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The geographical situation and the relief of the province condition the climatic characteristics, affecting the water resources, the vegetation, and the possible touristic exploitation.

The average annual temperatures in the province of Malaga oscillate between the 12’6 ºC in Alfarnate in the extreme north of the Axarquia region, to the 19ºC in Maro, on the eastern extreme of the same region. Most of the territory is between 16ºC and 18ºC, exceeding this on the coastal stretch between Marbella and the limits of the province with Granada. The colder areas, which don’t exceed an average annual temperature of 16ºC are situated in the inner regions such as Antequera and Ronda, and in the higher areas of the sierras and the southern mountains.

The softer temperatures are basically on the coastal area, and this favours tourism all year round, although this privilege is not solely on the coast, as some valleys with a north-south layout open up to the coast and allow this good climate to penetrate into places which are relatively far from the coast, such as the Genal Valley in the Ronda Highland, and the cornice of the Tejeda and Almijara sierras in the Axarquia region.

There are three distinguishable areas concerning the annual rainfall distribution:

One is humid and receives an average of 800 l/m² precipitation per annum. This area corresponds to most of the Ronda highland and a small section of the Tejeda and Almijara sierras. In the Libar and Montejaque sierras which join the Gaditan Grazalema sierra, there is often over 2.000 l/m² of rainfall per annum.

There is another dry area which receives less than 600 l/m² of annual rainfall, with a minimum of 400 l/m². These values are reached in most of the Antequera region, the Guadalhorce and Velez valleys, the eastern coast, and most of the Malaga mountains.

There is an intermediate situation with the average rainfall of between 600 l/m² and 800 l/m² where there is a series of territories which extend over most of the western coast, the western border of the Guadalhorce valley, the Antequera range, the southern border of the Tejeda and Almijara sierras, the extreme north-east of the province and the higher areas of the Malaga mountains.

The rainfall patterns in the province of Malaga don’t present any important limitations in the development of touristic activities, as the rains tend to be concentrated at precise periods and the skies tend to clear easily. On the other hand, the irregular distribution can be appreciated in the different vegetative landscapes and the available water resources.

The dominant climate in the province of Malaga is the mild and warm Mediterranean, basically characterized by a dry season, summer heat, and generally soft winters. This climate can vary from one area to another, giving way to subtropical Mediterranean climates, with softer sunny winters, and long warm summers, especially characteristic in the eastern coast, and an oceanic Mediterranean climate, with soft and rainy winters, long and not so hot summers, which are characteristic of the more western area of the province such as in Cortes de la Frontera and the Guadiaro valley.

Another climate is the continental Mediterranean, with dry hot summers and colder winters than other parts of the province, which are characteristic of the Antequera depression and most of the Ronda depression.

No doubt the climate has been one of the main factors in the development of tourism in the province of Malaga and especially on the coast, and this has been used as a trade mark for the Costa del Sol. After all, being able to enjoy 300 days a year of sunshine is not bad. The average temperature in the month of January is around 13ºC and some days which go over 18ºC, the Costa del Sol offers excellent conditions for enjoying winter holidays by the sea. During the summer, the temperatures are slightly softer than inland with a medium of 25ºC in the month of August which is rarely exceeded. Two local factors influence these exceptional conditions: the sea which regulates the coastal temperature with its breeze and the coastal mountain range which acts as a barrier against the colder inland winds. These exceptional climatic conditions allow one to get a tan in the winter, or go skiing in the Sierra Nevada in Granada. This is the most southern ski resort in the European continent.