Climate - Oviedo (Asturias)

The climate of Oviedo is temperate oceanic, with mild, rainy winters and cool, relatively rainy summers.
The city is located in northern Spain, in Asturias, about 25 km (15 mi) away from the coast of the Cantabrian Sea, at an altitude ranging between 160 meters (525 feet) and 340 meters (1,115 ft). The historic center is 230 meters (755 ft), while the weather station is in the highest part, at 340 meters (1,115 ft). Just north of the city is a hill, 640 meter (2,100 ft) high, Mount Naranco. About 15 km (9 mi) to the south there is a small mountain range, the Sierra del Aramo, which reaches 1,791 meters (5,876 ft), while further south are the Cantabrian Mountains, beyond which we find the autonomous community of Castile and León.
The wind blows frequently and can be strong, especially in the cold half of the year. On the other hand, the warm and dry southerly wind, which descends from the Cantabrian Mountains, can cause sudden increases in temperature due to the foehn effect. With this wind, the temperature can exceed 20 °C (68 °F) in winter and 30 °C (86 °F) in summer.
At night, fog can form, even in summer.

The average temperature of the coldest months (January, December) is of 8.5 °C (47 °F), that of the warmest months (July, August) is of 19 °C (66 °F). Here are the average temperatures.

Precipitation amounts to 1,005 millimeters (39.6 inches) per year. It ranges from 45 mm (1.8 in) in the driest month (July) to 120 mm (4.7 in) in the wettest (November). Here is the average precipitation.

Winter, from December to February, is mild and rainy. Atlantic disturbances regularly pass over northern Spain, bringing rain and cloudy skies. Although the temperatures are generally mild, wind and humidity can increase the feeling of cold.
When the south wind blows, however, the temperature can reach 20 °C (68 °F) even in the middle of winter.
Sometimes there may be cold waves, in which the temperature can drop to -2/-3 °C (27/28 °F) at night and can remain around 5 °C (41 °F) during the day.
Since the 1970s, the coldest record is -6 °C (21 °F) and dates back to January 1985. Later, the temperature dropped to -4 °C (25 °F) in February 1979 and February 1996.
In Oviedo, unlike on the coast (see Gijón), snow is not so rare. In fact, the distance from the coast and the altitude slightly above sea level are already sufficient to bring snow, albeit once or twice a year.
Snow is more abundant in the high areas of the city. In the past, there were heavy snowfalls, such as that of February 1954, when snow depth reached 40 cm (15.5 inches). Subsequently, there have been a few episodes where the snow thickness has reached 15-30 cm (6-12 in), such as those of February 1983, January 1985, January 1987, and March 1st 1993.

The summer, from June to August or mid-September, is cool and cloudy. The weather is variable, so there can be drizzle, sunny spells and short showers.
It rarely gets hot: generally the temperature reaches 32/33 °C (89/91 °F) on the hottest days of the year, perhaps only for a day or two. However, from time to time, the temperature can reach very high values. In fact, it reached 37 °C (98.5 °F) in July 2016, 36.5 °C (97.5 °F) in September 1988, and 35.5 °C (96 °F) in June 2000 and August 2003.



On average, there are around 1,755 sunshine hours per year. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.

Best Time

The best time to visit Oviedo is from June to mid-September, since it is the mildest and driest period of the year. It's better to bring a sweatshirt and a light jacket for the evening and for rainy days; an umbrella or a waterproof windbreaker can be useful too.

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