Barcelona sits on the Mediterranean coast of northeastern Spain, in Catalonia, hemmed between the sea and the Collserola hills at approximately 41.39°N, 2.17°E. It has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa) with hot, humid summers and mild winters, and its coastal position keeps temperatures moderate year-round while feeding the humidity that makes its summer heat feel sticky.

Summer, from June to September, is hot, sunny and humid, with July and August the warmest months — average highs around 28–29°C — tempered on the coast by afternoon sea breezes. The real discomfort comes from humidity rather than extreme temperature, as the warm Mediterranean keeps the air muggy and nights balmy. Occasional afternoon thunderstorms break the heat, especially toward the end of summer.

Winter, from December to February, is mild, with January the coolest month — average highs around 14–15°C and lows near 5–8°C. Frost is uncommon on the coast and snow in the city is rare, though the surrounding hills and the Pyrenees beyond see plenty. Occasionally the tramontana, a cold wind spilling down from the north, can bring a sharp chill.

Barcelona receives around 600–640 mm of rain a year, more than the drier southeastern coast, and its rainfall is distinctly autumn-weighted — September and October are the wettest months, when the first autumn storms can arrive as intense downpours — while summer is largely dry apart from the odd thunderstorm. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Like much of the Catalan coast, Barcelona can be struck in autumn by the gota fría, when cold air aloft over the warm sea triggers violent, flooding rains. Its position between sea and hills gives it two contrasting winds — the cold northerly tramontana and warm, humid marine breezes — and lends it a mild, sunny character that makes spring and autumn especially agreeable.

To follow any single measurement in Barcelona more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.