# What is Espagne like in the winter?



## michael_23 (Mar 29, 2010)

Morning all  I have the joys of posting from a windy, overcast, rainy day in the north of England!

Anyhow, I was wondering, what is Spain like in the winter (costa blanca - Valencia/ alicante area imparticular?

Even though it's winter, does the cloud and rain increase dramatically Or is it still plenty of blue skies, just a little colder?

Also, as many of you will have experienced winter in the UK, how to villas compare to houses with carpets in the winter? Is it once the hearings on it's fine or is it it's all cold and really not cosy?

Thanks


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Greetings from the Northern Costa Blanca where I am sitting here looking out over a fairly bright view. Yesterday it was bright and sunny, however we had extremely high winds in the afternoon, and also the day before that. The heatings on, cos it feels a bit chilly.

In December, up to about the 15th we were sitting out on the terrace for lunch and it was really quite nice which is unusual because be usually only make it through to maybe early November. Then the nights get cold.

But we're paying for it now a little because the cold spell does seem to have gone on for a bit longer than normal. Having said that, less than a week ago I was sitting outside in the warm sun.

Spanish houses take some heating. Tiled floors, no carpets ... during the day they are usually Ok at this time of year, although you do need some heating at night.

So in short, dont assume that Spain is warm and cuddly all year long. The first year you are here you appreciate it more, but over the years you get used to it and even now I go out with a warm jacket, especially if windy


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

michael_23 said:


> Morning all  I have the joys of posting from a windy, overcast, rainy day in the north of England!


Sympathies. Here on the Asturian Coast it is another fine sunny day. A little fresh but still very pleasant. I'm on the terrace taking a cold beer watching the ships anchored out at sea - well someone has to do it with all these pirates about 

Here we use slippers most of the year (which I never do in England) because as Stravinsky says the tiled floor always seems cold (we're ground floor so I guess like any villa floorwise). The flat has heating and is fine and very comfortable. We would consider carpets or rugs but here with high humidity on the coast we avoid such things as the flat is often closed up for 2 or 3 months at a time.

There are some thin wood floor coverings we are considering which our neighbours seemed pleased with.

As for the weather these days your guess is as good as any ones. I remember christmas in Alicante really hot and sunny. More recently it has suffered storms, rain and cold. 

But whatever it sure has hell beats current Scottish and Geordie weather.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Even this year on both christmas day & new years day we went out to the beach with clear blue skies & good temps. Normally here we get occasional cloudy days but far less rain. Even this year, when the rest of Spain has been battered with rain, floods, etc; we've only seen rain on 7 or 8 days.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

I'm on the northern Costa Blanca too - slightly south of Stravinsky.

daytime temperatures are usually pretty good - on a sunny day high teens low 20's (in the sun) are normal and on a non-sunny day around 10ish

it does get down to around 0 at night though 

indoors - unless you are in a south facing sunny room - it's colder!

slippers are the norm indoors for at least half the year - & even now we sometimes huddle under blankets in the living room in the evening

this past winter has been particularly long & wet & windy

strangely Christmas day always seems to be sunny & a trip to the beach possible - wouldn't swim though

yesterday evening was the first evening since about the end of September that we had the balcony doors open in the evening right up til bedtime


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Here in the mountains of the Sierra Sur de Jaén, it can be bl**dy freezing - I got frostbite last winter!

Today is nice and sunny but there is a cold wind: in the sun it is mid 80s, out of the sun and in the wind it is barely 45 so not exactly time to sit out unless you can get a really sheltered spot but then you probably lose the sun too!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Its bloody cold!!! Its been a bit milder this year, I havent had to scrape ice off the windscreen! But its been very wet! It rained continuously from mid December til beginning of March The problem is the houses here. They arent designed for the cold, they have poor insulation, no central heating, no mains gas, they're drafty and most dont seem to have a damp course! The consequence of all that is that they're very expensive to heat!

Jo xxx


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## morlandg (Jun 8, 2008)

michael_23 said:


> Morning all  I have the joys of posting from a windy, overcast, rainy day in the north of England!
> 
> Anyhow, I was wondering, what is Spain like in the winter (costa blanca - Valencia/ alicante area imparticular?
> 
> ...


Have a look at El Tiempo and enter your nearest location in the UK - then enter your chosen town/city in Spain to compare the two. It's a great site - and improving.
GG


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