Madeira holidays

Madeira is an archipelago made up of four volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Morocco. It is an autonomous region of Portugal and enjoys a subtropical climate with warm, sunny weather all year round, which makes it especailly popular for winter sun.

Madeira by month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

The main island of Madeira is where you'll find the capital, Funchal. Madeira is known for its rocky beaches, dramatic Levada walking routes through its mountainous interior, which is also where exotic fruits and vines to produce its fortified wine are grown.

Top Madeira destinations

Below are the temperatures expected today at popular destinations in Madeira. Select a destination to compare today's forecast with average weather conditions.

All Madeira destinations

Madeira live weather

Check out the Madeira live weather and compare with the average conditions for this time of the year.

Usually in September
- 23
- 16
- 7
Weather by month
Now Today
- 26
- 4
5-day forecast

Recommended for Madeira

The weather guide for Madeira (Funchal) shows long term weather averages processed from data supplied by CRU (University of East Anglia) & today's weather forecast provided by meteoblue. Find out more about our data sources.

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Destination finder

Destination

When is the best time to go to Madeira?

The best time to go to Madeira (Funchal) is July and August based on the following average weather conditions.

Maximum daytime temperature = 22 - 30°C [remove]
Daily hours of sunshine = 10 hours or more [remove]

Change the criteria to reflect your weather preferences.

1
Jan
1
Feb
1.5
Mar
1.5
Apr
2
May
3
Jun
4
Jul
4
Aug
4
Sep
3.5
Oct
1.5
Nov
0.5
Dec

Change criteria

Max Day Temperature (°C)

15
Jan
15
Feb
16
Mar
16
Apr
18
May
20
Jun
22
Jul
23
Aug
23
Sep
21
Oct
18
Nov
16
Dec

Hours of Sunshine (daily)

5
Jan
5
Feb
6
Mar
6
Apr
7
May
6
Jun
8
Jul
8
Aug
7
Sep
6
Oct
5
Nov
5
Dec

Best time to go for the weather

Destination

Daytime temperature

Sunshine hours

Sea temperature

Monthly rainfall

Days with some rain

Heat & humidity

Metric (°C / mm) | Imperial (°F / inches)

Madeira weather overview

The Madeira group of islands are an integral part of Portugal and lie around 720 kilometres (450 miles) off the coast of Morocco.

The main island of Madeira is mountainous and volcanic, and indulges in Mediterranean climate tempered by the seas which surround it.

You will rarely feel uncomfortably hot or unpleasantly cold on Madeira but expect to be rained on in the winter months, especially on higher ground.

North coast of Madeira, Portugal © Anilah - Fotolia.com

On this island, the weather can change dramatically the higher up you go, so you can progress from bright sunshine on the coast to chilly fog and heavy rain within the course of a morning.

What to pack for Madeira weather

You should always supplement light clothing with warm cover-ups in summer and take medium to warm clothes for the winter months.

Rain is sparse in mid summer (May to September) but take a raincoat at other times of the year.

More about Madeira

Which is the hottest month in Madeira?

The hottest time of year in Funchal, Madeira is normally August. Expect maximum daytime temperatures to reach 23°C.

Which month has the most rain in Madeira?

In terms of rainfall, January is usually the wettest month in Funchal, Madeira with 112mm on average. There are normally 12 days in January with some rain.

When is it sunniest in Madeira?

The sunniest time of year in Funchal, Madeira is normally August with bright sunshine on average for 59% of daylight hours; that's 8 hours of sunshine per day.

When is the sea warmest in Madeira?

The sea is usually at its warmest in Funchal, Madeira in September when the water temperature reaches 24°C.

Compare Madeira weather with the USA

Below the Madeira weather chart shows average maximum daytime temperature for Madeira (Funchal) and the USA (Washington).

Maximum daytime temperature (°C)

Madeira (Funchal)

USA (Washington)

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec