Climate - Minorca (Balearic Islands)

The climate of Minorca (or Menorca), the north-easternmost of the Balearic Islands, is Mediterranean, with mild, relatively rainy winters and hot, sunny summers, which are a bit sultry but tempered by sea breezes.
Owing to the north wind ("Tramontana") that blows from France, Minorca is pretty windy, especially from October to April. Actually, since it lies directly to the south of the Gulf of Lion, it is the windiest of the Balearic Islands.
At the Mahón Airport, the average temperature ranges from 11 °C (52 °F) in January and February to 25 °C (77 °F) in August. Here are the average temperatures.

Rainfall amounts to about 600 millimeters (23.5 in) per year, and follows the Mediterranean pattern, so it's more common in autumn and winter, it gradually decreases during spring, and reaches a minimum in summer, when it seldom rains. Menorca is the rainiest of the Balearics, although the difference is generally noticeable especially in autumn, when the rains are sometimes abundant, and in winter, when there are periods when it rains often.
Here is the average precipitation.

Winter, from December to February, is mild, with many sunny days, but also with periods of rain and wind.
It rarely gets very cold, however, there can sometimes be cold and windy periods, with highs below 10 °C (50 °F).
Occasionally, snow may even fall. Snowfalls are more abundant in the hill that is located inside the island, Monte Toro, 358 meters (1,175 feet) high, but even the coasts can be covered with snow. Snowfalls that whitened the island occurred for example in February 1956, February 1983, January 1985, February 1996, January 2005, February 2010 and February 2012.
However, frosts are rare, and on the coldest nights of the year, the temperature typically drops to 1/2 °C (34/36 °F). The coldest record is -2.5 °C (27.5 °F), recorded in January 1985. More recently, the temperature dropped to -1 °C (30 °F) in March 2010.
The following map shows how the Tramontana wind reaches the island from the Rhone valley (in France this wind is called Mistral).



Summer, from June to mid-September, is hot and sunny, with very rare rains. Some periods are more pleasant, while others are hotter and more sultry.
Typically, the temperature reaches 35/36 °C (95/97 °F) on the hottest days of the year. In July 1983, it reached 39.5 °C (103 °F), and more recently, in August 2017, it reached 37.5 °C (99.5 °F).



The amount of sunshine in Menorca is not very good in winter, when Atlantic or Mediterranean depressions pass quite often, however, there is a moderate amount of sunny days also in this period. Spring is a sunny season, especially in May; the sunniest period is from June to August, when clear skies are the norm. In September, the first Atlantic disturbances occur, so, the sun in autumn is not always guaranteed.
On average, there are 2,630 hours of sunshine per year. Here are the average hours of sunshine per day.

The sea in Menorca is warm enough for swimming from July to September, when it reaches or exceeds 24 °C (75 °F), while in June and October, it is quite cool. Here are the average sea temperatures.

Best Time

The best time to visit Menorca for a beach holiday is the summer, from June to mid-September. The water temperature is comfortable enough from July to September, although in September, which overall is still a good month (especially in the first half), the first periods of bad weather may occur. May and June are sunny months, but the sea is still a bit cool, especially in May, when it is actually cold, and sometimes, cold and windy days can still occur.

April and May are suitable months to visit the island and its cities, while in summer, it can sometimes be too hot for hiking, especially in July and August. In October and November, the temperatures are mild, but the days are shorter and the weather can be rainy and windy.