As far as I am concerned, the climate in this part of the world is as close to perfect as it gets. Here we have very much beautiful sunshine combined with low humidity in the air. The latter is almost more important, because humidity amplifies how temperatures are felt by us. i.e. 0 degrees C in humidity of 80% feels a lot colder than the same temperature in 50%. The same is true for heat. In Düsseldorf, Germany, hot summer days of 30 degrees can be unbearable where as 45 degrees in Spain feels still quite comfortable.

In the middle of summer you can really understand the Spanish siesta. Between the hours of 2 pm. and 5 pm. the streets are empty and nothing seems to be breathing. But in the extreme heat of the day all you can do is stay inside and move as little as possible.

The weather of a standard year in Toledo, Spain looks about like this:

January: The coldest month of the year, normal day temperatures below 10 degrees, frost at night. Usually it snows once or twice. The days may be cold but still sunny, very little rainfall.

February: Day temps around the 10 degree mark, nights still frosty. There can already be temperatures of up to 18 degrees. Generally a bit more rain.

March: The smell of spring is in the air, trees start blossoming. Vegetation is beginning to grow. We are coming into the wet season, sometimes three, four days of solid rainfall. Temps between 5 degrees at night and 20 degrees during the day. We normally don't have a heater going anymore, but the Spanish like their homes toasty, so they still do.

April: Month of lightning storms. Days up to 28 degrees. The grass is growing like crazy.

May: The most beautiful month. Pleasant hot summery days between 20 and 30 degrees, cool and comfortable nights. Hardly any rainfall, which is beginning to show in the flora.

June: We are definitely ready for the swimming pool with hot days up to 35 degrees, but for the Spanish summer hasn't even started yet. the ground is drying out everywhere, so it looks like hay is growing directly out of the ground.

July: The hottest month. It gets up to 50 degrees, the normal temperature is around 45. The nights are still reasonably fresh in this part of Spain. Now the ground looks like a dessert. The only green here are the olive trees and the vines. Often there is not a single drop of rain in this month.

August: Very much the same as July, but with the occasional overcast day.

September: Often there is a day of solid rainfall in the beginning of September to prepare everyone for autumn. But its still very much like summer.

October: Crisp nights, hot days (25-30 degrees). More frequent rain and the first grass blades appear in the ground.

November: Now it really feels like autumn. It rains a lot, and its time to get out the long sleeves for the days as well. We are turning the heater on. Towards the end of the month the leaves of the trees are starting to turn yellow.

December: Cold nights around 5 degrees, pleasant days of 15. December is normally a very dry month.

We can normally swim in the pool comfortably from the middle of April till the first days of October. The summer is very long, spring and autumn only last about a month each. The winter is about three months in total. They say here you change from your winter coat into your bathing costume, because the transitions between summer and winter are quite short.

We live close to what you could call a dessert, so water can be a problem. Rivers and wells often dry out completely in the hight of summer. But it never seems to be so bad that people can't wash their cars or water the streets (yes, they water the streets! Spanish hobbies). I often wonder where the water is still coming from, but as long as it keeps coming, its okay. The only water preservation measure is, that people aren't allowed to fill their pools more than once a year and can't use the tap water to do it.