T‑Shirt or Sweater? This Is How Mallorca's Weather Will Be at Christmas and New Year's Eve

T‑Shirt or Sweater? This Is How Mallorca's Weather Will Be at Christmas and New Year's Eve

Bring a light jacket, but the beach walks are not canceled

If you're wondering whether to pack a summer shirt or a thick sweater for the holidays, you can breathe a little easier. At the autumn press conference in Palma, the regional office of the national weather agency Aemet projected a rather mild Christmas season for the island. The models point to daytime values of roughly 8 to 17 degrees. That means: often pleasant during the day, rather chilly in the evening – so dress in layers.

"There may be rain on individual days," the meteorologist María José Guerrero noted pragmatically. Translated into everyday terms: don't forget an umbrella, but no one needs to buy new winter boots. For the rest of the winter Aemet indicates a tendency toward temperatures above the long‑term average and a precipitation balance that will likely remain within the normal range overall. In short: no continuous rain, no lasting cold.

The review of the autumn explains why it sounds this way. Mallorca showed extremely varied weather this year. In September, local values above 30 degrees were recorded, and many nights remained tropically warm. Particularly striking: stations in Portopí near Palma registered significantly more tropical nights than usual – up to 29 in the statistics. On the other hand there were isolated cold spells: on November 22 the Can Sion station near Campos reported a low of −1.9 °C, a record for that series since 1990. The number of frost days has also risen in some areas.

What does this mean concretely for locals and visitors? For the island's economy and everyday life the prospect of milder holidays is rather positive. Cafés, weekly markets and promenades like the Paseo Marítimo or the beachfront promenade of Playa de Palma remain attractive to people who want fresh air with a cappuccino. Restaurants with outdoor terraces can plan more flexibly, and for hikers in the Serra de Tramuntana conditions are often more pleasant than in severe frost.

In daily life that means: a warm layer in the morning, lighter clothing during the day and a jacket for the evening. If you want to celebrate New Year's Eve outdoors, expect wind and occasional rain; warm drinks are recommended anyway. Families visiting outdoor Christmas markets have good chances of dry hours – but check Aemet updates at short notice.

Practical tips: 1) Check the latest forecasts on the Aemet website before you leave; 2) pack according to the layering principle – T‑shirt, shirt, thin sweater, light rain jacket; 3) bring shoes for different conditions, often one water‑repellent pair suffices from sneakers to wellies; 4) plan for walks – a beach walk on Christmas Day is not uncommon in Mallorca.

And one small optimistic note: for many residents a mild winter means less heating needed and a few extra hours of sunshine that brighten the island. For visitors it means Mallorca can keep its mix of tranquillity and life during the holidays – the churches, small shops in Plaça Major or the weekly markets in Santa Catalina are accessible without having to wear heavy parkas.

In the end: T‑shirt by day, sweater in the evening – and an umbrella just in case. The island shows a moderate side this winter, which is news many will be happy to hear for the time around Christmas and New Year's Eve.