Climate - Lourdes (France)

The climate in Lourdes is temperate, and influenced by the ocean.
Lourdes is a French town located at the foot of the Pyrenees, 400 meters (1,300 feet) above sea level, practically at the prime meridian. Just over 20 km (12,5 mi) to the southeast is the 2,877-meter-high (9,438 ft) Pic du Midi de Bigorre, which houses a famous astronomical observatory. About 10 km (6 mi) to the south lies the border with Spain.
The wind is quite common, and can increase the sensation of cold, even though the föhn wind can sometimes blow from the Pyrenees, able to bring mild days even in winter.
The daily average temperature ranges from is 4.5 °C (40 °F) in January to 19 °C (66 °F) in August. Here are the average temperatures.

In an average year, about 1,000 millimeters (40 inches) of rain fall, well distributed over the seasons, however, the (relatively) driest season is summer. July is the driest month, November the wettest. Here is the average precipitation.

Winter, from December to February, is relatively mild. At night, the temperature is normally around freezing (0 °C or 32 °F), while during the day, it's about 10 °C (50 °F). However, there may be variations depending on the weather situation. When the winds blow from the ocean, the temperature is quite mild but the rains are frequent. On the other hand, the cold winds from the north or the east can bring snowfalls and frosts.
During the most intense cold spells, the temperature can drop below -7/-8 °C (18/19 °F). At the Tarbes-Ossun airport, located at 370 meters (1,200 ft) above sea level, the temperature dropped to -16 °C (3 °F) in January 1985, to -10.5 °C (13 °F) in February 1986, to -15 °C (5 °F) in January 1987, to -10 °C (14 °F) in January 2007, to -9.5 °C (15 °F) in January 2012, and to -11 °C (12 °F) in February 2012.

Spring, from March to May, is cool and quite rainy. Temperatures can change quickly, and the first mild or even warm days alternate with quite cold days.

Summer, from June to August, is mild or pleasantly warm, with cool nights. In periods of good weather, it can get hot during the day: the temperature can reach or exceed 30 °C (86 °F).
At times, hot periods can occur, generally of short duration, which in recent years are becoming more frequent due to global warming, and in which the temperature can exceed 33/34 °C (91/93 °F). The temperature reached 38 °C (100.5 °F) in July 1982, in July 1983, in July 1985 and in June 2003, 39 °C (102 °F) in August 2003 and in August 2010, 38 °C (100.5 °F) in July 2019, and 38.5 °C (101.5 °F) in August 2020.
In the afternoon, thunderstorms may erupt, usually of short duration, while occasional Atlantic disturbances can bring some cool and rainy days, even in mid-summer. After all, owing to Atlantic fronts and afternoon thunderstorms, it rains on average for 10/12 days per month even in summer.

Autumn, from September to November, is initially mild, in fact, in September, there may still be some summery days. But with each passing week, it gradually becomes more cool, cloudy and rainy.



The amount of sunshine in Lourdes is decent, but not great, all year round: good weather is more frequent in summer, but the sky can become cloudy in the afternoon, while in the other seasons, disturbances pass often enough over the region. On average, there are 1,950 hours of sunshine per year. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.

Best Time

The best time to visit Lourdes runs from June to September, since it is the warmest and driest period of the year. May and October, though rainier, may be fine too, although it can sometimes get cold, especially in the first half of May and in the second half of October. Those who cannot stand the heat, in order to avoid the albeit rare hot days, can choose May, September and October.