Funchal Holiday Weather Overview
Funchal, the capital of the Madeira region of Portugal, is a beautiful city set in a natural amphitheatre valley, backed by mountains and fronted by a turquoise sea. Known for its lush green scenery, high class restaurants and whale watching opportunities, tourists find Funchal to be a year round destination, as it does not have an extreme climate - it gets warm, but not too hot, and cool, but not too cold, with moderate rainfall.
Spring in Funchal
Spring in Funchal and elsewhere on Madeira is a stunning season, packed with colour and life as the flowers bloom. The temperatures in spring reach daytime highs of a pleasant 20°C, with overnight temperatures of a mild 14-15°C. There is some rainfall - you may see rain on around 7 or 8 days each month, but overall it's a lovely time to visit the city.
Explore the many beaches close to Funchal, with their dramatic black volcanic sand, or soak up the atmosphere in the city's famous spring flower festival. Take layered clothing and an umbrella.
Summer in Funchal
During June, July and August, rainfall is scarce in Funchal, and temperatures rise. Expect daily highs in the mid to high 20s Celsius, and overnight temperatures of a balmy 18-20°C. In early summer, the skies can be very overcast - this is a meteorological quirk known as “Funchal's Helmet”, but the weather is still warm and pleasant.
Summer is a peak time for whale and dolphin watching in Madeira, although many species are present all year round. It's also high season on the beaches, of course and a popular time to explore Funchal's history too. Summer clothes are essential for visiting Funchal in the summer, and you will want a hat and sunscreen too.
Autumn in Funchal
Autumn temperatures remain very pleasant in Funchal during September and October, and these months are warm, with highs still in the low or mid 20s Celsius. November does begin to cool down somewhat, with high temperatures of around 17 or 18°C.
Rain arrives in the autumn months, but only moderately so. What rain there is tends to fall in short, sharp showers, rather than for endless grey days, so there is still plenty of sunshine to enjoy. Autumn is a great time to explore the Laurissilva laurel forest, designated a World Nature Heritage site by UNESCO. Bring a waterproof jacket and layered clothing.
Winter in Funchal
Funchal is a popular destination for winter getaways as the temperatures remain mild and pleasant. With daily highs in the high teens Celsius throughout December, January and February, you won't need winter clothing. At night temperatures fall off a little, but very rarely do they dip below 10°C. Atlantic storms can bring in spells of wet and windy weather for a few days at a time, but mostly there is a lot of good sunshine and clear days.
If you're visiting Funchal in the winter, bring a sweater and a waterproof jacket, plus layered clothing to prepare for any unexpected weather.
Best months to visit Funchal?
July and August are the best month to go for holiday or travel to Funchal. The weather averages gathered from Funchal weather forecast and Funchal weather history also forecast these months temperature to be around 22°c and average of 258.3333 hours of sunshine in a month.
Coldest months of Funchal?
February and March are the coldest months with temperature at around 12°c.
Which months receive most rainfall in Funchal?
December and November receive most rainfall with precipitation count of 81.33mm.
Travelling to Funchal? Check out our Weather averages of Funchal to better plan your holiday or travel.
If you would just like to know what the weather was for a past dates for research or education or you are just curious then visit our historical weather of Funchal section.