“Little bitty stingin’ rain… and big ol’ fat rain. Rain that flew in sideways. And sometimes rain even seemed to come straight up from underneath. Shoot, it even rained at night.” – Forrest Gump
“Every kind of rain there is”
Any Bilbaino will tell you that this famous passage from Forrest Gump could easily apply to Bilbao, or the entire Basque Country for that matter.
How often does it rain in Bilbao?
Although most of the yearly rainfall hits the city between November and April, the chances of rain during your visit are high. So, be prepared. Umbrellas, raincoats and appropriate footwear are a must.
To put it into perspective, Bilbao’s average yearly rainfall is around 1200mm over 128 days, compared to Manchester, UK which gets about 870mm over 152 days. Basically, more rain in fewer days.
The major difference is that when it’s not pouring down, the weather here tends to be sunny and warm, even during winter. We can also thank the rain for the wonderfully green mountains which surround Bilbao.
In fact, wet weather is such a cornerstone of Basque life and culture that they have specific words to describe different kinds of rain. The most famous being:
Sirimri – Very typical in the winter months, this is the most common type of rain. It’s a soft sort of drizzle. It might not seem too bad when you first step outside, but you’ll soon realise it attacks from all angles and leaves you soaked.
Does it rain a lot in the summer?
Although the number of rainy days decreases significantly from May to September, Bilbao’s vicinity to the Bay of Biscay and the nearby mountains makes it susceptible to thunderstorms in the summer. They can be sudden and spectacular.
LOCAL TIP – Keep checking the forecasts on your favourite weather app and pay attention to what locals are doing.
If it’s a sunny morning but you see lots people with an umbrella under arm, it’s probably going to rain at some point.
Bilbainos will tell you to “dress like an onion”, prepare for the worst and be ready to take layers off.