The Climate of
Gibraltar
Gibraltar, town square
What is the climate of Gibraltar like?
Gibraltar has an area of only 10 sq km/4 sq mi and is a British Crown Colony situated at the extreme south of Spain, commanding the narrow strait at the entrance to the Mediterranean. It consists of a rocky peninsula rising to over 300 meters (1,000 feet).
Gibraltar has a characteristic Mediterranean climate with a very dry summer. The winters are considerably wetter than much of southern Spain, due to exposure to Atlantic storms. Winters are rather warmer and the summers not quite so hot as the adjoining regions of Spain. Because of the shape of the rocky mountain which obstructs the flow of easterly and westerly winds in the strait, the winds around Gibraltar are often particularly gusty. Both the airfield and the port can be affected by these turbulent winds on occasions.
| Climate data for Gibraltar International Airport (1991−2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 16.3 (61.3) | 16.7 (62.1) | 18.3 (64.9) | 20.0 (68.0) | 22.6 (72.7) | 25.6 (78.1) | 28.1 (82.6) | 28.4 (83.1) | 25.9 (78.6) | 22.5 (72.5) | 19.1 (66.4) | 17.0 (62.6) | 21.7 (71.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 13.8 (56.8) | 14.2 (57.6) | 15.6 (60.1) | 17.0 (62.6) | 19.3 (66.7) | 22.1 (71.8) | 24.3 (75.7) | 24.8 (76.6) | 22.8 (73.0) | 19.9 (67.8) | 16.6 (61.9) | 14.7 (58.5) | 18.8 (65.8) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 11.2 (52.2) | 11.5 (52.7) | 12.7 (54.9) | 13.9 (57.0) | 16.0 (60.8) | 18.5 (65.3) | 20.5 (68.9) | 21.2 (70.2) | 19.7 (67.5) | 17.3 (63.1) | 14.1 (57.4) | 12.4 (54.3) | 15.8 (60.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 97.5 (3.84) | 93.6 (3.69) | 83.4 (3.28) | 68.8 (2.71) | 26.9 (1.06) | 8.5 (0.33) | 0.7 (0.03) | 1.1 (0.04) | 25.6 (1.01) | 84.9 (3.34) | 99.1 (3.90) | 150.7 (5.93) | 740.8 (29.16) |
| Source: Deutscher Wetterdienst | |||||||||||||
References
- E. A. Pearce, Charles Gordon Smith, (1990) The Hutchinson World Weather Guide, John Murray Press. ISBN 1859863426
- Timothy L. Gall, (ed.), (2003), Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, Eleventh Edition, Thomson Gale
- Hugh Chisholm, (ed.), (1911), Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh edition, Cambridge University Press
The Climate of
Gibraltar
In summary:
A Mediterranean climate with a very dry summer. The winters are warm but with considerable rainfall due to exposure to Atlantic storms. The winds around Gibraltar are often gusty.