While many believe the weather in southern Spain is always sunny and hot, the region actually has significant climate diversity due to its location between the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea and varied terrain. There are at least six different climate types in southern Spain, including Mediterranean, semi-arid, oceanic, mountainous, continental, and subtropical. Climate is determined by measuring average temperature and rainfall over 30 years, not just one month or year. This variety is why southern Spain can be considered a "small continent" with climates ranging from freezing mountain tops to semi-desert and subtropical areas all within its borders.

1. What is the weather like in
the south of Spain?
We must distinguish weather from climate

2. Although many people think , that the
weather in Spain is usually sunny and hot
, this is a simplification. We can find at least
six different kind of climate in Spain :
Mediterranean, semiarid, oceanic, mountain
ous, continental and subtropical

3. People in the
street, on the
bus…even on TV talk
about the weather a
lot, however
meteorology is not
an opinion but a
science. So we need
to use.....
Paseo de los golfitos

4. ...Scientist registers like a thermometer
to know the temperature.

5. ....and a rain gauge or pluviometer to
register the amount of precipitations
(rain, snow or hail ).

6. This is a register to know the average temperature
and rainfall in a period of 30 years at least. Climate is
not knowing the weather in a month neither one year

7. We learn to watch the weather

8. And when we watch in a scientist way…we
discover that…..

9. ...Diversity is the main characteristic of
Andalucía.
Our location between the Atlantic Ocean and the
Mediterranean Sea , moreover the relief ( Sierra
Nevada, the highest mountain in the Iberian
Peninsula ) determine this variety…so it could
be said that Andalucia is a “small continent”

10. The main climate in Andalucía is
Mediterranean. This climate is
characterized by warm to hot, dry
summers and mild to cool, wet
winters

11. The most traditional Mediterranean
growing are wheat, vine and olive
tree.
Aialik Bay

13. Andalucía has more than 800
kilometres of Atlantic and
Mediterranean coast with warm
temperatures and variety of
precipitations, the Atlantic coast is
more rainy than the Mediterranean

15. But the 4 reasons why we say Andalucía is like a small
continent are because we can find 4 absolutely different
climates in a small area of about 80.000 square Km :
Mountainous climate, semiarid, subtropical and very
humid.

16. In Andalucía we can see the highest mountain in continental Spain and
in the Iberian Peninsula, it is Mulhacen 3478 m. , and many other summit
over 2500 m. with temperatures below zero all year

17. Golfitos barriga blanca

18. The second big difference is that there is a semidesert area in Almería .
The reason is very simple : the clouds usually come from the Atlantic
Ocean in the west and go toward east but in the middle of the way is
Sierra Nevada ( the highest mountain) which stops clouds, therefore in
the east of Sierra Nevada it rains very little , only it will rain if the
clouds come from the Mediterranean Sea, which rarely happens.

20. Sierra Nevada explains again why the only subtropical place in Europe
is in Andalucía . That is because this part of Mediterranean coast is
south Sierra Nevada and this high mountain range protects the coast
from cold north winds

22. Andalucia tropical fruit :
Avocado, pineapple, papaya and
chirimoya

23. Finally the wettest place of Spain is located in Andalucia as well, In
the area of Grazalema Natural Park the rainfall is over 2200 mm The
cause is the relief and the Atlantic Ocean again

24. Spanish fir (pinsapo) only grows in this humid area (Sierra de
Grazalema and Sierra de las Nieves)

26. We hope this presentation helps to break some stereotypes about
the Spanish weather ,………bye !!!!