Traditionally winters are dry in much of Spain. It’s the springs and autumns which are typically the wettest, but this winter has been different. This is what you think of the weather this year so far.
This winter in much of Spain has been more like the endless wet and grey days in the UK, which many people move to Spain to escape.
According to Spain’s State Meteorological Agency Aemet, this was wettest January and February in almost half a century, with a string of devastating storms.
“January and February 2026 has been the rainiest in the last 47 years, highlighting the extraordinary nature of these events,” spokesman Rubén del Campo said.
Those are the facts, but what are perceptions of the people who live here and has it been the same everywhere across the country?
Let’s begin with the southern costas, which are typically known for their great sunny weather. Do you believe they’ve been affected by the rain this winter too?
“This has been my 47th winter in Spain. 46 have been lovely, but I’ve never known such bad weather as this year, and I live on the Costa del Sol!”, said one reader who seemed to have been keeping track himself.
Another reader in the same area confirmed “Yes, on the Costa del Sol I’ve never known weather like it in 27 years”.
Another agreed that it was the wettest and coldest winter in Estepona that she could remember in 25 years.
People in Nerja and Almería also agreed that it was very wet in those areas too.
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Further east on Costa Blanca it was a similar story. “Many more days with rain, stormy and cold wind. It’s the first time since we arrived in 1986,” one reader wrote.
There seemed to be varying opinions about the Alicante province, however.
One person wrote that Dénia was very wet throughout winter, while another confirmed a “long miserable winter in Torrevieja”.
Five more people also agreed that it had been a very wet and rainy winter in Alicante area.
Not everyone had the same opinion though, one wrote: “In southern Alicante, January was so, so for rain but very cold. February was actually very dry and then eventually warm for the most part from mid-point onwards”.
Another reader in Catral near Elche, said it had been a windy winter, but “no heavy rain, just one or two light showers”.
Another agreed saying it wasn’t really that wet in Alicante, while a fourth said: “Benidorm had a few bad days when rained all day, but overall I found it warm even with the wind. The sun bathers missed the sun, but us English were happy warmer than in England”.
It seems like it’s all about perspective.
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In inland Andalusia though, almost everyone agreed it had been wetter than normal there.
“I’m in the mountains in Andalusia here. Had to have my roof replaced due to leaks, damp and mould. The farmers say they’ve seen nothing like it,” wrote one.
“None of the older villages here in the Alpujarras can remember such rain”, another added, referring to the mountainous area just south of Granada.
Another north of Granada said: “We have rivers we’ve never had before (big ones) and our lakes are full for the first time in decades. We expect cold and snow on the mountains, but this has been unprecedented”.
Typically, sunny Seville didn’t fare much better either. “Live in Seville area and yes worst year I have known in the 21 years I have been here”.
Another two readers in Antequera in Málaga province also believed it was very wet.
READ ALSO: Why is Grazalema the rainiest place in Spain?
A woman struggles with her umbrella during heavy rains and windy conditions in Ronda, southern Spain. Photo: JORGE GUERRERO / AFP
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It was similar in inland Valencia region and in Murcia.
“Yes, worst winter in 10 years in Turís, 30km inland of Valencia. Wet, cold and lots of wind,” one person confirmed.
“Valencia region has been horrible! So much rain and wind,” another person said.
“This was my 18th, and worst, winter in Murcia” one wrote. Another couple who live in Calasparra, also in Murcia, said that it was their worst winter in 23 years.
What about in the Balearics, also known for their great weather? Was it any different?
Again, it seemed to be the same there.
“It was certainly the wettest and coldest on Menorca in 20 years of being here” wrote one.
“Mallorca has been terrible. Worst weather in the 8 years I have lived here.” another said, while one wrote it was the “worst winter in Mallorca” since they moved in 2009.
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Back on mainland Spain in the northeastern region of Catalonia one reader wrote that it was definitely wetter in southern Catalonia. “Not so much colder, but endless days of pouring rain, wave after wave. Extreme winds, the Ebro running high for weeks. Worst winter in 20 years”.
Another said they had not seen so much rain in Barcelona in almost 40 years living in the city.
It wasn’t just on the coasts and in the south where the weather has been particularly bad this winter. In the capital region the comments were similar.
“Said to my friends it was the worst winter I can remember in my twenty+ years in Madrid,” one reader wrote.
“I live in Madrid and Castellón and it definitely rained cats & dogs in both over the last month” said one.
“The paint on my walls in my apartment in Madrid, started forming bubbles because of the nonstop humidity,” another wrote showing just how bad it was.
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The opinions seemed to be different the further north you go, however.
Many readers who live in northern Spain, said that this winter didn’t really seem that much different from normal.
Of course, the northern regions are traditionally the wettest places, so it doesn’t seem like much has changed there.
“I live in Asturias. It rains endlessly here so hardly noticed any difference. We only know it’s summer when the rain gets warmer,” one reader summed it up well.
Another in Galicia said: “Nope, it wasn’t bad at all. In fact, it’s never nearly as bad here as people make out, because there are so many microclimates: in our part of A Coruña, offshore and onshore winds mean that the bulk of the rain falls overnight, so who cares? And who wants 45C in the summer?”.
In northern Castilla y León one reader also said it was about the same. “Not heavy, just the usual day after day”. They also saw it as a positive, noting how lush and green the valley where they live is.
Maybe we’ve all had a little taste of what it’s like to live in northern Spain or perhaps many of us know only too well the rainy winters of northern Europe and had a little reminder of that this year.
