So what is the temperature at night?

 Yesterday in England the daytime temperature averaged about 18c & last night went down to an average of 5.5c. Cool but not that cold (as we know it can be). And we are in August, it isn't even Autumn never mind Winter yet!

I have been looking at the average coldest temperatures in southern Spain in the Winter & they seem to be about 14c but rarely below 10c. 

But there are many complaints of how cold it is at night in Spain. I understand that the Spanish house insulation is non -existant to retain the heat (or to keep out the heat for that matter) but is that a factor?

So if it is that cold in southern Spain, what is cold? Surely it can never be so cold to have to scrape thick ice off your car windscreen in the morning, to put  antifreeze into the car radiator? & to dread leaving the warm house.

5.5c last night is quite bearable but when it is minus temperatures in England for weeks, even months on end that is pretty unbearable. Is it ever below 0c in Spain?

I know it is a strange question to ask when Spain is burning (so sad that!)but it's just another piece of my jigsaw.

My apartment was built 10 years ago.   It is well insulated and has double glazing as standard.   I heat it with a gas fire (bottled gas)  or use the heat pump on the A/C.    No problems really. 

It is never cold as it is in UK,  no ice, snow, frost, but I live on the coast. Inland it can be cold. The Sierra Nevada ski station is about 80 miles away and of course there it is cold, even in Granada. 

So it depends where you will live and the quality of the building you chose.

Of course when you first come, compared wit UK it wil seem warmer.  When you have lived here for years then the summers don't feel that hot but the winters seem colder. 

Below zero, yes. Not often & only overnight. Scrape ice off windscreen , yes but that also depemds on what time you are up & about.

Gerry.

Gus shows the difference which applies to different areas. 

He appears to live In Lorca, Murcia, which is over 1,000 ft above sea-level and about 20 miles from the coast.

 so wouldn't a layer or two of pullovers do it?

Blimey in the winter over here I am starting to think about purchasing long johns & thermals ......

" Gus shows the difference which applies to different areas. 

He appears to live In Lorca, Murcia, which is over 1,000 ft above sea-level and about 20 miles from the coast. "

 & , historically is also the 2nd hottest place in Spain but even though it will go below zero on occasions the sun comes up & you could sunbathe if you wanted !

 We have lived in Spain in the San Javier area of Murcia for the last nearly 4 and a half years, and the house was built approx 5 years ago, so the house is not too well insulated. The coldest temps are in Jan and Feb, when we have seen snow on the surrounding mountains about twice, but only for a few hours after sunrise. We also have very thin layer of frost on the car screen very occasionally and I mean VERY occasionally. We heat the house with usually one "bar" of our gas heater and find it is sufficient.

Think a lot of the problem is getting used to the 35-40 odd degrees in the summer months and then 10 degrees in the winter feels freezing to us. Mind you, what we would give for that at the moment, the heat sure does get to you.

 Regards, Steve.

We live in a small village located about 35Kms SW of Granada, in a valley set in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas at an altitude of 720 meters (2,360 ft)...

Average summer temps are around 35C daytime and 20C at night. During the winter we get the occasional flurry of snow but generally the snow line starts at about 850 metres 2,800 ft. Temperatures during Jan & Feb generally fall between 5C and and 15C during the day and fall to 0C to -5C during the night. We have had one exceptionally cold night when the temp dropped to -12C.

Thermal undies and a heavyweight insulated jacket are essenial for late night dog walks and the seniors of the house pack each have their own sheepskin lined winter coats.

Our house is very poorly insulated against these extremes, an improvement being something that was supposed to be included in the restoration of the property but which, like many other things, didnt happen after our Brit (!) builder(!) walked off the job when we refused to pay him a further 10% of his original agreed fee and we told him to take a hike.... Given that he had already had 110% of the agreed fee (AND had it seemed failed to pay those contractors who actually did the job. AND was using materials originally destined for another client) I felt we were justified. Some of the outstanding jobs are still outstanding... (Sorry 'bout the thread drift... rant over!)

As for car care... scraping ice of the windscreen is generally unnecessary as we time our winter shopping expeditions so that they are done in the early afternoon. Windscreen cleaner in the wash bottle is essential as the windchill effect freezes the washer jets. Garages and supermarkets carry ready to use windscreen washer liquid which is used neat. Spanish water, especially where we are contains particulates which can also block the jets.

Also don't use windscreen de-icer if you are going to use the car immediately; all that will happen is that the inside of the windscreen will be become fogged up from the condensed breath of the driver and passengers freezing until the car heater kicks in...

Antifreeze is absolutely essential as we may go for up to a week and never use the car;

All year round use of antifreeze is a good thing and recommended by all motor manufacturers... using water alone is not a good idea.. heating up the same water in the cooling system over and over again acidifies the water and this can lead to scale and rust occuring in the system which will ultimately destroy the head gasket, gunge up the water pump, the radiator and block pipes; antifreeze contains additives which prevent this from happening whilst providing protection from freezing and overheating in summer. A 50 / 50 water and antifreeze mix  will generally take care of all temperature extremes.

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 thank you everyone for your advice, most helpful. I have been away for a few days and purposely did not take my laptop or look at my mobile to get myself refreshed and off again.

But their has certainly been some very interesting information, not only for me but anyone else who may wish to know.

In a nutshell the southern coast is best, while the foothills or higher and the further inland get the long johns on!

 Foxbat , your remark about antifreeze is very true, even in the UK people never add antifreeze to the water then wonder why the system fails from corrosion. The antifreeze has corrosion inhibitors which help the cooling and the water circulation, and helps stop accumalation of filth in the water system. the filth produced  usually goes round in suspension when warm, but when it cools it coats the system with sludge, and usually this blocks the radiator, reducing the radiators cooling ability, further reducing the system efficiency. Another thing with water that has turned acidic means when you attempt to start the car the current flowing through the engine , and water, makes the engine similar to a massive battery which produces more scale in the system, and very quickly. Anti freeze stops this.

The moral of this story is, even in Spain use antifreeze!

 Very interesting Robert thank you, I'll remember that.

 Gerrryuk you are welcome, also everyone else, at the end of the day, what price 20 euros (or even pounds?) of antifreeze against a totally damaged engine maybe costing a thousand or more usually scrapping an otherwise fine vehicle?