Madeira Climate

Madeira has a mild sub-tropical climate. With the aid of the Gulf stream the Madeira climate manages to keep temperatures warm all year round. As can be seen from the Madeira temperature chart below, Madeira has a micro-climate with temperatures rarely falling outside the range of 64-75 degrees fahrenheit.

Average Temperatures on Madeira

Average Rainfall on Madeira

Use the rainfall statistics chart below to show the average rainfall in Madeira in both cms and inches. Also the chart will display the average number of days of rain in Madeira.

micro-climates within a micro-climate

Madeira has a diverse landscape with 50% of the island being above 700m (2295ft). This gives rise to various micro-climates within a micro-climate. The tall central mountains of the island shoulder the Atlantic winds from the southern lowlands around Funchal and keep the clouds at bay - thus allowing Funchal to enjoy more sunshine and lighter winds. The south-western parts of the island are thought to be sunnier still but suffer more from sea winds. You can expect the high central regions of Madeira to be often covered in cool mist during the morning. The northern parts of the island which don't benefit from any sheltering are fully exposed to the Atlantic winds and experience higher rainfall, sometimes twice that of Madeira's average rainfall. The prevailing north-easterly winds bring with them clouds which sit between 700m and 1000m above sea level. As they travel across the Atlantic they pick up moisture until they eventually hit the northern slopes of Madeira. They then rise up the slopes, cooling and condensing as they go - causing high levels of rainfall.

cloudy in June

Madeira is known to be cloudy in June thanks to the capacete, which translates to 'peaked cap' and is a blanket of cloud which sits above Funchal and the surrounding area. The cloud descends from the mountains during the morning and returns back again during the mid-afternoon.

the Leste

Another peculiarity of the Madeira climate is an easterly wind blowing in off the Sahara called the Leste. Affecting a few days during the summer months, this wind brings with it a fine red dust. Temperatures during this time have been known to soar to 40 degrees C (104 degress F)