A guide to weather in The Balearics
As a cluster of islands in the Mediterranean Sea, it comes as no surprise that the Balearic Islands enjoy a wonderfully warm climate. They are the picture of perfect conditions – hot, dry summers with little humidity, and mild winters with few showers.
On average, days in the Balearics see temperatures of 23°C in the summer, although this often climbs higher in July and August when the islands see the most sunshine. Luckily, hot spells are countered by cool, sea breezes. In the winter, while temperatures dip down to averages in the teens, the islands are by no means chilly. The waters are just short of swimmable, but the streets are always walkable.
The weather stays mostly consistent across the islands, with slight variations. Menorca sees stronger winds along the coast while Majorca’s mountains are sprinkled with snow in the winter. And Ibiza’s gorgeously warm evenings mean outdoor parties carry on well into the morning. But there’s one thing you can expect across the board – hours and hours of beautiful sunshine.
Menorca
As the northernmost island in the Balearics, and in the direct path of a number of prevailing winds, Menorca has been nicknamed ‘The Windy Island’. This, combined with the island’s supremely warm climate, makes for some seriously excellent water-sporting conditions off the coast.
Menorca shares the same Mediterranean climate as the other Balearic Islands, with dry, hot summers and mild winters. Temperatures reach their peak in July and August, with averages of 25°C, and their lows in January, with averages of 11°C. In the summer, there’s an average of 13 hours of sunshine, with mostly clear skies over the season and a pleasingly low amount of rain.
November is the island’s wettest month and, as Menorca dips into winter, the skies can be quite overcast most days. While the island will inevitably be quieter around this time of year, the water is just cold enough to be uncomfortable for swimming. But the coast begins to heat up in May, and maintains warmer waters until October.
Mallorca
Majorca is the Balearics’ land of four seasons, as it’s speckled with mountains that see snow in the winters, a beautiful coastline that has nothing but sunshine in the summer, plus everything in between. The northwest sections of the island see more rain and cooler temperatures, while the southeast tends to stay warm and dry.
Summers in Majorca have more than 300 days of sunshine, with temperatures averaging at 25°C and sometimes soaring as high as 30°C. Don’t let the high numbers intimidate you though – the island is treated to cool breezes that keep the climate comfortable for outdoor dining and sunbathing.
In autumn, days are still relatively warm, but tend to get chillier in the evenings. Once the winter rolls around, average temperatures drop to a still-mild 14°C in the day and 4°C at night. Majorca’s mountains have even cooler numbers and will commonly see snow and some rain, but not as much as in England.
Ibiza
Following suit with the rest of its Balearic Island counterparts, Ibiza also enjoys hot summers and moderate winters. The sublime summer conditions make for great seasonal partying at top clubs as, in July and August, Ibiza heats up in more ways than one.
Ibiza delights in warm summer nights that make club-hopping and sipping cocktails on waterfront terraces a comfortable activity. Average temperatures in the summer are 25°C, though they’ve been known to reach higher into the thirties, but the climate is kept mild with refreshing evening breezes.
Rainfall climbs in the springtime, but even winters are incredibly tolerable with averages of 10°C. Additionally, Ibiza usually only sees snow once every 10 years so you won’t have to worry about bringing your anorak on this holiday.