Weather
Madeira is mild all year, but the weather changes a lot between the coasts and the mountains. Here is what it is doing now, and what to expect in the month you travel.
Right now
Data: IPMA · aviationweather.gov · Open-Meteo
Month by month
Average high and low in Funchal, 1991–2020.
Why the forecast for Funchal is not the whole story
Madeira’s mountains rise to 1,862 metres, and they split the island into very different climates. The south coast, where Funchal is, gets the most sun. The north coast is greener and wetter, because the trade winds push clouds against the mountains. Up at Pico do Arieiro it can be 10 °C colder than in Funchal, and in winter there is sometimes frost.
So when it is grey in one place, it is often sunny somewhere else. Locals check the webcams before driving to a walk or a beach, and so should you.
Weather warnings
IPMA, the Portuguese weather service, issues yellow, orange and red warnings for four areas: the south coast, the north coast, the mountains and Porto Santo. Yellow means take care, orange means the weather is dangerous, and red means it is exceptional. When a warning is active it appears at the top of this page. On orange and red days, walking trails can close and some roads in the mountains may be shut.