Weather in Malaga during December 2009
A mild month and notable for a remarkably wet Christmas week.
Temperatures
The average maximum temperature during December 2009 in Malaga was 17.7 Celsius (64F), and that was over 1 degree (1.8F) above normal for the time of year. The average minimum temperature was 11.1 Celsius (52F), which was also close to 1 degree above the normal December value.
The highest temperature recorded during the month was 22.8 Celsius (73F) on the 8th, but maxima exceeded 20 Celsius (68F) on a further 8 days, including highs above 21 Celsius (70F) on both the 29th and 30th. On the majority of days (16) maxima were between 16 and 19 Celsius (61-66F), but there were several chilly afternoons around mid month. There were 3 occasions when the temperature failed to reach 14 Celsius (57F). The coolest day was the 16th with a high of just 11.2 Celsius (52F).
The mildest nights mainly occurred during the second half of the month. On 6 occasions the minimum was above 14 Celsius (57F), but the night of the 7th/8th was the only time that one of these higher temperatures occurred during the first 3 weeks. The mildest night was the 23rd/24th with a minimum of 16.2 Celsius (61F), but the night of the 29th/30th was only slightly cooler with a low of 15.9 Celsius (61F). On 12 nights the temperature fell below 10 Celsius (50F) but only 2 nights had lows under 7 Celsius (45F). The night of the 19th/20th was the coldest of the month with 5.3 Celsius (41F), but the 15th/16th was only 0.1 Celsus less cold..
Sea temperatures were 16 Celsius (61F) early in the month, generally falling to 15 Celsius (59F) after mid month.
Rain
The total rainfall during December was 329.6 millimetres (13 ins), and this was a massive 346% of the long-term average. Measurable rain was recorded on 12 days, and that was 5 more than normal. There was no measurable rain during the first 15 days of December but 19.6 millimetres (0.8ins) fell on the 18th and this was followed by an extreme rainfall event commencing on the 21st. There were 6 consecutive very wet days with daily totals of 46, 45.5, 54.1, 33.0, 61.0 and 48.0 millimetres respectively. This amounted to 287.6 millimetres (11.3ins) by the end of the 26th. Although the prolonged nature of the heavy rain was distinctly unusual, neither daily, nor monthly, rainfall records for the area were broken. In December 1978 over 400 millimetres (15.7ins) of rain was measured. After a marked improvement in the weather, a further 16.3 millimetres (0.6ins) fell on the last day of the month.
Across southern Spain, December rainfall was dominated by the wet Christmas week and totals were extremely high nearly everywhere except in the rain shadow to the northeast of the higher mountains. The table below shows the total rainfall for the month, and as a percentage of the long-term average; and also the number of days with rain falling, plus the average.
Thunder
There were numerous reports of thunder in association with the heavier spells of rain after mid month. In west Malaga, thunder was heard early on the afternoon of the 18th with one flash of lightning and a rumble in the late evening. Thunderstorms also occurred in the afternoon and evening of the 23rd, the late morning and late evening of the 25th, and through much of the morning and early afternoon of the 26th.
Wind
Winds were mostly gentle or moderate, predominantly from the northwest, but occasionally from the southeast, mainly in the afternoons. During the very wet spell there were fresh or strong southeasterly winds at times, and on the 21st there was a gust of 34 kn (39 mph). Squally gusts were reported in parts of southern Spain during the thundery weather.
Fog
No fog was observed during the month.
The average maximum temperature during December 2009 in Malaga was 17.7 Celsius (64F), and that was over 1 degree (1.8F) above normal for the time of year. The average minimum temperature was 11.1 Celsius (52F), which was also close to 1 degree above the normal December value.
The highest temperature recorded during the month was 22.8 Celsius (73F) on the 8th, but maxima exceeded 20 Celsius (68F) on a further 8 days, including highs above 21 Celsius (70F) on both the 29th and 30th. On the majority of days (16) maxima were between 16 and 19 Celsius (61-66F), but there were several chilly afternoons around mid month. There were 3 occasions when the temperature failed to reach 14 Celsius (57F). The coolest day was the 16th with a high of just 11.2 Celsius (52F).
The mildest nights mainly occurred during the second half of the month. On 6 occasions the minimum was above 14 Celsius (57F), but the night of the 7th/8th was the only time that one of these higher temperatures occurred during the first 3 weeks. The mildest night was the 23rd/24th with a minimum of 16.2 Celsius (61F), but the night of the 29th/30th was only slightly cooler with a low of 15.9 Celsius (61F). On 12 nights the temperature fell below 10 Celsius (50F) but only 2 nights had lows under 7 Celsius (45F). The night of the 19th/20th was the coldest of the month with 5.3 Celsius (41F), but the 15th/16th was only 0.1 Celsus less cold..
Sea temperatures were 16 Celsius (61F) early in the month, generally falling to 15 Celsius (59F) after mid month.
Rain
The total rainfall during December was 329.6 millimetres (13 ins), and this was a massive 346% of the long-term average. Measurable rain was recorded on 12 days, and that was 5 more than normal. There was no measurable rain during the first 15 days of December but 19.6 millimetres (0.8ins) fell on the 18th and this was followed by an extreme rainfall event commencing on the 21st. There were 6 consecutive very wet days with daily totals of 46, 45.5, 54.1, 33.0, 61.0 and 48.0 millimetres respectively. This amounted to 287.6 millimetres (11.3ins) by the end of the 26th. Although the prolonged nature of the heavy rain was distinctly unusual, neither daily, nor monthly, rainfall records for the area were broken. In December 1978 over 400 millimetres (15.7ins) of rain was measured. After a marked improvement in the weather, a further 16.3 millimetres (0.6ins) fell on the last day of the month.
Across southern Spain, December rainfall was dominated by the wet Christmas week and totals were extremely high nearly everywhere except in the rain shadow to the northeast of the higher mountains. The table below shows the total rainfall for the month, and as a percentage of the long-term average; and also the number of days with rain falling, plus the average.
| Reporting Station | Total in mm. | as a % | Rain Days (Av.) |
| Malaga Airport | 311 | 353 | 12 (6) |
| Granada Airport | 181 | 341 | 14 (7) |
| Almeria | 136 | 591 | 12 (3) |
| Seville | 301 | 317 | 16 (8) |
| Cordoba | 255 | 287 | 14 (8) |
| Jerez de la Frontera | 275 | 252 | 17 (9) |
| Murcia | 107 | 509 | 9 (4) |
Thunder
There were numerous reports of thunder in association with the heavier spells of rain after mid month. In west Malaga, thunder was heard early on the afternoon of the 18th with one flash of lightning and a rumble in the late evening. Thunderstorms also occurred in the afternoon and evening of the 23rd, the late morning and late evening of the 25th, and through much of the morning and early afternoon of the 26th.
Wind
Winds were mostly gentle or moderate, predominantly from the northwest, but occasionally from the southeast, mainly in the afternoons. During the very wet spell there were fresh or strong southeasterly winds at times, and on the 21st there was a gust of 34 kn (39 mph). Squally gusts were reported in parts of southern Spain during the thundery weather.
Fog
No fog was observed during the month.