Best time to visit Madeira: weather, sea and festivals month by month
In Funchal the average high runs from 19.9 °C in February to 26.8 °C in August. What changes from month to month is the rain, the sea and the festivals.
In short. Any month works for Madeira: in Funchal, average highs run from 20 °C in winter to 27 °C in August. From June to September it hardly rains and the sea is around 21 to 23 °C; from October to March it rains more, above all in the mountains and on the north coast. For festivals, go in May for the Flower Festival, or at New Year.
- average high in February, Funchal’s coolest month
- 19.9 °C
- of rain in July in Funchal, on average
- 0.3 days
- the 2027 Flower Festival begins
- 29 April
- Warmest
- August: 26.8 °C average high
- Coolest
- February: 19.9 °C high and 13.9 °C low
- Driest
- July and August: under 2 mm in the month
- Wettest
- December: 94.8 mm over 8.6 days
- Warmest sea
- August to October: about 23 °C
- Mountains
- 10 to 12 °C colder than Funchal
In this guide: 7 sections
Funchal’s weather, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Rainy days | Sea, about |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20.0 °C | 14.3 °C | 67 mm | 6.2 | 19 °C |
| February | 19.9 °C | 13.9 °C | 72 mm | 5.5 | 18 °C |
| March | 20.6 °C | 14.3 °C | 62 mm | 5.8 | 18 °C |
| April | 21.0 °C | 14.9 °C | 45 mm | 4.7 | 18 °C |
| May | 22.0 °C | 16.2 °C | 27 mm | 3.3 | 19 °C |
| June | 23.7 °C | 18.2 °C | 8 mm | 1.0 | 21 °C |
| July | 25.4 °C | 19.7 °C | 2 mm | 0.3 | 22 °C |
| August | 26.8 °C | 20.7 °C | 1 mm | 0.4 | 23 °C |
| September | 26.6 °C | 20.4 °C | 23 mm | 3.1 | 23 °C |
| October | 25.2 °C | 19.2 °C | 91 mm | 7.0 | 23 °C |
| November | 22.8 °C | 17.0 °C | 80 mm | 7.3 | 21 °C |
| December | 21.0 °C | 15.5 °C | 95 mm | 8.6 | 20 °C |
Recent years in Funchal have been warmer and sunnier than these averages: from 2020 to 2024 the average annual temperature was 21.0 °C, 2.5 °C more than from 1976 to 1980, and since 2012 no year has had fewer than 2,294 hours of sunshine.
The mountains and the north coast have another climate
The table is Funchal’s, on the south coast. In the mountains it is 10 to 12 °C colder and it rains three to five times as much: in January the average at Chão do Areeiro is around 6 °C, and Pico do Areeiro had 16 days with a low at or below 0 °C in 2024. On the north coast, in Santana, January averages about 13 °C and 107 mm of rain, against 17 °C and 67 mm in Funchal.
If you are going up Pico do Areeiro or walking in the north, take a jacket and a waterproof in any month.
Want to go without driving?
Tell us the month and what you want to do on the island: we suggest the dates, the hotel and the tours that make sense at that time of year.
We’ll reply with a proposal and a fixed price, with no obligation.
Each season in a few lines
- Winter, December to February: 20 to 21 °C highs in Funchal and 14 to 15.5 °C lows, the wettest months, and the sea at about 18 to 20 °C. It is cruise season, New Year and Carnival.
- Spring, March to May: rain falls from 62 mm in March to 27 mm in May, highs climb to 22 °C and late April brings the Flower Festival.
- Summer, June to September: it hardly rains in Funchal (under 2 mm in July and August), lows stay above 20 °C in August and September and the sea reaches about 23 °C. It is also the season of the nortada, the northerly wind, which has the lowest landing limit at the airport.
- Autumn, October and November: the sea stays at about 21 to 23 °C, but the rain comes back: October brings 91 mm to Funchal.
The 2027 festivals
| Festival | Dates in 2027 | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Funchal Marathon | 31 January | the city marathon |
| Carnival | 3 to 14 February | the main parade on 5 and 6 February, on two nights for the first time |
| MIUT, Madeira Island Ultra-Trail | 24 and 25 April | trail race across the island; the longest race runs from Porto Moniz to Machico |
| Flower Festival | 29 April to 30 May | flower displays and the grand parade on 2 and 16 May |
| Atlantic Festival | 4 to 27 June | fireworks competition on Saturdays, 5, 12, 19 and 26 June |
| Funchal Jazz Festival | 5 to 10 July | jazz in Funchal |
| SAL, Madeira Gastronomic Festival | 9 to 18 July | food festival |
| Rali Vinho Madeira | 5 to 7 August | car rally |
| Wine Festival | 22 August to 12 September | live grape harvest in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos on 11 September |
| Columbus Festival | 23 to 26 September | festival on Porto Santo |
| Madeira Nature Festival | 5 to 10 October | outdoor activities |
| Christmas and New Year | 1 December 2027 to 9 January 2028 | lights and the fireworks on 31 December |
Seats to watch the Flower Festival parade are paid; the rest of the programme is free. The most popular celebration of the year is New Year, covered in New Year’s Eve in Madeira.
Flights and wind through the year
Wind can divert flights in any month: in summer with the nortada (between 30 June and 6 July 2025 more than 70 flights were cancelled) and in winter with storms (on 12 December 2025, storm Emília cancelled more than 70 flights). What to do is on Madeira Airport wind.
Fares change by month too. In searches up to 2 November 2026, the cheapest direct flight from Lisbon ran from €21 one way in January to €43 in April; there are still few fares for summer. Fares from every city, month by month, are on Flights to Madeira.
Which month for what
- Beach and sea: July to October, with the sea at about 22 to 23 °C and, until September, hardly any rain.
- Mountain walks: from May to September it rains far less up high. From January to March, Chão do Areeiro gets about 225 to 253 mm a month, against about 108 mm in September. Trails are booked on SIMplifica.
- Festivals: late April and May (Flower Festival), February (Carnival) and New Year.
- Cruises: October to April, when Funchal has the most calls (41 to 44 a month from January to April 2026, against 3 to 7 from June to September).
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best month to visit Madeira?
- It depends on what you want. For the beach and a warm sea, July to October; for mountain walks with less rain, May to September; for festivals, May (Flower Festival) and New Year. In Funchal no month has an average high below 19 °C.
- Is Madeira cold in winter?
- Not in Funchal: in January the average high is 20 °C and the average low 14.3 °C. In the mountains, yes: at Chão do Areeiro the January average is around 6 °C and Pico do Areeiro gets frosty days.
- When does it rain most in Madeira?
- From October to March. In Funchal, December is the wettest month (94.8 mm over 8.6 days), while July and August get almost none. In the mountains it rains three to five times as much.
- How warm is the sea in Madeira?
- In Funchal, about 18 °C from February to April and about 23 °C from August to October, on the 10-year average.
- When is the Madeira Flower Festival in 2027?
- From 29 April to 30 May 2027, with the grand parade on 2 and 16 May.
Shall we arrange it all? Just tell us the day.
Tell us the month and what you want to do on the island: we suggest the dates, the hotel and the tours that make sense at that time of year.
We’ll reply with a proposal and a fixed price, with no obligation.
Keep planning
New Year’s Eve in Madeira
Funchal’s fireworks, where to watch, the weather and when to book
58 firing points, about 8 minutes
Pico do Arieiro
Sunrise by bus, parking, the cold and the webcam
Viewpoint free, bus €3
Porto Moniz natural pools
Paid or free, what happens in rough seas and the exact bus times
Entry €3, free up to age 3
SIMplifica step by step
Every screen of the portal, what the fees cover and the ticket traps
Trail fee from €4.50
Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo private tour
Arieiro by car, Pico Ruivo on foot and Ilha, with guide and driver
€400 for up to 3 people
Fanal, Porto Moniz and Seixal
The northwest in a day, by car or jeep
Pools €3
Whale and dolphin watching
Boat trips with licensed operators
With a licensed operator