🌇 Madrid Weather

The high plateau's extremes

Madrid sits high on Spain's central Meseta plateau at around 2,200 feet (670 m), and that elevation, far from any moderating sea, gives the capital a continental twist on the Mediterranean climate. An old Spanish saying captures it: "nine months of winter and three of hell" — a nod to the city's cold winters and fiercely hot, dry summers.

Blazing, dry summers

Summers are hot and bone-dry, with July highs around 92°F (33°C) and frequent spells past 100°F (38°C) under relentless sunshine. The dry air means big day-to-night swings, so evenings cool off enough for Madrid's famous late-night street life. Rain in summer is almost nonexistent.

Cold, crisp winters

Winters are cold for southern Europe, with January highs around 50°F (10°C) but nights that drop below freezing and occasional snow — a reminder of the altitude. Skies are often clear and bright, with the plateau's cold, dry air making for sharp, sunny winter days punctuated by cold snaps.

Madrid is dry, averaging only about 17 inches (430 mm) of rain a year, mostly in spring and autumn. Those transitional seasons are the most pleasant, with warm days, cool nights, and comfortable conditions for exploring the city.

Nine months of winter, three of hell

Madrid's old saying — 'three months of winter and nine of hell' — captures its high, continental Mediterranean climate. At 2,200 feet (670 m) on a landlocked plateau, it swings between hot, bone-dry summers past 95°F (35°C) and cold, crisp winters with frost and the occasional snow.

The elevation and distance from any coast give it big daily temperature ranges — hot afternoons cool sharply after dark even in summer. Rain is scarce and falls mostly in spring and autumn, leaving the city sunny and clear much of the year. The sweltering August heat empties Madrid as locals flee to the coast.