold in the winter.

When to Cycle Northern Spain

November, December, January, February, March

Cold, rain and snow (in the mountains) make these months less suitable for cycling. Mountain bikers are less affected by the weather.

April, May, October

These months offer reasonable cycling weather, but there is still a good chance of rain in the coastal areas. The higher elevated and mountainous areas can experience strong winds and it can still be very cold until late into the morning in the high mountains.

June, July, August, September

These are the best cycling months. In August the roads in the most popular places are a bit busier, but this is mostly from Spanish tourists. South of the mountains, in the north of Castile, it is very hot.