Madeira
Best time to visit Madeira: weather month by month
In January you can drink your morning coffee outdoors in Funchal while it is winter at home. Madeira has spring all year, with around 20°C by day from December to March and 26°C in August and September. Here are the official IPMA averages month by month, and how Madeira compares with the Canary Islands in winter.
12 November 20266 min read
Picolo Editorial
Madeira weather in short
Warmest: August and September, with an average high of 26.4°C in Funchal.
Coolest: January and February, with 19.7°C by day and 13 to 14°C at night.
Driest: July, with 0.3 rain days and 1.6 mm of rain in Funchal.
Wettest: December, with 9.8 rain days and 115 mm of rain.
Best time for the pool and beach: June to October, with daytime highs of 23 to 26°C.
Best time for walking: April to June, with 21 to 23°C and five or fewer rain days a month.
Best time for a Funchal city break: any time, but book early for Christmas and New Year.
Our first choice: Reid's Palace in Funchal. See rooms at Reid's Palace
The figures are IPMA climate normals for 1981 to 2010 from the station in Funchal, 58 metres above sea level, where most of the hotels are.
Madeira weather by month
The seasons barely differ. The warmest average, 26.4°C in August and September, is only 6.7 degrees above the coolest, 19.7°C in January and February. Nights stay above 13°C all year.
The north of the island and the mountains are cooler and wetter than Funchal, so pack a warm layer and a rain jacket for the levada walks.
What is the weather like in Madeira in January and February?
Around 20°C by day. IPMA gives an average high of 19.7°C in Funchal in both January and February, and lows of 13.7°C and 13.4°C. Each month has almost seven rain days, and two to three of them bring 10 mm or more.
Madeira or the Canary Islands in winter?
The Canaries are warmer. In January Tenerife South airport has an average high of 21.7°C and Gran Canaria 20.8°C, against 19.7°C in Funchal and 18.1°C on Porto Santo. Madeira also has more rain days, 6.8 in January in Funchal against 1.8 at Tenerife South.
Choose Madeira for green mountains, walking and Funchal, and the Canaries for as much poolside sun as possible. The Canary Islands are compared in Canary Islands weather.
Porto Santo: drier, but cooler
Porto Santo, the neighbouring island with the long sandy beach, gets 363.2 mm of rain a year against 627.3 mm in Funchal. It rains more often, 62.1 days a year against 57.5, but less each time. Porto Santo is also slightly cooler, with 18.1°C in January and 25.4°C in August.
Madeira weather season by season
Winter, December to February
Mild and green, with around 20°C by day and the most rain in December, 9.8 rain days. Funchal is busy over Christmas and New Year, so book early. See New Year's Eve in Madeira for hotels with a view of the fireworks.
Spring, March to May
20 to 22°C and fewer rain days each month, from 5.9 in March to 3.6 in May. This is the best time for levada walks, and the Funchal Flower Festival takes place in spring.
Summer, June to August
Dry and warm without being hot, at 23 to 26°C. There is one rain day in June and less than one in July and August. In August more than half the nights in Funchal are tropical nights, at 20°C or above.
Autumn, September to November
September is as warm as August, at 26.4°C. The rain returns in October and November, with 6.5 and 7.8 rain days, but daytime highs are still 23 to 25°C.
Where to stay
Three hotels for different trips: the classic in Funchal, the most sun in the west and a town hotel for a winter break.
Our pick
Reid's Palace: afternoon tea above the bay
The hotel has stood on the cliff west of the centre since the 1890s, and afternoon tea on its terrace has become an island tradition. Breakfast, wifi and parking are included. Choose it for a classic week in Funchal, not for design or nightlife.
Most sun: Estalagem da Ponta do Sol
The village of Ponta do Sol lies right below you, on one of the sunniest stretches of Madeira's south west coast. The hotel is an old stone house with a modern extension, and every room has a balcony. It suits anyone after quiet and sun, less so if you want to be in Funchal every evening.
Winter in town: Castanheiro Boutique Hotel
The rooftop pool sits above the old town roofs, looking towards the harbour. Castanheiro is built into old town houses in the middle of Funchal, with a spa and two bars, and you can walk to the market and the restaurants. This is the hotel for a city break in December or January.
Read more in our Reid's Palace review, and find more hotels in the best hotels in Madeira.
Our verdict
Picolo picks: April to June for walking, September for warm and dry days, and January or February if you want 20 degrees while it is winter at home.
Why: May and June have 3.6 and 1.0 rain days, September has 26.4°C, and January and February have 19.7°C by day.
The trade-off: Madeira is a couple of degrees cooler and wetter than the Canaries in winter. In return you get green mountains and levadas.
Frequently asked questions
What is the weather like in Madeira in November?
Around 23°C by day and 17°C at night. IPMA gives an average high of 22.7°C and a low of 16.6°C in Funchal in November. There are 7.8 rain days on average, and 2.7 of them bring 10 mm or more, so expect a few wet days.
How warm is Madeira in December and at New Year?
Around 21°C by day and 15°C at night. Funchal has an average high of 20.7°C and a low of 15.0°C in December, according to IPMA. December is the wettest month, with 4.2 days of 10 mm of rain or more, so pack a rain jacket for the New Year fireworks.
How warm is Madeira in April and at Easter?
Around 21°C by day and 14°C at night. IPMA gives an average high of 20.6°C and a low of 14.4°C in Funchal in April, with 5.0 rain days on average. It is a good month for levada walks, but the mountains are cooler than the town.
What is the weather like in Madeira in October?
Still summery, with an average high of 24.9°C and a low of 18.6°C in Funchal, according to IPMA. Half the days, 16.2 on average, reach 25°C or more. The rain returns as autumn goes on, so pack a light jacket.
Does Madeira get above 30 degrees?
Rarely. Funchal averages 2.3 days a year at 30°C or more, according to IPMA, most of them in September. The highest temperature in the 1981 to 2010 period is 38.4°C, recorded on 8 September 1987. Porto Santo has less than one such day a year.
Sources
Temperatures, rain days and rainfall for Madeira come from IPMA climate normals for 1981 to 2010 for the stations in Funchal (522) and on Porto Santo (524). The figures for Tenerife South and Gran Canaria are AEMET standard climate values for 1981 to 2010 at the airports. Hotel details come from Hotels.com and Picolo's own hotel reviews. The comparison and the picks are Picolo's own. For the forecast, see IPMA. Last checked 12 November 2026.
Enjoy Madeira
Picolo Editorial