Winter Weather in Majorca
 

We want to spend 4 months next Winter in the north east part of Majorca in a rental property, probably Nov16- Feb17 as we are fed up with the Weather in the UK and want to live somewhere warmer and drier for those months. I have seen some posts on here about the weather being 'harsh' in the winter months in Majorca, so just wondered what opinions are of the weather compared to the Uk for those months. Also, do properties usually have some kind of heating and if so what type? We know that the weather is better in Andalucia or Canary Islands however we prefer Majorca and want to be able to take our car.

Re: Winter Weather in Majorca
 

November through the beginning of January hovers in the upper teens and low-mid 20's, generally sunny with spots of rain here and there. Evenings require a cardi. The temps naturally taper downward as you get into January. On new years day it's usually upper teens, 20 if you're lucky, and 10 or 12 at night.

Through January and into February, normally the temps fall even further, particularly night temperatures which can go into single digits in the wee hours. Daytime low-mid teens. Lots of sun usually. Occasional bits of rain.

By February, the mountains usually become snow-capped, and it's possible to get a dusting of snow in the lowlands on one or two evenings in February. But it's all melted away before mid-day. Last year, it happend only once and was barely noticeable. February is in some ways a very nice time of year because its very green and the flowers and almond trees are all in bloom, set against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains.

Some places have heating, others don't. Just make sure you rent a place that does.

Good luck!

Re: Winter Weather in Majorca
 

amideislas mentioned the weather in Majorca and you still get a good amount of sunshine, but you never know these days. Canary Islands are different, but don't be fooled by thinking the weather in Andalucía is better and better is different for all of us. It's always about location and some parts of Andalucía (especially further inland) are a lot wetter, colder etc.

If you want to drive, why are you actually looking at Majorca? Wouldn't it be easier to stay in mainland Spain and try different areas. At least you'd be more flexible when it comes to climate and things to do and see. You can start from the Costa Brava, which is like Majorca when it comes to weather and scenery and then explore areas around Barcelona. If the weather isn't what you expected, you still have the option to drive further South.

Re: Winter Weather in Majorca
 

We Like Majorca because we are into boating and walking and is a great place for both, we will probably bring a small boat with us. We would rather rent a place for the full 4 months rather than moving around. The weather seems quite good, better than I thought, we will be renting close to the coast and not in the mountains. Definitely beats the UK weather by a mile.

Re: Winter Weather in Majorca
 

That's fine and it is a great place, but just saying that you can find all of that in other parts of Spain (especially walking and boating).

Re: Winter Weather in Majorca
 

I see people saying that the weather in Spain is not good in the winter. I've seen the word "harsh" used.

Parts of Norway have harsh weather. Finland has harsh weather. The UK has miserable weather with the occasional harsh thrown in. Spain has mostly mild weather with hardly any harsh.

People who talk about Spain's winters being not what you might expect talk about the torrential storm of 09, etc. Yes, occasionally there's a bit of freak stuff but that's the exception not the rule.

Anyway, I started typing to say, go to wunderground.com and you can compare past weather (by the day) of your chosen spot on Mallorca with your current spot on that cold wet miserable rock called the British Isles.

Re: Winter Weather in Majorca
 

Ok thanks I'll have a look at that. I have been comparing the 5 day BBC forecast for the South Coast of England with Majorca every day and I think the main difference is a lot less rain and more sunshine in Majorca, even when the temperature is not significantly higher, those things make it feel a lot better.

Re: Winter Weather in Majorca
 

Well, once you get acclimated to this climate, 10c can feel pretty chilly. And if it happens to be cloudy, or god forbid, rainy, some might refer to it as "harsh". Everything is relative.

One of the most common misrepresentations is when the sun is out, people will say it's 25c, although in actuality it may be only 18c. The sun is very intense here, and always makes it seem much warmer than it actually is. Then nightfall comes...

Re: Winter Weather in Majorca
 

Does it get windy there in the winter? I know Menorca gets hammered by the Mistral sometimes.

Re: Winter Weather in Majorca
 

Yes, sometimes. It was quite windy for a day a few weeks ago.

Re: Winter Weather in Majorca
 

Agreed. I lived in the UAE for a few years and one January it got as low as 19 degrees and it felt cold! I heard the word "freezing".

It is all relative. In "winter" the shops stocked up with coats, and this is a place where homes have no heating at all. I suppose you could put the oven on, but that's the last resort.

Re: Winter Weather in Majorca
 

That's exactly how I would describe coastal Spain in the winter. Less rain, much more sun.

I've been out tonight. Currently sat on my roof terrace wearing a jumper and jeans watching a bit of iplayer and checking out this site. I can't do this in the UK in July very often.

Re: Winter Weather in Majorca
 

Less rain and more sunshine suits us, even if the temperature isn't as high as other places we could go. looks like we will definitely need a house with some form of heating for the evenings.

Re: Winter Weather in Majorca
 

Agree with all the above.
Yesterday was awesome, we just had a bit of work to do and spent the afternoon sunning ourselves.
Today is shaping up to be very similar.
When I say similar, wall to wall sunshine and an afternoon high of around 20C.
Just nice for January.
If you are into walking and do come out for the winter I would purchase this book.

Re: Winter Weather in Majorca
 

Living in the Valencian area we see the Majorca weather reports and forecasts quite often.
It is surprising how often the weather over there is reported as much worse than here, especially throughout the Wintertime.