Weather locations in Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a narrow peninsula at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula, and its climate is a miniature version of the Mediterranean's, tempered by the surrounding sea. It is sunny and dry for much of the year with short, wet winters.

Main climate types

Classified as a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, with the boundary to the semi-arid type only just to the north, Gibraltar takes its rain almost entirely in winter. The Rock itself breaks the pattern: north-facing slopes above the town pull in moisture from the Atlantic, so the higher ground, especially towards Bayview and Catalan Bay, records considerably more rain than the town below.

Temperatures

The town averages about 13.5 degrees in January and 22 degrees in July, with only around 9 degrees of difference between the coldest and warmest months. Summer days reach the high 20s, occasionally the low 30s, while winter days usually stay near 15 degrees and nights drop to about 8. Humidity that is often 80 per cent or more makes the winter feel damper than the numbers suggest.

Rainfall

Annual rainfall at the town is around 800 millimetres, rising to perhaps 1,500 millimetres on the upper slopes, and is concentrated in November and December, when heavy showers can drain the Rock's limited water supply. Summers are almost rainless, and July and August often record nothing at all. The strait means that warm, dusty air can blow off the African coast for a few days each summer.

When to go

For a city break, April to June and September to October are usually the best: long daylight, warm sea and only occasional rain. Summer is hot, crowded and expensive, though the evening climb to the Rock rewards you with the view. Winter, from December to February, brings the rain and surf on the eastern beaches, and the high ground is at its greenest then.