ClimavisoMálaga vs Madrid: which has less bad weather?
Averages over the last 7 complete years, from official warnings. Updated 26 October 2026.
The question for anyone thinking of swapping the capital for the coast. On warnings the answer is fairly clear, though Málaga has some small print worth reading.
The verdict
Less bad weather: Málaga
Málaga has 35 warning days a year; Madrid, 65. In other words, Madrid gets a warning on about 31 more days a year. It also has fewer serious warnings: 10 orange or red days a year, against 16. And over the last 7 years, Málaga has had more red days: 15 against 5. Málaga is mostly rain and heat; Madrid, heat and storms.
Head to head
| Málaga | Madrid | |
|---|---|---|
| Warning days a year | 35 | 65 |
| Orange or red days a year | 10 | 16 |
| Red days (last 7 years) | 15 | 5 |
| Heat (days a year) | 13 | 36 |
| Rain (days a year) | 17 | 13 |
| Storms (days a year) | 9.1 | 14 |
| Wind (days a year) | 5.9 | 6.0 |
| Cold and snow (days a year) | 0.0 | 8.1 |
| Fog (days a year) | 0.0 | 1.1 |
| Quietest month | April | February |
| Busiest month | August | July |
| Heat warning starts at | 36 °C | 36 °C |
In bold, the city with fewer warnings in each row. A day with several warning types counts in each.
Month by month
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Málaga | 1.9 | 2.0 | 4.6 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 3.7 |
| Madrid | 7.3 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 2.9 | 8.9 | 16 | 16 | 4.0 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
Warning days in each month, average over the last 7 years.
By season
- Winter: Málaga (7.6 warning days) against Madrid (10).
- Spring: Madrid (5.9 warning days) against Málaga (6.9).
- Summer: Málaga (13 warning days) against Madrid (41).
- Autumn: Málaga (7.4 warning days) against Madrid (8.4).
If you're going to live in one of them
- If you'd rather avoid heat: Málaga is better, with 13 warning days a year against 36 in Madrid.
- If you'd rather avoid rain: Madrid is better, with 13 warning days a year against 17 in Málaga.
- If you'd rather avoid storms: Málaga is better, with 9.1 warning days a year against 14 in Madrid.
- If you'd rather avoid cold and snow: Málaga is better, with 0.0 warning days a year against 8.1 in Madrid.
Warnings are only one part: choosing where to live depends on far more than the weather.
Frequently asked questions
Which has better weather, Málaga or Madrid?
Going by official warnings, Málaga: 35 warning days a year against 65 in Madrid.
Where does it rain more, Málaga or Madrid?
By rain warnings, Málaga: 17 days a year against 13 in Madrid. Warnings only count heavy rain, not every rainy day.
Which is hotter, Málaga or Madrid?
By heat warnings, Madrid: 36 days a year against 13 in Málaga. The yellow heat warning starts at 36 °C in both.
When is the best time to visit Málaga and Madrid?
If you want to dodge warnings, April in Málaga and February in Madrid: their quietest months.
Each zone has its own thresholds: the same heat or rain can trigger a warning in one city and not in the other. A warning is a forecast that the zone's threshold will be crossed, not damage or a measurement. Here we compare how often each city was warned.