Costa Dorada Weather: Month by Month Guide for UK Travellers

The climate station for this coast is Salou, and its numbers describe a long warm season with a sharp autumn wobble. The best months run from April to August. Highs climb from 21°C in April to 23°C in May, 27°C in June, 30°C in July and 31°C in August, while nights rise from 12°C to 23°C over the same stretch. Rain in these months stays between 29mm and 41mm, spread over four to seven days.

The coolest month is January, with highs of 15°C and lows of 6°C, though it is also one of the driest, with just 18mm of rain. December is drier still at 15mm. The real rain arrives between September and November: 87mm in September, 145mm across 12 days in October and 80mm in November. Those totals fall on relatively few days, so when it rains, it tends to rain properly.

The figures here do not include sea temperatures, so it is worth checking the live forecast above before planning beach days at the edges of the season.

January and February are quiet and mild, with highs of 15°C and 16°C, four rainy days each and cool nights of 6°C to 7°C. March warms to 19°C. These shoulder months suit sightseeing more than sunbathing: Tarragona's Roman amphitheatre, the Roman theatre of Tarraco and the cathedral of St. Tecla are all far more comfortable to explore before the heat arrives.

Spring is when the beach season starts. April reaches 21°C, and Costa Dorada weather in May is a gentle 23°C by day and 14°C at night, with 37mm of rain over six days. June jumps to 27°C, and July and August sit at 30°C and 31°C, the hottest spell of the year and the busiest for families heading to PortAventura Caribe Aquatic Park near Salou. August is also one of the driest months, with just four wet days.

Costa Dorada weather in September is still warm at 27°C, but rainfall more than doubles to 87mm across nine days. October holds a pleasant 24°C high, yet it is the wettest month by far, with 145mm and 12 rainy days, so pack for showers if you are travelling then. November cools to 20°C with 80mm of rain, and December settles back to 17°C and the driest month on record here.

From June to August, pack for real heat: light cotton clothes, a wide-brimmed hat, high-factor sun cream and something to cover your shoulders when you visit Tarragona's cathedral. Nights stay at 19°C to 23°C, so evening layers are rarely needed. In April and May, add a light jumper for evenings around 12°C to 14°C.

For September to November, bring a waterproof jacket and shoes that cope with a downpour, since this is when most of the year's rain falls. Days are still warm enough for T-shirts. Between December and March, think of a mild British spring: a warm jacket for nights of 6°C to 10°C, comfortable walking shoes for the Roman sites, and sunglasses for bright, dry days.

Whichever month you choose, you can compare package holidays, hotel prices, car hire and tours on this page, with direct flights into Reus and Barcelona from the UK.