It seldoms rains in July across southeast Spain, just the odd thundery shower, or perhaps a burst of a rain from a rapidly weakening front.
Otherwise sunshine is on the menu as much as gazpacho and sardines grilled in old rowing boats.
The gently undulating sea at sunrise when viewed from a deserted Costa del Sol beach is a sight worth seeing during July.
The land breeze overnight is usually fairly weak during the month, and with dawn temperatures generally in the mid to high teens Celsius (59-66F) it is a pleasant time of day for a stroll. Unfortunately , the mosquitoes share your enthusiasm for this early hour, and this factor may have to be considered.
By 10 in the morning, the sun beats down relentlessly from a hazy sky tinged with brown as the air becomes more stagnant.
The pollution on the coast, especially around Malaga, is often a problem during July as traffic fumes, combined with smoke from inland fires, gently drift out to sea during the night, then remain trapped under the sharp inversion before meandering just as gently inland on the sea breeze which usually develops between 11 and 12 o’ clock.
Occasionally, but very occasionally, the sea breeze fails to develop, so instead of the temperature levelling off around 26 or 27 Celsius (79-81F), it continues to rise. There are rare instances of 40 Celsius (104F), or more, being recorded, but the humidity is usually low and the feel of the day is not too unpleasant.
Towards the end of the month, as the sea continues to slowly warm, the temperatures associated with sea breezes slowly rise, but more obviously the humidity gradually rises. In the more rural parts of Malaga and the countryside beyond, night-time temperatures usually fall to comfortablre values but in the centre of Malaga, as well as in some of the larger resorts along the Costa del Sol, the nights may stay oppressively warm and air conditioning may become neccessary for a comfortable night’s sleep.
Day to day differences in the weather during July are usually small and for the meteorologist the interest is minimal. However, millions of tourists have arrived uncooked at Malaga airport one Saturday, and have left for their northern homes well cooked, but content, a week later.