Climate - Valladolid (Castile and Leon)

In Valladolid, a city of Spain, located in the northern part of the Meseta (plateau) and in the Autonomous Community of Castile and León, about 700 meters (2,300 feet) above sea level, the climate is slightly continental, with moderately cold winters and hot, sunny summers, though with cool nights. Compared to the climate of Madrid, that of Valladolid is similar, but slightly colder, especially at night and in winter, since it is located in a more northern position.
The average temperature ranges from 4 °C (39 °F) in January to 22.5 °C (72.5 °F) in July. Here are the average temperatures.

Precipitation is not abundant, since it amounts to 465 millimeters (18.5 inches) per year, and in fact, the landscape of the plateau is arid, especially during the summer months. The rains, however, are quite frequent from October to May, even though there is a decline in February and March. In May, and more rarely in summer, some afternoon thunderstorms can burst, however, in midsummer (July and August), it almost never rains. Here is the average precipitation.

Winter, from December to February, is pretty cold.
Rainfall, brought by Atlantic low-pressure systems, is quite frequent, but generally not abundant.
In December and January (and much more rarely in February), during anticyclonic periods, at night and in the early morning, fog can form, and it sometimes persists even during the day, keeping the temperature low (around freezing or a few degrees above even at midday).
Every now and then, cold waves can occur.
On the coldest nights of the year, the temperature typically drops to -5/-7 °C (19/23 °F), but can sometimes drop further. The coldest record was -16 °C (3 °F) and was recorded in January 1971. On other occasions, the temperature dropped to -12 °C (10.5 °F) in February 1948, to -11.5 °C (11.5 °F) in December 1962 and February 1983, and to -11 °C (12 °F) in February 1963, January 1985 and December 2001. The latter was the only time in which the temperature dropped below -10 °C (14 °F) from 2000 to 2020.
Snow in Valladolid is more frequent than in Madrid, both because the city is further north and because Madrid is partly protected by the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains. On average, there are nine days a year with a snowfall, although not always with accumulation on the ground.

Summer, from June to August, is hot and sunny, but the difference between night and day is remarkable, so, while days can be hot, nights can be cool. There are quite often very hot days, since highs reach quite easily 34/35 °C (93/95 °F), even though the air is dry. However, at night, the temperature remains relatively cool, hovering typically around 14/15 °C (57/59 °F), but it can sometimes drop to around 10 °C (50 °F) even in July and August.
On the hottest days of the year, the temperature typically reaches 38 °C (100 °F), but can sometimes reach higher values. The highest temperature is 40 °C (104 °F) and was recorded in July 1945, July 1995 and June 2019. In August 2003 and July 2020, it reached 39.5 °C (103 °F).

The transitional seasons, spring and autumn, are fairly mild (but at night, it can get cold) and characterized by variable weather, with sunny periods, but also periods when Atlantic depressions bring clouds and rains. In November, in good weather, fog can form.



The amount of sunshine in Valladolid is great in summer, when clear skies prevail: in July, there are on average 12 hours of sunshine per day. Sunny days are possible throughout the year, although in winter, also because of the fog, they decrease a lot: in December and January, there are only 3 or 4 hours of sunshine per day. However, the annual total is good (2,625 hours). Here are the average sunshine hours per day.

Best Time

The best times to visit Valladolid are spring and autumn, especially in May, June and September. In June, however, it can already be hot during the day, especially in the second half of the month. In April, it can still be cold, especially in the first part of the month.
September, too, is a good month, but it can still be hot at the beginning, while during the month, the first rains can occur. In October, the air is often mild, however, the days get shorter, the rains are more frequent, and it can start to get cold at night.
Those who can stand the heat may choose July and August, keeping in mind that the days can be scorching. The temperature range between day and night is often high, so it is helpful to dress in layers and to bring something warm for the evening: even in midsummer, a sweatshirt can be useful for the evening, and maybe a light jacket too.