Climate - San Sebastian (Basque Country)

The climate of San Sebastián is temperate oceanic, with mild, rainy winters and quite cool summers. We are in the north of Spain, where the climate is much cooler and more humid than in the rest of the country.
The city (called Donostia in Basque) is located in the north-east of the Basque Country, at the mouth of the Urumea River, and about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the border with France. There are three beaches: Ondarreta, La Concha and la Zurriola.
The wind blows frequently from the ocean, 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.
Although the climate is mild, cold waves in winter are more intense than in the rest of the northern Spanish coast, due to its proximity to France. In addition, the rains are particularly abundant.
The average temperature of the coldest month (January) is of 8.5 °C (47 °F), that of the warmest month (August) is of 20 °C (68 °F). Here are the average temperatures (the weather station is located on mount Igueldo, a hill of 260 meters or 850 feet).

Precipitation amounts to 1,510 millimeters (59.4 inches) per year: it is therefore abundant. It ranges from 85 mm (3.3 in) in the driest month (July) to 170 mm (6.7 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.
With the wind from the south, the temperature can exceed 20 °C (68 °F) even in the middle of winter.
There may also be cold spells, although they are quite rare. Generally, on the coldest nights of the year, there are only slight frosts, but sometimes it can get very cold. In February 1956, the temperature dropped to -12 °C (10.5 °F), while in January 1985, it dropped to -10 °C (14 °F). From 2000 to 2020, it dropped to -5.5 °C (22 °F) in December 2001 and in February 2012.
Snow in San Sebastián is rare, however, from time to time, the city can be covered with snow. In February 1996, even 30 cm (12 in) of snow fell. More recently, snow thickness reached 5 cm (2 in) in January 2010 and February 2018.

The summer, from June to August or mid-September, is quite cool. The rains are quite frequent even in this season, and the sun doesn't shine very often. Fog can form at night and early in the morning.
Occasionally, the southerly wind can bring intense heat, usually only for a day or two. On the hottest days of the year, the temperature typically reaches 35 °C (95 °F), but can sometimes reach higher values. In July 2019 and 2020, it reached 39 °C (102 °F). In 2003, it had reached 38 °C (100.5 °F) in June and 38.5 °C (101 °F) in August.



On average, there are around 1,775 sunshine hours per year. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.

The sea temperature ranges between 12 °C (54 °F) and 22 °C (72 °F). The sea is cool even in summer, although it is a little less cool than in Galicia and Asturias. Here are the average sea temperatures.

Best Time

The best time to visit San Sebastián is from June to mid-September, since it is the mildest and least rainy of the year.
To go to the beach, the preferable months are July and August (and the beginning of September if the weather is good).

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