April is a typical spring month, characterized by abundant rainfall. In Spain, there are areas of the peninsula that experience a large number of rainy days throughout the year and receive little sunshine. Since we are in the rainy season, it's a good time to discuss those Spanish cities where rainfall is frequent, regardless of the season.
The northern part of the Iberian Peninsula is the wettest area of the country and, therefore, receives significantly more rainfall compared to other regions. The two cities vying for the title of rainiest in Spain are Vigo and San Sebastián . The Galician city typically receives 1.791 mm of rain annually , while San Sebastián's rainfall reaches 1.500 mm per year.
However, there is an area in southern Spain that typically receives the most rainfall each year. This is the Sierra de Grazalema , where up to 2.200 mm of rain have been recorded in a single year. This region is particularly prone to heavy rainfall between September and April, attracting the attention of meteorologists and tourists alike.
Despite this data, determining which Spanish city receives the most rainfall annually is complicated. The weather is highly variable , and while a city might be overwhelmed by precipitation in a given month, a normally dry location could become the rainiest during another period.
What is clear is that April is, according to the data, a typically rainy month , and it is during this time that most of the year's rainfall occurs.
Cities with the most rainy days per year in Spain
According to data from the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), information has been compiled on the rainiest cities in the country. Considering average data from 1981 to 2010, a ranking has been created of the main locations with the most rainy days per year, as well as the accumulated rainfall.
- San Sebastián – 141.1 rainy days per year
- Santiago de Compostela – 139.5 rainy days per year
- Pontevedra – 131.3 rainy days per year
- A Coruna – 129.6 rainy days per year
- Vigo – 129.2 rainy days per year
- Lugo – 126.3 rainy days per year
- Bilbao – 124.0 rainy days per year
- Santander – 123.6 rainy days per year
- Oviedo – 122.3 rainy days per year
- Vitoria-Gasteiz – 99.3 rainy days per year
- Ourense – 96.9 rainy days per year
- Pamplona – 93.5 rainy days per year
- Burgos – 83.5 rainy days per year
- Soria – 78.8 rainy days per year
- Segovia – 78.6 rainy days per year
- Lion – 74.9 rainy days per year
- Guadalajara – 74.1 rainy days per year
- Cuenca – 71.2 rainy days per year
- Valladolid – 68.5 rainy days per year
- Avila – 66.9 rainy days per year
- Logroño – 66.6 rainy days per year
- Girona – 65.8 rainy days per year
- Caceres – 64.2 rainy days per year
- Zamora – 64.2 rainy days per year
- Salamanca – 63.8 rainy days per year
- Mahón (Menorca) – 63.6 rainy days per year
- Huesca – 60.7 rainy days per year
- Madrid – 59.4 rainy days per year
- Ciudad Real – 59.3 rainy days per year
- Badajoz – 59.2 rainy days per year
- Teruel – 57.4 rainy days per year
- Cordoba – 56.6 rainy days per year
- Toledo – 53.8 rainy days per year
- Barcelona – 53.3 rainy days per year
- Palma (Majorca) – 53.1 rainy days per year
- Granada – 52.1 rainy days per year
- Huelva – 51.5 rainy days per year
- Zaragoza – 51.1 rainy days per year
- Cadiz – 50.7 rainy days per year
- Seville – 50.5 rainy days per year
- Albacete – 50.4 rainy days per year
- Tarragona – 50.3 rainy days per year
- Lleida SPAIN – 46.2 rainy days per year
- Jaen – 46.0 rainy days per year
- Castellon – 45.5 rainy days per year
- Valencia – 43.9 rainy days per year
- Malaga – 42.3 rainy days per year
- Alicante – 37.5 rainy days per year
- Murcia – 36.5 rainy days per year
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Tenerife) – 29.7 rainy days per year
- Almeria – 25.4 rainy days per year
- Gando (Gran Canaria) – 22.1 rainy days per year
Where does it rain more?
The rainiest areas in Spain are primarily in the northern part of the peninsula; however, there are additional factors to consider. According to the AEMET's (Spanish State Meteorological Agency ) Summary Guide to the Climate in Spain , the cities with the most rainy days are those located on the northwest coast and in the Sierra de Grazalema mountain range. In general, orographic conditions and proximity to the ocean significantly influence rainfall in these areas.
An interesting point to mention is that the Sierra de Grazalema has an average annual rainfall of over 2,100 mm , which contrasts sharply with cities like Madrid and Almería, where the annual average is much lower. The orographic phenomenon in this area causes clouds coming from the Atlantic to condense upon encountering the mountains, resulting in abundant rainfall.
Ranking of Spanish cities where it rains the most
According to the data, the ranking of the cities with the most rain per year is summarized as follows:
- Saint Sebastian: 141.1 rainy days per year
- Santiago de Compostela: 139.5 rainy days per year
- Pontevedra: 131.3 rainy days per year
- To Coruña: 129.6 rainy days per year
- Vigo: 129.2 rainy days per year
- Lugo: 126.3 rainy days per year
- Bilbao: 124.0 rainy days per year
- Santander: 123.6 rainy days per year
- Oviedo: 122.3 rainy days per year
- Vitoria-Gasteiz: 99.3 rainy days per year
- Ourense: 96.9 rainy days per year
- Pamplona: 93.5 rainy days per year
- Burgos: 83.5 rainy days per year
- Soria: 78.8 rainy days per year
- Segovia: 78.6 rainy days per year
- Lion: 74.9 rainy days per year
- Guadalajara: 74.1 rainy days per year
- Basin: 71.2 rainy days per year
- Valladolid: 68.5 rainy days per year
- Avila: 66.9 rainy days per year
- Logrono: 66.6 rainy days per year
- Girona: 65.8 rainy days per year
- Cáceres: 64.2 rainy days per year
- Zamora: 64.2 rainy days per year
- Salamanca: 63.8 rainy days per year
- Mahón (Menorca): 63.6 rainy days per year
- Huesca: 60.7 rainy days per year
- Madrid: 59.4 rainy days per year
- Ciudad Real: 59.3 rainy days per year
- Badajoz: 59.2 rainy days per year
- Teruel: 57.4 rainy days per year
- Cordoba: 56.6 rainy days per year
- Toledo: 53.8 rainy days per year
- Barcelona: 53.3 rainy days per year
- Palma (Mallorca): 53.1 rainy days per year
- Granada: 52.1 rainy days per year
- Huelva: 51.5 rainy days per year
- Zaragoza: 51.1 rainy days per year
- Cadiz: 50.7 rainy days per year
- Seville: 50.5 rainy days per year
- Albacete: 50.4 rainy days per year
- Tarragona: 50.3 rainy days per year
- Lleida: 46.2 rainy days per year
- Jaén: 46.0 rainy days per year
- Castellón: 45.5 rainy days per year
- Valencia: 43.9 rainy days per year
- Malaga: 42.3 rainy days per year
- Alicante: 37.5 rainy days per year
- Murcia: 36.5 rainy days per year
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Tenerife) – 29.7 rainy days per year
- Almeria: 25.4 rainy days per year
- Gando (Gran Canaria) – 22.1 rainy days per year
Factors influencing precipitation
Precipitation in Spain depends not only on geographic location but also on several climatic and orographic factors. The influence of humid winds from the Atlantic Ocean, the mountains, and latitude determine the amount of rain each region receives.
For example, the orographic effect is observed in the Sierra de Grazalema , where humid winds are forced to rise, causing condensation and, therefore, heavy rainfall. In contrast, areas like Almería and Murcia suffer from drought due to the rain shadow effect created by the mountains, which prevent humid fronts from reaching those areas.
The 25 wettest regions in Spain are concentrated in the north, where the oceanic climate favors abundant rainfall. In contrast, the southeast is characterized by being more arid due to the absence of these climatic influences. Therefore, it is vital to understand how these factors influence the amount of rainfall each region receives.
