The weather in Menorca

Menorca enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate with long hot summers and short mild winters. The climate can be classified as 'soft', which can be noted for its mild temperatures with annual averagebetween 16 and 17 degrees. Being the most northern of the Balearics, Menorca is slightly cooler and more humid than the others. For those who have only stayed in Menorca during summer, it's difficult to imagine the explosion of greens throughout the rest of the year. With the exception of drought years, the regular rainfall and abundance of winter dew compensates for the lack of rainfall in August. Furthermore, the island has a very particular relationship with the wind: the absence of natural obstacles exposes it to all it’s battering. The fresh wind of the north, called Tramontana, characterizes the Menorcan landscape, leading to its nickname 'the windy island'. It has a stunning effect on the environment with trees and shrubs taking on strange leaning formations. On the other hand, this also guarantees a surplus of clear skies, a clean atmosphere and radiant sunshine.

Summer is the best time to visit the island. Keeping in mind that everybody thinks the same, it's advisable to book ahead if you are planning to visit during summer. Late spring and early autumn also experience fantastic weather. During this time, the island is much less crowded.

Summer provides Menorca's best weather, with average highs of 21ºC in late May, 25ºC in June and peaking at 28ºC in August. The island is exceptionally windy, providing perfect water sport conditions and relief from the heat. The peak summer months see rainfall at an absolute minimum. However, at the beginning and end of the season there are often heavy showers.

Autumn is humid and mild. It is the rainiest time of the year with heavy showers. October is the wettest month with November following closely. The highest average temperature drops to 21ºC in October, which is still pleasant. In November, however, it is quite mild at an average high of 17ºC. At this time, the sea is still just warm enough for swimming.

Winter sees a big temperatures drop. The average minimum temperature in December, January and February is around 7ºC while the average maximum sits at around 13ºC. The Tramontana wind that sweeps across the island from the north is prominent during winter. This brings unpredictable, changeable weather, so that a rainy day could very well be followed by a day of uninterrupted sun. This is the rainy season and while rainfall levels have dropped from autumn, it still rains regularly while the high winds whip up big storms.

During spring, temperatures lie between 14ºC and 18ºC. This time is considerably sunnier and drier than the autumn months. Showers are not infrequent but the sun usually comes out between them. The sea doesn't usually heat up enough for comfortable swimming until the end of May.