One of my favorite writers in Spain, Sue Eatock who lives in Grazalema – Andalucía, has been studying the wildlife in her area for more than 10 years now. In one of her latest articles she explains why Grazalema gets the highest rainfall in Spain.
“Grazalema has the highest rainfall records in Spain’. This is a phrase that is commonly found on the internet, but without further explanation could be very off putting to the holiday maker! Mountains will always alter their local climate where-ever they are in the world, and this is no exception. Note that only a few hours drive away at the eastern end of Andalucia is Europe’s only desert!
The most green and humid areas of the Spanish Peninsular are the northern coastal zones which face the Atlantic ocean and from the Pyrenees mountain chain to the Catalan coast of the Mediterranean. These areas have rainy weather with a precipitation average of over 800 mm per annum and yet statistically the village of Grazalema in Andalusia is famous because of the fact that it receives the most rainfall in the iberian Peninsular. Some years recording more than 2000mm. (more…)