Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is the main tourist gem of Spain and the second largest city in the Iberian state. Barcelona is located in the northeast of the country, 120 kilometers from the Spanish-French border and is the capital of the autonomous province of Catalonia, the most important region of Spain from an economic point of view. The city is an important industrial and commercial center not only in Spain, but throughout Europe. The port of Barcelona is one of the ten busiest ports in Europe, and El Prat Airport is the largest among all the airports located on the Mediterranean Sea. Which, however, is not surprising, since Barcelona is precisely the largest and most populous city in the Mediterranean.

Geography

Geographically, the city is located on a coastal plateau with an area of ​​170 sq. kilometers, of which 101 sq. kilometer is occupied directly by the city itself. From the southwest, this plateau is bounded by the Collserola mountains and the Llobregat river, and from the north by the Besos river. Thanks to the mountains, the city has a unique landscape, and the highest point of Barcelona is Mount Tibidabo 512 meters high, on which the so-called Collserola Tower is located – a television tower 288.4 meters high, designed by Sir Norman Foster for the 1992 Olympics and visible from most parts of the city.

Like many coastal cities, Barcelona is located on several hills at once, whose names later became the names of city blocks: Carmel (Carmel, 267 m), Monterols (Monterols, 121 m), Puchet (Putxet, 181 m), Rovira (Rovira, 261 m) and Peira (Peira, 133 m). Montjuic, 173 meters high, located in the southwest of Barcelona, ​​is especially famous and loved by tourists. There are many attractions on Montjuic – the city fortress of the 17th-18th centuries and some Olympic buildings.

CLIMATE

WEATHER IN BARCELONA

The weather in Barcelona can be said to be ideal for a holiday – the city has a Mediterranean climate, with sub-Mediterranean influences, making it mild and wet in the winter and warm and dry in the summer months. Barcelona is located on the east coast of the Iberian Peninsula, therefore, the usual westerly winds, mainly in winter, are the cause of a damp climate for many countries in Western Europe, reaching Barcelona with low humidity and almost no rain. An area of ​​low atmospheric pressure affects Barcelona (and Catalonia) bringing big storms, particularly in August. Autumn and spring are rainy and wet, while summer and winter are quite dry. It must also be taken into account that the western Mediterranean climate is the most variable in the world. For example, October can be very dry, while July or February can be rainy. Anyway,

TEMPERATURE

Regarding temperature: December, January and February are the coldest months of the year, with an average temperature of 9°C in the airport area, and over 10°C in the city. July and August are the hottest months, with average temperatures reaching 24°C. The record high recorded in the city center during the summer months is 38.6°C. The record low was -6.7°C on February 11, 1956 and -5°C on January 12, 1985. However, in the 19th century (in January 1896) a truly record for these places was recorded -9.6°C. At the Farba Observatory, located on Mount Tibidabo, 412 m above sea level, on July 7, 1982, a record summer temperature of 39.8 ° C was recorded, and the lowest temperature ever recorded was on February 11, 1956 -10 ° C. Near the mountain and near the airport, the annual rainfall reaches 650 mm, and in the city center it is over 600 mm.

Snowfalls and night frosts occur almost annually, and although they are not something atypical for Barcelona’s climate, they bring many problems with them. However, the city has also experienced heavy snowfalls, such as a real snowstorm in 1962 at Christmas, which brought with it a snow cover 50 cm thick in the city and almost a meter in the suburbs. Although, according to earlier records, in 1887 Barcelona witnessed even more heavy snowfall, when the snow cover was more than 50 cm thick. The third heaviest snowfall was in December 1933. This time the snow fell 30 cm thick on Mount Montjustic. The most recent data refer to January 2006, February 28, 2005, February 29, 2004, February 18, 2003 and December 14, 2001.

Thunderstorms are common in Barcelona from mid-August to November and can sometimes be quite severe. The most recent strong summer storm was recorded on July 31, 2002, when some observers recorded precipitation levels above 200 m. western and northwestern winds. In addition, eastern storms (sometimes with rain) are the causes of huge waves that can bring destruction to the coastal zone. Sometimes the strength of the east and northeast winds can exceed 100 km/h. During the cold season, Barcelona can be influenced by the north or northwest cold winds typical of the northwest Mediterranean basin.

Even if we consider the city of Barcelona as a sunny city, days when the sky is covered with clouds or fog are not so rare. Sea fogs are common in early spring when the first warm air currents from Africa stir the cold Mediterranean waters. As for cloudiness, it is quite common here from April to October/November. Interestingly, in winter in Barcelona there is more sun than in August, which, however, does not apply to June or July.

Barcelona, Spain