Climate and temperatures in Menorca

Minorca´s climate is typically Mediterranean, with warm average temperatures and seasonal rains, the summer period being both hot and dry. The average annual temperature is between 16ºC and 18ºC, with a maximum summer average of 29-31ºC and a minimum average winter night-time temperature of 5-9ºC, although temperatures of over 35ºC and below -2ºC are recorded almost every year, and temperatures occasionally reach 41ºC in summer and fall to -6ºC in winter.

The island´s rainfall is characterised by its irregularity, varying radically from one year to the next, even reaching the point where there are drought conditions. Most of the rain that falls is concentrated within a few days of precipitation, with some very heavy rains in autumn and lighter rains over the rest of the year. The annual rain standard in Minorca is 650mm, varying on the year and the area.

Minorca´s physical geography is shaped by the Mediterranean sea, which is deep, calm and relatively warm, with surface temperatures that reach 26ºC in August and stay above 14ºC in winter. The Balearics Islands is the only place in the world where the temperature at the sea bed never drops below 13ºC. The sea regulates the island´s climate and means that seasonal temperature variations aren´t as marked as they are on continental land masses at the same latitude. Travelling between 300 and 400km to the north or south, we find the European mainland, which cools dramatically in winter, and the warm Sahara Desert respectively, a fact which influences the unique features of Minorca´s climate.

The main climatic feature of Minorca is the north wind; known as Tramuntana, a harsh dry wind which can start blowing at any time of the year, although it is during the winter when the gusts can reach 130 kilometres an hour. However, the Tramuntana never blows with the same force. On the contrary, in summer it becomes a breeze highly appreciated by Minorca inhabitants as it cools the summer temperatures, reduces the humidity, which can reach a monthly standard of 79%, and gives way to days of clear atmosphere.