Bilbao, on Spain’s northern Atlantic coast, is considerably wetter than most of the country, averaging around 1,150 mm (about 45 inches) of rain a year thanks to its direct exposure to Atlantic weather systems moving in off the Bay of Biscay. Rain here falls fairly evenly through the year rather than concentrating in one season, and the surrounding hills can intensify rainfall further by forcing moist air upward. The Nervión river running through the city has a history of flooding during intense, prolonged rain events, a risk the city has invested heavily in managing since severe floods in the 1980s. Because rain is such a routine feature here, radar is used as a genuinely everyday planning tool. Spain’s AEMET operates the regional radar network.
Learn more: How Does Rain Radar Work? · Open the full Rain Map