Madeira

What's the weather like in Madeira in January?

Off the northwest coast of Africa, Madeira enjoys a subtropical climate and warm weather all year round. A Portuguese archipelago that’s closer to Africa than mainland Portugal, January’s the wettest month of the year but you'll still get lots of winter sun if you plan your Madeira holidays at this time.

Climatic influences

The Gulf Stream brings warmth to Madeira, although the islands also get the Canary Current which has a cooling effect. North easterly winds mean the south and west are warmer and drier because of mountains, with capital Funchal sheltered by tall mountains to the north. The Sahara Desert can sometimes send over hot winds that drive temperatures up.

Averages

The usual high temperature in Madeira during January is 18ºC, which is still perfectly warm enough to unwind on a beautiful beach. You should pack some warmer clothes for the evenings though as temperatures drop to 10ºC at night. The average sea temperature’s 19ºC, while humidity’s low and rainfall’s normally 108mm over 13 rainy days. You can expect ten hours of daylight with five hours of sunshine each day, while UV levels will be moderate and sunset’s around 6.30pm.