Just how cold does it really get???
 

People keep saying it gets cold in winter. And the owners of the villa we rented this summer in Competa, told us that they found it too cold to stay in winter so they go back to the UK :eek:

I hate the cold with a passion, so just how bad does it get? Are we talking thermal underwear and furry earmuffs???

Dumb question maybe but it's really bugging me. . .

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

well we nearly had a frost a couple of years ago....:lol::D

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

For a minute you had me worried there! :rofl::rofl:

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

How does this grab you?

http://www.bulldogbytes.net/pics/bliz1.jpg

January 2007 in Huescar, Granada!

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

The coldest it getere in the winter is about 8dg at night, the almond tress are in blosson in January and the "winter"is very pleasent:thumbup:

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

Mid Feb 2006, just nort west of Valencia!
http://www.hubbardspain.netfirms.com/Cap0008_small.jpg
Tim

Hey! Where did my pic go?

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

:blink: now I'm worried!!

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

Its not bad apart from around Granada, after all there are ski resorts there.
After a couple of years you will feel cold at 18 cel. lol

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

Hi Snats, I don't know what sort of property you are looking at, but most of the older stuff out in the campo was never built for living in in the winter. Finding a property with central heating will be rare! We live out in the sticks in a house about twenty years old. We have a log burner and portable gas fires as well as oil filled rads, and yes, often they are all on together! Two duvets isn't unheard of either!
Also had snow last year and severe frosts the previous year which caused major problems for all of the farmers in the area when they lost their orange and olive crops.
Regards
Tim

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

And where were you in January 2005 when it snowed on the beaches on the Granada coast and the temperature was below zero?

OK - that was exceptional but it can get really cold and with a strong wind the wind chill can be well below zero.

8 degrees is a typical winter low temperature but it can be a lot worse on occasions.

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

:eek::eek: You and me both , I don,t do cold :eek:

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

OK guys so it can get cold. I'm going to dig out the old damart catalogue . . . :blink:

But is it a sunny cold? Does it rain much? Do all the yucky flu/cold bugs do the rounds?

I don't think I'd mind if it was a definite change to the summer, but the drab, grey, wet, bland, can't be bothered to be warm - can't be bothered to be cold efforts of the UK are just soooooooo depressing. And my kids have permanent snotty noses. And coughs. And sore throats.

By the way Jandy where are you looking at going?

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

Hi Snats we are hoping to go to Andalucia,we are not sure yet which part,off in a week or so to have a look around :thumbup:

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

Ooooooooh, I'd love to know what you think, we're going to try and go October half term, could you give us a weather update when you go? :thumbsup:

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

As somebody else mentioned - January 2005, snow drifts, frost, we couldn't get out of our village because of the snow and the frost went all the way to North Africa.

On a usual year up here at 1000m above sea level - warm as long as the sun is out but otherwise bl***y freezing. I'd never had an electric blanket till I came here. Our upstairs bedroom is like walking into a freezer. It can be very windy too, around January/February - last year we lost our satellite dish.

Don't forget the Sunshine Coast (Costa del Sol)'s original name is Windy Coast......

On the plus side,for a lot of the time it is sunny.

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

I will be giving all sorts of updates :rofl: we will be based in Torrox but traveling about a lot,there will be loads of pics when we return too most probs posted on my thread " moving to Andalucia " :thumbsup:

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

that's 64.4 degree Fahrenheit by the way everybody.

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

:thumbup:
Hi Snats, I have a home in Competa only returned a day ago from the summer there, where were you staying inCompeta, we may well have been there at the same time! In the winter it can get cold, and it did snow briefly last year but not for long. But the sunshine inbetween makes up for it. But when it is really cold you long for central heatimg, thick carpets and yes ....your damart catalogue, but you know that once the weather warms up then you will get a long hot summer. I remember one feb, sunbathing on terrace, falling asleep as you do, but on waking to find feet where in the shade and had frostbite! and the rest of me was hot, very strange feeling, but true!.
At least you know that you really wouldn't need a wooley bikini or thermal thong!!!
Luv Eve
xx

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

Hi Eve, I really couldn't tell you where we were, somewhere up some track up a mountain and I pooped myself every time we did the drive :lol:

It wasn't walking distance to Competa, which by the way is a beautiful village. I could have spent many a night in the plaza there . . . ho hum. But the roads to some of the homes :ohmy:

(I'll PM you ;))

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

With my european genes I could always hang up my bic for the winter and grow my own womble leggings :thumbsup:

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

As far as I am concerned for the last 3 years I have been freezing, we have central heating but we use so many gas bottles (it works out very expensive) as the house don't keep the heat in, at one point I was wearing 2 sets of thermals, men's as they are thicker, plus a fleece & a blanket wrapped round me.

I really wish we had bought a small property in England & not two here.

Last winter was the coldest in anyone's living memory.

I hope this one isn't

Wendy x

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

[QUOTE=Snats;But is it a sunny cold? Does it rain much? QUOTE]

Last Februrary here inland near Seville, it never stopped raining for the first 3 weeks:eek:

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

I'm quite glad its does get colder, lots of snuggly nights around the woodburning stove, and H.G is like having an electric blanket nest to you he's so hot in bed (sadly, only heatwise :rofl::rofl:)Not really if you read this my little stud bunny!!!:rofl::rofl:

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

Hi Snats,
Certainly have some interesting weather in the winter time around the CDS, like Fred says, in 2005 we had the worst snow for 80 years apparently , many farmers lost their avocado trees and quite a few round my way lost lemon trees as well, the Junta compensated them I believe, it was quite incredible though as all the Almond trees were in blossom at virtually the same time with little or no damage.
For the couple of years or so I was looking where in Andalucia to settle I encountered some pretty severe weather, but I was looking in the mountains, high winds, heavy driving rain, rock and mudslides on the high mountain roads, and freezing my ***** off in remote farmhouse B&Bs...but it was all fantastic and confirmed I wanted to be there, all this weather was tempered by hours of bright warm and hot sunshine, as Eve says lovely and warm in the sun but you get frostbite in the shade, you often speak to people who have been on the beach at Christmas in their swimsuits.

All this experience helped me when building my place, as I love it over there in the wintertime, I have installed central heating and a woodburner.
I found the grey days do not last for weeks on end like over here, there are very few days when you don't get a peek of the sun, or at least a very bright day... I like it all, although never been over in high season(july /August) so you can tell me what that's like, I'm not far from Competa, there seems to be a few people on the forum from that area..BB

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

Hi snats :)

Here in Extremadura it hasn't seemed to be too cold in either of the two winters we've experienced so far.
However, that's the outdoor temperature I'm referring to!!
It can be flipping freezing indoors :eek:

Last winter when we arrived, we had two duvets on the bed that amounted to about a 25 tog.................and we were still cold!!!
Of course, it doesn't help that all the floors are tiled - and in our particular rented house, there's no insulation, no central heating, the windows don't fit properly and there's not enough potencia to run a halogen heater, an oil filled radiator and the kettle all at once!!
Not much fun first thing in the morning, when neither of us wants to get out of bed to make the tea :p

This winter was a lot milder in general, although we did have a smattering of snow.
Generally, the winter here is fairly sunny and cheerful - although the dark mornings don't encourage early rising ;)

We find we get most of our rain in the autumn.
We did have one 3 week period when it just rained every day, but it still wasn't cold.

Like everyone else has said, you'll adjust to the varying temperatures whatever the time of year.
Still, it's a good idea to bring your hot water bottle ;)

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

We thought the apartment we rented in Feb was bloody freezing!! Think it came as a surprise to the owners when we told them. It it not worth insulating a couple of rooms in the house at least, and getting some rugs down so you can be comfortable? Or is the cost prohibitive?

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

Are you asking me leighbloke??

We have got a couple of small rugs dotted around the place, and we've put draught excluder tape around the windows.

It looks like we might have to move out of this house before the year is out anyway, because it's in the process of being sold.
It's got its pros and cons...........................but the bottom line is, we just can't wait to start on our house build!

Then we'll have double glazing, air conditioning for heat and cold and a log burner - positively toasty :D

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

You old fashioned git, F went out with the Beatles, lol

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

:blink:

Jandy, I think we'll need to put central heating top of our list wherever we end up! :eek:

And add 'water bottle (lots)' to the list of items to bring from UK. . .

Thanks for the pics XTreme and brisca, & info everyone, it's certainly an eye opener. By the way BB, Competa in the height of summer? 30+ degree sunshine cloudless heaven!

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

One thing I will mention, and I'm sure some of the others can relate to this.
Even though the Winters are nowhere near as cold and as wet as the UK, it'll feel ten times worse than it ever did back there.......because your body acclimatises to Spanish temperatures.

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

:eek: Snats I think your right,OMG Sam the pics are lovely,but I was shocked to see the guys in them thick winter coats,Ahhhhhhhh the little lad with his snowman looks smashing.
I was shocked to hear you have two duvets on the bed Sam,I don,t have one here in the winter ,just a sheet and a thick throw ( mind you I have the heating on) I,m not going to have that anymore by the sounds of it.:eek:
Wendy I would never of believed in a million years one would need thermals,OMG I was about to throw my winter coats and body warmers in the bag for charity ,better revise the shopping list ,extra duvets ,rugs and water bottles,and I want to live in the mountains :eek: better get myself knitting I think,whats Africa like in the winter anyone know :rofl:

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

No it was a general comment, the Appt we were in had maybe 50% of the walls as true external walls, and there was an appt above, the windows were double glazed and it had the PVC roller shutters on all the windows also. Heating was via 2 heating A/C units, which we left on full pretty much 24/7. And still we were uncomfortable with the cold.

I can only imagine that the U value of the external walls is "zero" and that the tiled floor acts an an heat sink - If the main living areas were carpeted and the walls lined in 30mm of HD foam and 12mm plasterboard, the cost could be recouped in a few years on energy savings - it would likely be cooler in the summer also. But most importantly it would be comfortable in the chilly winter months.

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

Yes but it isn't relly that cold, just that we get used to the warmer temps. We go round in winter in warm clothes and perhaps a fleece, but see the tourists just out from the UK in shorts and t shirt, it's what you get used to, as I said originally in Wnter 2005-2006 we nearly had a frost one night, no frosts last winter at all, but yes you do put heaters on in winter, because you get used to the heat of summer.

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

I am a cold mortal anyway mikelincs, I was born in the desert.

I know what you mean about the tourists, you can spot them a mile away. We are all in coats & they are in shorts, T shirts & sandals

Wendy x

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

In Madrid I have experienced summer highs of 44 degrees C and winter lows of minus 8 degrees C.

In the inland mountains of Andalucia - summer highs of 46 degrees C and winter lows of minus 17 degrees C.

In the city of Granada - summer highs of 44 degrees C and winter lows just about freezing.

Winters do happen in Spain. However, even in the mountains in January you can find yourself wearing a T-shirt on sunny days and burying your head into the duvet by night.

Generally, on the high plains the frost is very hard. Someone once said 'Three months of winter followed by Six months of hell'.

The South coast benefits from very mild winters. The snow of a couple of years ago was a rare event.

Then there are valleys a short drive from the coast that have there own unique micro-climates. The only subtropical valley in Europe is near Almunecar for example.

Spain's a very big country with very diverse geography and geology. The farther inland and the higher you go the colder the winters. The North is affected more by the Atlantic and has winters that are very similar to UK winters - wet and cold.

Anyone looking at property in Spain during summer would be well advised to keep an eye on their height above sea level. It can be very deceptive - huge mountains towering above you whilst you're already over 1000 meters above sea level. Personally I wouldn't buy a property in Spain unless I had viewed during January and February. Not unusual for some villages to get snowed in for days or, even weeks!

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

just being a pedant here, but there are a few.

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

Really? Where? I was told it was the only true subtropical valley in Europe. I'll believe anything me.

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

for starters the Po valley in Italy, and much of the Toulouse region in France.

There are also scattered areas in The Balkans along the coast line that have similar weather patterns.

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

Not that its important as it wasn't the point you were trying to make, just thought I would make a comment that's all.

Re: Just how cold does it really get???
 

I live there and it's no more subtropical than the rest of the south coast.

The Costa Granada was renamed The Costa Tropical to differentiate it from the Malaga coast normally referred to as the Costa del Sol.

The only thing Tropical about it is the fact that it has a higher abundance of "tropical" fruit growing in the area.

Torrox Costa just west of Nerja has a huge sign on the boundry proudly proclaiming that Torrox has "The best climate in Europe". That's probably just the opinion of the local tourist office!