Today's weather for Praia da Luz, Portugal8th Nov 2009 07:00

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Weather Overview for Praia da Luz

Praia da Luz enjoys a Mediterranean climate typical of seaside resorts in Portugal’s Algarve region. Long, hot summers bathed in plentiful sunshine are followed by mild, rainy winters. The resort sits on the western side of the region, just west of Lagos. The Algarve is in the southernmost region of Portugal which is the westernmost part of Europe and on the Iberian Peninsula.

Summer, from June till September, receives pretty much perfect weather. The average high temperature stays in the blissful mid 20s for the whole season. August is the hottest month with an average high of 26°C; the other summer months are not much cooler. Humidity is always low and wind blows in from the sea, generally keeping the heat more than comfortable and creating perfect water sport conditions. Night times usually manage to get below 20°C and are often almost cool without being chilly. The sun shines for eleven hours a day for the first three months of the season, dropping to a not unrespectable nine hours in September. Rain is rare throughout the season.

Autumn, in October and November, is warm and some may find its lack of crowds to outweigh the heat of the summer months. The average high temperature reduces to the pleasant low 20s in October and down to 18°C in November. As the season progresses night times can get a little nippy and the sun becomes much less reliable. Rain is likely to fall a few times a week but is usually short-lived. This is a good season for walking or sports holidays with a few snatched hours of sunbathing.

Winter, from December till February, is very mild and highly changeable from day to day. The sun still comes out for an average of five hours per day but rain falls on around half of the days in each month: light but still inconvenient. The average low falls below 10°C in January but very rarely gets near freezing; frosts and snow are highly unlikely. The average high is at its lowest in January at 15°C which is not cold by any means. The temperature can suddenly creep up towards the 20s or drop towards single figures depending on the clouds and the wind.

Spring, from March till May, has warm days and cool nights. Rain gradually disappears and the sun shines for longer and longer, reaching an average of ten hours per day in May. The sea is not warm enough for swimming but fine for water sports in wetsuits. The beginning of spring is still tepid with an average high of 17°C in March, warming to 18°C in April and up to 20°C in May. Throughout the season day time temperatures can randomly creep into the low 20s.

The prevailing winds in the Algarve region are north and north-westerly, so while the hills in the north provide a great deal of protection, Praia da Luz, being in the west and closer to the North Atlantic, is prone to the cooling effects of the wind. The resort receives milder summers than more easterly resorts such as Lagos or Albufeira. The entire Algarve receives much warmer weather than northern Portugal as it is exposed to weather conditions coming over from the Mediterranean. It is only separated from the east by a river, rather than wind blocking mountains.

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