November ended in Spain with an atmosphere marked by the Mild warm weather and rainfall within normal levelsAccording to the climate report released by the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), while the weather on the ground may have varied considerably from one area to another, the data confirms that, overall, it was a slightly warmer month than normal, with rainfall that, on average, was in line with expectations.
The records place this November as yet another example of the trend towards slightly warmer months, in line with analyses that They anticipate a weak La Niña.Meanwhile, rainfall patterns varied considerably depending on the region. While the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula and the Canary Islands experienced numerous consecutive days of rain, areas in the east of the Peninsula and parts of the Balearic Islands were much drier than usual.
Temperatures in November: a globally warm month
According to the AEMET, the The average temperature in mainland Spain was 9,8 ºCThis represents a positive deviation of +0,3°C compared to the 1991-2020 reference period. With this slight excess of heat, the month is classified as warm nationally. In the historical series that began in 1961, this November ranks approximately twenty-first among the warmest, and is among the mildest so far this century.
The distribution of heat, however, was not uniform. AEMET highlights a significant temperature contrast between the interior and coastal areasIn the Cantabrian region, much of Andalusia, the Ebro Valley, as well as Ceuta and Melilla, November was decidedly warm. In contrast, across large areas of the interior of the Iberian Peninsula, the month was normal or even cold, with more noticeable frosts in the valleys and plateaus.
Differences were also observed in the archipelagos. The Balearic Islands recorded a thermally normal November. In the context of the autumn quarter, the average temperature in Menorca was 15,3°C during the month, a deviation of around +0,3°C from the usual values. For the autumn as a whole, the average temperature on the island of Menorca was 19,5°C, with an anomaly of +0,5°C, leading AEMET to classify the autumn in the Balearic Islands as warm.
In the Canary Islands, the situation leaned more clearly towards heat. The archipelago had a November rated as warmwith very mild and even summer-like days in some areas. The most striking figure was recorded at Tenerife North Airport, where a temperature of 33ºC was reached on the 4th, a value that exceeds the previous record high temperature for the month of November at that main station by 2ºC.
In total, Five major stations broke maximum temperature records For the month of November, four other locations recorded their highest daily minimum temperatures, revealing unusually mild nights for this time of year in several areas. Even so, the cold also made an appearance: the lowest temperatures of the month were recorded on the 22nd, with -6,9 ºC in Puerto de Navacerrada and -5,5 ºC in Ávila.
Warm and cold spells throughout the month
The temperature evolution in November was marked by successive distinct episodes of heat and coldThe month began with a warm spell that lasted until the 6th, with daytime temperatures above what is usual for this time of year and relatively mild nights in much of the country.
After a brief respite, between the 10th and 17th there was a particularly intense warm episodewith the highest values around the 12th, 13th and 14th. In that interval many of the outstanding maximums of the month were concentrated, both in the Peninsula and in the archipelagos, and several of the maximum temperature records were consolidated in the main stations.
From the second half of the month onwards, the pattern changed. Between the 18th and 23rd, temperatures fell below normal in numerous parts of the territory, giving way to a atmosphere more in keeping with the end of autumnThis stretch allowed for the lowest minimum temperatures to be recorded, especially in mountain areas and in the interior of the peninsula, where night frosts multiplied.
Following that drop, a new cold spell began on the 25th, more pronounced during the nights. Frosts spread across large areas of the interiorWith particularly cold conditions in plains and valleys, although daytime highs gradually recovered. This temperature fluctuation, with alternating warm and cold phases, is one of the characteristic features that AEMET highlights in its November report.
Rainfall: a normal month but with strong contrasts
Regarding rainfall, AEMET notes that November presented a globally normal behavior in terms of precipitationThe average rainfall in mainland Spain was 92,7 liters per square meter, a figure that is approximately 119% of the average for the period 1991-2020. With this data, the month is considered within normal limits, although slightly wetter than the climatological reference indicates.
In the historical series since 1961, this November ranks as one of the relatively wet NovembersIt ranks twenty-third among the rainiest countries and eleventh in terms of rainfall in the 21st century. However, the average figure masks a highly irregular pattern: while some regions experienced several consecutive rainstorms, other areas barely accumulated any water.
Regarding specific events, several days of heavy rainfall stand out. Puerto de Navacerrada recorded its highest daily record of the month, with 102 l/m² on the 13th, associated with the passage of a very active front systemHigh values followed in Huelva/Ronda Este, with 76,4 l/m² on the 15th, as well as in Córdoba/Airport, where 67,4 l/m² were measured also on the 15th, and in Pontevedra, with 62,2 l/m² on the 12th.
Looking at the total accumulated rainfall throughout the month, the rainiest season was Vigo/Airport, with 451 l/m²Following behind were Pontevedra, with 422 l/m², Puerto de Navacerrada, with 251 l/m², San Sebastián/Igueldo, with 224 l/m², and Bilbao/Airport, with 219 l/m². These figures reflect that the northwest and the Cantabrian slope were highly exposed to the passage of frontal systems and storms for much of the month.
Regional differences: from very humid west to dry east
The spatial distribution of the rain left a panorama marked by stark contrasts. The western half of the Peninsula The region—including Galicia, western Castile and León, Extremadura, much of Andalusia, areas of the Central System mountain range, and parts of the Southern Plateau—experienced a wet or very wet month. In these regions, the succession of Atlantic fronts resulted in rainfall totals well above the normal levels for November.
In contrast, the eastern part of the peninsula experienced a practically opposite situation. Numerous districts of the Valencian Community, along with areas of the southeast, presented a marked rainfall deficitwith values well below the average for the period 1991-2020. This lack of rain accentuated the feeling of dryness in areas where water problems had already been ongoing for months.
In the Balearic Islands, the overall assessment for the autumn was globally normal rainfallWith 213 liters per square meter (around 3% less than expected). However, notable differences were observed month by month: September was dry, October was within the normal range, and November behaved like a wet month. Within that last period, AEMET highlights very intense and localized episodes, with record rainfall in a short time.
In Menorca, for example, Rainfall records were broken in just ten minutesOn November 17, 18,8 l/m² of rain fell in Es Mercadal, the highest recorded rainfall in such a short period since 2009. A similar event occurred in Ciutadella on the 25th, with 14 l/m² falling in ten minutes, a record since 2004. Furthermore, on November 21, sleet was observed falling on Monte Toro, a rare phenomenon for this time of year on the island.
In the Canary Islands, the month had a generally wet characterThis helped to partially compensate for previous deficiencies on some islands. The combination of high temperatures and periods of rain contributed to a highly variable environment, with stretches of stable weather alternating with episodes of intense downpours, especially on the slopes most exposed to the trade winds and the passage of upper-level Atlantic storms.
November in the context of autumn and the forecast for winter
The November data falls within an autumn that, according to AEMET, It has been warm in large areas of SpainIn the Balearic Islands, for example, the average temperature for the autumn quarter in Menorca reached 19,5 ºC, with an anomaly of +0,5 ºC above the usual climatological values. September ended with an average of 23,4 ºC (+0,9 ºC anomaly), October with 19,8 ºC (+0,4 ºC), and November with 15,3 ºC (about +0,3 ºC above normal), reflecting a progressive seasonal decrease, but always above the reference average.
Within this period, several notable events were recorded. On September 21, the The highest temperature of autumn in Menorca, reaching 30,9 ºC in Es MercadalMeanwhile, on that same day, La Mola recorded its highest minimum temperature of the season, at 21,3 ºC. The absolute minimum temperature of the quarter was reached on November 22nd in Cala Galdana, at 3,2 ºC, highlighting the contrast between the lingering summer heat and the arrival of colder weather at the end of autumn.
Regarding nighttime comfort, AEMET emphasizes that The number of tropical nights in the Menorcan autumn was lower than usualAt Menorca Airport, seven nights were recorded with minimum temperatures equal to or above 20°C, approximately half of what is considered normal in the reference period, suggesting that, despite the positive temperature anomalies, extremely warm nights were somewhat less frequent.
From the point of view of autumn precipitation, the Balearic Islands present a balance very close to the climatological normality, with a slight deficit of 3%. September was dry, October was normal, and November was wet.Autumn was marked by periods of very intense rainfall. It was also characterized by days of strong winds: Menorca Airport recorded 18 days with strong gusts, two fewer than usual, while Es Mercadal reached a maximum gust of 118 km/h.
Looking ahead, AEMET forecasts that winter, which will extend approximately from December 21st to March 20th, will be present in Spain. average temperatures higher than typical valuesThe quarter is expected to exceed the 12°C that is usually considered normal for the reference period, while in terms of precipitation, accumulations around normal are anticipated, with average records close to 137 liters per square meter according to climatology; these forecasts are interpreted together with the La Niña probabilities and its possible effects.
With this assessment, November is shaping up to be a month of transition where a slight excess of heat and generally normal rainfall These are combined with very marked contrasts between regions, record episodes of both temperature and precipitation and a continuation of the trend towards increasingly mild autumns in much of Spain, a scenario that AEMET is closely monitoring in anticipation of the imminent winter.
