April in Northern Spain, too cold, rainy??
 

Planning to go to Spain for two weeks beginning of April. Beginning in Barcelona, then driving to Costa Vasca, Bilbao, and Costa Verde ending in Madrid for return flight. Would like to spend a few days in the mountains that the Tour to France went thru this year. We have been previously to Southern Spain.
Will it be too cold to enjoy out time there?? Of course we do not expect swimming weather , but will we need winter coat? Please tell about your experiences.

The weather in the Pyrenees will be unpredictable, something like traveling through the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest (a point of reference if you are from the States or Canada), but in general you should find the weather to be quite pleasent.

The Costa Vasca, the Basque Coast, is usually very mild, even during the winter months, with a few exceptions, as is the rest of Green Spain. There may be a little rain during the spring, but nothing unusual, that's why it's called 'Green Spain'.

Thanks for the reply. I need reassurance before I buy my flights.

Robert2533 writes: "... in general you should find the weather to be quite pleasent. " I agree!

I went one April (several years ago); flew into Bilbao on Lufthansa from Frankfurt, and toured West from there. Most of my time was in Santander / Sardinero, but I spent a couple of nights in Potes (Liebana) at Hostal Picos de Europa. The Guardia (Montañesa) had just completed annual race / rescue competitions.

I also wanted to be at Santo Toribio Monastery when they celebrate that Saint's Day (16 April); but that year it fell during Holy Week, so there was nothing.

don't bet on anything other than rain

"don't bet on anything other than rain"

I don't know. We just spent three weeks in Galicia, October-November, with hardly a drop of rain on most days. It did rain while in Camariñas, a downpour actually, but it was only one of five or so days of rain over three weeks. It’s not much different than being in the the Seattle-Vancouber, BC area at the same time of the year.

We've been to Asturias, Cantabria and the País Vasco several times in the early Spring and have hundreds of photos showing beautiful blue skies, some days there were clouds and on others a little rain. But of course the weather has changed over the last dozen years or so, becoming warmer and drier, and even hot during the summer.

April and May are normally the months with the most rainy days in the area from Barcelona to Bilbao. In the average year, most days in those months do have rain in Bilbao. Less so in Barcelona. Some years there will be less rain, some years there will be more. That's what averages are all about.

So a particular individual's experience in one random year or another is meaningless. Most likely you will experience some rainy days in Bilbao in April. But in some years you might not get any rain on the particular days you are there. In other years it will rain every day you are there.

I think we will reschedule for May. For sure it will be warmer. But April is better for my "yearly schedule". It is a problem.

Living in Galicia (and have done for quite a number of years) I know that you can guarantee the weather will be variable so just bring something in case you feel it is chilly or you are getting wet.
Do not come to Northern Spain and expect to get the very high temps that Andalusia is know for in the summer.

if rescheduling is a problem and uncertain weather is a consideration why not go elsewhere in spain - the further sojuth the better the weather.

as a straight answer, no, it won´t be cold. And yes, it may rain, it´s our usual weather over here. It´s also true that rainy days are scarcer than ever these days...