Malaga Weather Blog

The Sunny Coast

How different this December is developing compared with December 2010. Last year, much of northern Europe was snowbound and although Malaga was much warmer of course, it was, nevertheless, a fairly unpleasant month. Over 317mm (12.5 ins) of rain fell in December, the equivalent of 6 months worth of rain for London!. When the weather pattern in northern latitudes is reversed or blocked it usually brings bad weather to this area. For example, a cold easterly airstream in Britain and the Low Countries usually means that low pressure is centred over France or the Mediterranean. At best it may produce a cold, strong northwesterly wind, but with sunshine in Malaga, At worst it produces moist southwesterly winds and copious amounts of rain. This December has produced an unsettled westerly airstream across northern Europe  and  that really is good news for the Costa del Sol. High pressure prevails over Iberia with many days of sunshine and only the occasional weak weather front to spoil the blue skies. Unfortunately, at the end of this week there is a hint of a blocked situation over northwest Europe with high pressure developing over, or near to the British Isles. Not only does it often lead to a deterioration in the wreather here. it may also  mean the frustration of fogbound airports for those southbound visitors.