, with quite cold, rainy winters and warm, sunny summers (but with some cool and rainy periods).
The city is located in the north-western part of the Autonomous Community of Castile and León, in a valley at an altitude of 550 meters (1,800 feet). All around are mountains: to the north the Serra dos Ancares, with the summit of the French route of the
(Alto do Poio), to the south and east the montes de León, which also include the Cruz de Ferro.
From the Atlantic Ocean, rain and mild air arrive for many months of the year, while in summer, there are several warm and sunny periods due to the Azores anticyclone (as also happens in southern Galicia).
of the coldest month (January) is of 5.4 °C (41.7 °F), that of the warmest month (July) is of 22 °C (71.5 °F).
, from December to February, is quite cold. Average temperatures are not very low, but at night it gets cold, and in periods of good weather, fog can form.
On the coldest nights of the year, the temperature generally drops to -6/-7 °C (19/21 °F). The coldest record is -10.5 °C (13 °F) and dates back to January 1945. From 2000 to 2020, the lowest temperature was -9.5 °C (15 °F), recorded in December 2001.
Snowfalls in Ponferrada are quite frequent, because cold air tends to stagnate in the valley.
, from June to August, is warm and sunny.
There are hot and sunny periods, sometimes even very hot, which alternate with cooler and rainy periods, in which Atlantic disturbances prevail. In cooler periods, the temperature can drop to 10 °C (50 °F) or even below at night.
On average, the temperature exceeds 35 °C (95 °F) for 6/7 days a year. The highest recorded temperature is 40.5 °C (105 °F) and dates back to July 1951. More recently, the temperature reached 39.5 °C (103 °F) in August 1987, and 39 °C (102 °F) in June 2017 and in August 2003.
To visit Ponferrada, you can choose the periods from mid-May to mid-June and from mid-September to mid-October. In summer, there are times when the heat is pleasant and others when it is intense. However, even in summer, it can be useful to bring a sweatshirt and a light jacket for cool evenings.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
5.4 °C, with a minimum of
1.4 °C and a maximum of
9.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-4.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-7.9 °C in January 2017.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
15.5 °C. However, it reached
19.8 °C in January 2016.
Precipitation amounts to
65 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 30 minutes.
There are on average 3.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 36% of the time.
The average humidity is 83%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
13 kph.
February is generally a quite mild month. The average temperature is of
7.2 °C, with a minimum of
1.8 °C and a maximum of
12.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-3.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-8 °C in February 2012.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
18.5 °C. However, it reached
22.9 °C in February 2019.
Precipitation amounts to
55 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 49% of the time.
The average humidity is 75%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
14 kph.
March is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
10.2 °C, with a minimum of
4.1 °C and a maximum of
16.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-1.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-8.2 °C in March 2005.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
23.5 °C. However, it reached
27.2 °C in March 2017.
Precipitation amounts to
45 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 6.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 53% of the time.
The average humidity is 68%.
The average wind speed is of
14 kph.
April is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
12.2 °C, with a minimum of
6.1 °C and a maximum of
18.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
0.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-2 °C in April 2004.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
27 °C. However, it reached
31.6 °C in April 2011.
Precipitation amounts to
50 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 7.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 54% of the time.
The average humidity is 66%.
The average wind speed is of
14 kph.
May is generally a very mild month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
15.6 °C, with a minimum of
9.1 °C and a maximum of
22.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
3 °C. However, it dropped to
0.8 °C in May 1991.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
30.5 °C. However, it reached
34.4 °C in May 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
55 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 40 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 8.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 57% of the time.
The average humidity is 65%.
The average wind speed is of
14 kph.
June is generally a warm month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
19.6 °C, with a minimum of
12.5 °C and a maximum of
26.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
7 °C. However, it dropped to
4.4 °C in June 1998.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
34.5 °C. However, it reached
39.2 °C in June 2017.
Precipitation amounts to
30 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 20 minutes. So the days are long. June 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 9.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 61% of the time.
The average humidity is 62%.
The average wind speed is of
12 kph.
July, the warmest month of the year, is generally a warm month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
22 °C, with a minimum of
14.4 °C and a maximum of
29.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
9 °C. However, it dropped to
6 °C in July 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
36.5 °C. However, it reached
38.4 °C in July 1995.
Precipitation amounts to
25 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 55 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 11 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 73% of the time.
The average humidity is 58%.
The average wind speed is of
12 kph.
August is generally a warm month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
21.7 °C, with a minimum of
14 °C and a maximum of
29.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
9 °C. However, it dropped to
5.8 °C in August 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
36 °C. However, it reached
39 °C in August 2003.
Precipitation amounts to
25 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 50 minutes.
There are on average 10.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 76% of the time.
The average humidity is 59%.
The average wind speed is of
12 kph.
September is generally a warm month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
18.5 °C, with a minimum of
11.5 °C and a maximum of
25.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
6 °C. However, it dropped to
1.6 °C in September 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
32.5 °C. However, it reached
38.7 °C in September 2016.
Precipitation amounts to
50 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 8.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 68% of the time.
The average humidity is 64%.
The average wind speed is of
11 kph.
October is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
13.9 °C, with a minimum of
8.4 °C and a maximum of
19.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
2.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-1 °C in October 2012.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
25.5 °C. However, it reached
32.9 °C in October 2017.
Precipitation amounts to
80 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 53% of the time.
The average humidity is 75%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
11 kph.
November is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
8.8 °C, with a minimum of
4.5 °C and a maximum of
13 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-2 °C. However, it dropped to
-6.8 °C in November 2007.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
19.5 °C. However, it reached
24 °C in November 2015.
Precipitation amounts to
80 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 40 minutes.
There are on average 3.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 34% of the time.
The average humidity is 81%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
12 kph.
December is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
5.6 °C, with a minimum of
2.1 °C and a maximum of
9.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-4.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-9.6 °C in December 2001.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
15.5 °C. However, it reached
18.4 °C in December 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
90 mm, distributed over 11 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 5 minutes. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 2.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 29% of the time.
The average humidity is 84%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
13 kph.