Hi everybody, I want to visit Madrid the last 2 weeks of August. I've never been there in August so I'd like to know if this time of the year is really too hot to stand and maybe it's more healthy to go some other places in Spain :-) Thanx.

I was there in late September last year and it was borderline too hot. The main reason I wouldn't go in August is because half the city is on vacation and everything is closed.

Thank you Mongo for your reply. I love Madrid very much and in France we had last year a terrible heat so if I survived that, I hope i'll be able to do it again, Madrid surely deserves it ! ! :-) As for the empty streets and closed stores, it's the same in big cities in France :-( so I am used to that. i hope I'll find someting to eat and drink, and especially icecream !!! Thanks again.

I think it's fun to be in Madrid no matter what time of the year, but I guess that's up to you. It is incredibly hot. I remember being in Toledo at the end of July and it was 112 degrees F.

I think if you can manage to stay inside for most of the afternoon you will be ok. I tried to spend long hours in museums or shopping somewhere during the day. Or, just take a siesta.

Along similar lines, I'm wondering if Seville and Granada will be excessively warm in late September. I could head north of Madrid to Segovia and Salamanca instead, though I'm not sure they will vary much....

Thanks

April,ive been there at that time and its HOT!

As long as your well prepared for the heat,youll be fine.
Hope this helps
Spike

Seville can be hot (not extremely) in late September. Granada will probably be warm. Segovia and Salamanca are much colder than Seville, but in late September the weather should still be fine. In Spain, a hundred of miles can be a big difference weather-wise.

Anyway, there are hundreds of Websites where you can find average temperatures and decide by yourself. The perception of what's hot/cold varies very much from individuals. I feel good at 85º-90ºF, but probably a Brit would feel like being in hell just beside me. A nice Website of those is Weather Online

Thank you all for your warnings and advice, I hope I won't melt. I've also checked on different weather websites (US, french, spanish), and there is such a mess... they all give such incredible informations. On the OFFICIAL french and spanish weather website (both !), they say MAXIMUM RECORD in August in Madrid was 104 °F !!! No way !

[originally posted by april29 on 06-14-2004 10:17 AM]

Thank you all for your warnings and advice, I hope I won't melt. I've also checked on different weather websites (US, french, spanish), and there is such a mess... they all give such incredible informations. On the OFFICIAL french and spanish weather website (both !), they say MAXIMUM RECORD ever in August in Madrid was 104 °F !!! No way !

104ºF sounds a little low to me. I would have guessed more like 110ºF to be the record high.

Saludos, MadridMan

Maybe they meant 204 °F !! :-) Thanks, MM. It seems everybody is so nice on your board, always ready to help others. You seem to have a good "team". Best Saludos !

Very well-put, april29. We do have a VERY helpful and nice "team" and THEY deserve the praise.

Stay cool in August! Saludos, MadridMan

Regarding the maximum temperatures, you have to remember that these are air temperatures, in the shade, away from any source of reflected or radiant heat (stone walls, the ground etc). They are always considerably lower than the "temperatures" you'll actually experience on the street, which include the direct heat of the sun (obviously!) as well as heat radiated by heated-up stone, tarmac etc. These "real" temperatures vary a lot from place to place.

Hi and Thanks El Boqueron for the accuracy of your answer, I can imagine that but I think when we speak about an all-time maximum record temperature, we shoudn't refer to the temperature under a big, overstuffed tree in Retiro park, rigth close to the water, the feet in... well, maybe not Puerta del Sol neither, but still... they mean record, so they should speak record... Well, that's only my opinion. Anyway, the case doesn't seem as dramatic as I suspected... Hopefully... In France 15000 persons died of heat last summer, and they said what was the real temperature, in the city. I don't remember what it was, but it was spooky anyway... Sahara wasn't jealous at all on Paris... Thanks again.

I disagree. We are not talking about Guinness Records here, we are talking about scientific records taken by accurate measurement devices that tell us the real and only temperature: that is 104, MM, believe it or not.
There are mathematic equations that can tell you the added effect of other meteorologic phenomenons like the wind chill or the air moisture.

Other temperatures: the temperature under the sun ,inside a car or inside the metro, don't count. The only temperature that is scientifically valid is the air temperature, and the best place to feel that real temperature is...
YES, under the shade of a tree.
Anything else is subjective, of the kind of "wow! this is the hottest place I have ever been in!"
My subjective impression is that the hottest city in the world is New York City. And the REAL temperature was in fact 106, higher than Madrid's highest EVER.
When I returned home I felt fresh and cool... and I was in Madrid, in August. It was at nice 90s.

Hi Deibid, I think I was misunderstood or I rather didn’t express my idea right. I perfectly see your point and I’m not contesting it. I’m not saying that temperature measurements should be done under "wow! this is the hottest place I have ever been in!" standards… I only meant that it would be good to know ALSO what we face really, on our daily lives, as subjective as they are, yes on the street under the sun, in cars and metro, why not? It’s just to have an idea about this TOO. 104° F is the same in NYC, Madrid, Paris or Rome under a tree in a park by the lake, but if you just cross the street, the sun will strike you "subjectively" or not much harder in Rome than in Paris. Why not knowing the “under trees” temperatures and ALSO “under sun” temperatures? Again, it’s just a question of “it would be good to know”. So my opinion is that even when we say “record”, a maximum, all-time one, we should ALSO mean real life. Especially when 15000 persons died as it happened last summer in Fr. They were in the city, not in parks where the "objective", official temperature measured was far from being considered as dangerous as it finally became in the city. And those poor people had no idea about what was happening. We all were shocked.

WACHT OUT!!!!
Madrid is empty in August but for the 13 and 14 when I expect the Virgen de la Paloma to take place. Virgen de la Paloma is a fantastic street party. It is the official party of Madrid. The epicentre is in Almendro st. We are talking about thousands of people, music and drink everywhere, great atmosphere etc. If you are 18-40 and are looking for some good adventure you cannot miss La Virgen de la Paloma!!

Andres

Hi Andres and many thanks! The La Virgen de la Paloma sounds really great but I'll not be there at that time, only after ! Maybe next time. This event is always in August ? Are there some other events for Christmas? By the way, your site is very interesting and I think the price is very good. Isn't it a little short 2 and a half hours ? :-) And I think I'll love an empty Madrid, it will be all mine !!

"This event is always in August ?"

Yes by the middle of August and for the last one hundred years. Nevertheless the party starts on the 5th but the big big thing takes place on 13 and 14th.

Andres

How did a simple question about the weather become a hugh issue of meteorlogic relativity? Oh yeah, the question was posed to a Spaniard!

After a 100F does it really matter? You guys think Madrid is hot in the summer? Try visiting Palm Springs, Phoenix or Las Vegas during August and September where the temperatures hover at 120F!

(Translation to English below is by MadridMan )

Hello. Another alternative in August is to go to Cantabria. There, you're near the beach as well as the mountains and it's cooler than in Madrid.
--
Hola otra alternativa es ir en Agosto a Cantabria. Tienes cerca la playa y la montaña y aunque haga calor no es ni comparado al de Madrid.

I was thinking about Cantabria too. Also Asturias. You must be right. If the heat becomes unstandable in Madrid, I'll run away to Santander. Muchas gracias for advice!

The forecast I have seen for Madrid tomorrow (6/27) calls for 102F!

Yes Mongo, and it got there too! Same for today and this week with highs around 40C!

I live in Cincinnati Ohio.

Those temps sounds crazy to me.