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Weather Overview for Madeira

The Madeira Islands have an oceanic subtropical climate that is similar to a Mediterranean climate with its hot, dry summers and rainy winters, but with a much smaller range of temperatures. It is generally warm and it is rainfall that really determines the seasons.It is dry between April and September and wet between October and March.

These Portuguese Islands sit far south of the mainland in the mid-Atlantic Ocean and their position in the Gulf Stream moderates the temperature Madeira receives in all seasons. As a result, it avoids the extremes of summer heat felt by Portugal’s southern resorts of Faro and Tavira, and of Marrakech which shares its latitude, and its winters are much warmer. Humidity is not usually a problem on the island, being stable year round between 64-68%.

Summer: June – September

Summer is the most popular time to visit Madeira thanks to the great weather, which is almost always hot and sunny.

The average high temperature sits at 24°C for the entire season. It can get up into the high 20s but uncomfortable heat is rare. At the other end of the scale, the temperature doesn’t tend to drop below the high teens, even at night. So summer temperatures are generally very comfortable; cooling sea breezes usually ensure relief from scorching weather.

There are however times when it can get very hot on Madeira, and temperatures touching 40°C have been recorded.  This happens when the ‘Leste’ wind blows across from North Africa. Although this wind only prevails a few times a year, it is well known for its ability to bring scorching temperatures in the mid-30s and above.

Rainfall is very low throughout summer. June averages just 5mm, while July and August frequently go without any rainfall whatsoever. There is more towards the end of September which averages at 25mm.

Autumn: October - November

The weather remains warm throughout autumn, although there is a vastly increased chance of rain and storms; this is the wettest time of year. The temperature averages at a high of 23°C and a low of 17°C - better than the height of English summer! Temperatures in the high 20s are not unheard of, and it is generally a great time to visit the island as it’s quieter, and cheaper, than peak summer.

Average rainfall is close to 80mm during October while it is a little higher in November, the wettest month of the year. On average there’ll be about seven rainy days during the month. This is quite low in comparison to the volume of rain as rainfall tends to be restricted to heavy downpours rather than the constant drizzle we are so used to in the UK.  Late autumn and winter is the time when storms are most likely to hit, bringing heavy rain and strong winds, but plenty of good weather is to be had outside of the storms.

Winter: December - February

It is hard to describe this period as ‘winter’ seeing as daytime temperatures are frequently around 20°C and night time temperatures rarely fall below 10°C. This makes Madeira a popular destination for northern Europeans seeking a bit of winter sun. There is still a healthy average of 5 to 6 sunshine hours a day during winter.

Rainfall is quite high in December – at around 85mm. Again, though, averages show only 7 rainy days per month as most rain is accounted for by short but heavy storms. Rainfall in January and February is just a little lower at about 70mm. The northeast trades become very strong in winter and can whip up ferocious storms.

Spring: March - May

Spring starts off quite wet but the dry summer weather quickly takes over as well as the arrival of hotter temperatures.

March sees around 80mm of rainfall and is the end of the wet season on the island. Temperature in March is still warm – highs averaging 19°C and lows 13°C. April is around the same temperature but sees more sunshine and lower rainfall. May sees average highs climb into the 20s, and the start of the long hot sunny summer days.

Micro-climates

The mountainous topography of the main island of Madeira leads to a number of microclimates. Funchal, where most of the weather data for the island is recorded, is usually slightly sunnier and dryer than other regions as it is well sheltered by the high mountains to the north. The north and east parts are slightly wetter and cooler on average as they face into the trade winds. The mountains shelter the south and west from these winds. At times, when the weather fronts blows from the west, searing heat and dusty, parched winds can affect the west coast while the east remains mild.

Geography

The Madeira Islands are an autonomous region of Portugal and lie in the Atlantic Ocean just under 1000km southwest of its coast and about 600kms west of Morocco in North Africa. Although geographically closer to Africa, the islands are culturally and politically part of Europe. You can find the Canary Islands about 350km to the south of the Madeira Islands.

There are fourteen islands and islets that make up the Madeira archipelago. The main one is Madeira Island, and other sizeable ones include Porto Santo Island and Deserta Grande Island. Most tourists visit Madeira Island, flying into its capital city Funchal.

Madeira Island is not large, having a length of about 30 miles and a width of about 13 miles. It is a mountainous island with a mountain chain forming its backbone and rising to it’s highest peak Pico Ruivo at an altitude of 1862m. There are many great beaches and dramatic sea cliffs including the world’s second highest, Cabo Girão.