Alicante Climate and Relief: Annual Averages & Geological Formations
Alicante Climate
The average temperature in the city is 17.8 ºC, one of the highest in the peninsula, with hot summers averaging 25.5 ºC in August, and mild winters averaging 11.5 ºC in January. The average rainfall is only 336 liters per square meter, one of the lowest in Spain, with most rain falling in September and October. This is typical of the Mediterranean climate that Alicante is known for.
Annual Averages
The following table shows the annual climate averages for Alicante:
| YEAR | T | TM | Tm | PP | V | RA | SN | FG | TS | GR | TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 18.3 | 23.5 | 12.7 | 239.03 | 11.2 | 78 | 0 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | 17.7 | 23.0 | 12.7 | 292.10 | 11.7 | 74 | 0 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 18.9 | 24.0 | 14.0 | 156.20 | 11.2 | 44 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 1995 | 19.1 | 24.1 | 14.1 | 126.00 | 11.7 | 55 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | 18.3 | 23.0 | 13.6 | 310.38 | 11.5 | 73 | 0 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 1 |
| 1997 | 18.5 | 23.5 | 13.8 | 308.11 | 11.4 | 71 | 0 | 14 | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 1998 | 18.3 | 23.4 | 13.4 | 157.00 | 11.4 | 39 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 18.2 | 23.4 | 13.3 | 207.00 | 11.5 | 51 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | 18.2 | 23.1 | 13.4 | – | 10.9 | 59 | 0 | 15 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 18.7 | 23.5 | 14.0 | 425.46 | 11.7 | 70 | 0 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | – | – | – | – | – | 74 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 18.7 | 23.6 | 13.6 | 213.35 | 11.3 | 70 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| 2004 | 18.1 | 22.9 | 13.0 | 245.59 | 11.3 | 69 | 1 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2006 | 18.5 | 23.2 | 13.3 | 208.77 | 11.1 | 79 | 0 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | 18.0 | 22.7 | 12.7 | 355.32 | 11.4 | 92 | 0 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 17.9 | 22.6 | 12.4 | 193.02 | 11.1 | 90 | 0 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | 18.4 | 23.1 | 12.6 | 311.11 | 10.6 | 95 | 0 | 23 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Interpretation of Table Data
- T: Average temperature (°C)
- TM: Annual mean maximum temperature (°C)
- Tm: Annual mean minimum temperature (°C)
- PP: Total annual precipitation (mm)
- V: Annual average wind speed (km/h)
- RA: Total days with rain
- SN: Total days with snow
- TS: Total days with thunderstorms
- FG: Total foggy days
- TN: Total days with tornado or funnel cloud
- GR: Total days with hail
Alicante Relief
The relief of the province of Alicante is closely related to geological events of the last million years, particularly since the Late Miocene. Alicante is part of the Betic orogenic alpine region, a result of the collision between the African and Eurasian plates. This convergence has caused compressive stress in the NW-SE direction.
This collision has folded and fractured sedimentary rocks, forming the current landscape. The Betic Cordillera is divided into External and Internal Zones, both distorted by folds and faults. In the External Zones, Mesozoic-Tertiary rocks are detached from a Paleozoic basement, with movement facilitated by Triassic evaporites and clays, resulting in anticlines, synclines, and thrusting.
A unique feature is the extrusion of Triassic ductile materials (salts and clays) forming diapirs, often coinciding with depressed areas like the Altea diapir or Vinalopó corridor. Normal fault activity in the External Zones has also created stepped relief.
The Internal Zones experience the most deformation, with active faults that may not reach the surface, instead causing folds in Miocene to Quaternary rocks. This activity suggests a future reversal of the province’s relief.