Your January weather guide
MildWeather in Funchal in January
Funchal in January suits a mild winter break, not a holiday built around heat or swimming. Average daytime highs are 16.8°C, compared with London's 7.4°C, while nights average 13.7°C. That makes spending time outdoors more appealing than the UK comparison suggests, but rain and limited sunshine are the catch. Go for comfortable exploring with flexible plans; choose another month if warm evenings and long sunny afternoons are your priority.
Long-term climate averages for Funchal, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Funchal, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Funchal.
- Average daytime high
- 16.8°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 19°C
- Average night-time low
- 13.7°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 11°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +9.4°C
- London averages 7.4°C in January
- Sea temperature
- 18.7°C
- year to year: 18°C to 19°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 3.7h
- 37% of 10.1 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 8
- 53 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 77%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 21.5°C
- 2018-01-03
- Record low 1991-2020
- 8.7°C
- 2019-01-10
- Flight from London
- ≈ 3 h 48 min
- 2466 km, short-haul (estimate for a direct flight)
Records are observed extremes within 1991-2020, not typical holiday conditions. Warm-day percentages are shares of days, not day counts.
How January compares
January is the 11th warmest month of the year in Funchal. Within Portugal it is 2nd of 13 (Portugal in January). Against London's average high of 7.4°C in January, Funchal is 9.4°C warmer by day and 11.5°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in January
The typical January day in Funchal peaks at 16.8°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 18.8°C or more. Days over 25°C are rare. Nights average 13.7°C; one night in ten drops to 11.4°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings - it is genuinely cool after dark. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest January day here reached 21.5°C (2018-01-03) and the coldest night 8.7°C (2019-01-10).
Rain in January
Wet (more than 8 rainy days): about 8 days with 1 mm or more, 53 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest January was 1996 with 177 mm, the driest 2013 with 4 mm. Humidity averages 77%.
Sea temperature in January
The sea averages 18.7°C - bracing (18-22°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 18.1°C to 19.2°C. For the warmest sea here, come in September (23.7°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 3.7 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 10.1 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 08:10 and sets about 18:23 local time in mid-January. Average cloud cover is 64%.
Is January a good time to visit Funchal?
January is not the strongest month here: mild days and frequent rain. The best months for Funchal on our scoring are July, August, September; months averaging 25°C or more: Aug.
Mild days, but keep a layer handy
January is among Funchal's cooler months, so pack for mild weather rather than summer conditions. A light jumper or jacket gives you flexibility through the day and is useful when you stay out into the evening. The warmer days reach 18.8°C or more, but the colder nights can fall to 11.4°C or below. Days reaching 25°C account for 0%, so dependable heat is not a reason to book. This suits travellers who prefer walking without hot afternoons, provided they are happy to keep an extra layer handy. For a warmer trip, July, August and September are stronger choices.
Leave room for rain in your plans
The main compromise is wet weather: expect about 8 rainy days during the month, so a waterproof jacket deserves space in your bag. That does not mean every day is a washout, but fixed outdoor plans leave less room to adapt. Sunshine averages about 3.7 hours within 10.1 hours of daylight, making it sensible to use brighter spells for time outside rather than expect clear skies throughout the day. Keep indoor alternatives in mind and avoid making the whole trip depend on sunshine. January works better if you can change plans with the weather than if you need consistently dry days.
A little perspective
Funchal through the year
January is highlighted. See how it compares with the rest of the year.
| Month | Day | Night | Sea | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuarySelected | 16.8°C | 13.7°C | 18.7°C | 3.7 | 53 | 8 | 0% |
| February | 16.7°C | 13.3°C | 18.1°C | 4.2 | 57 | 8 | 0% |
| March | 17.5°C | 13.6°C | 18.0°C | 4.8 | 60 | 10 | 0% |
| April | 18.2°C | 14.1°C | 18.4°C | 5.2 | 52 | 9 | 0% |
| May | 19.9°C | 15.6°C | 19.3°C | 6.2 | 30 | 8 | 2% |
| June | 22.5°C | 17.9°C | 20.9°C | 7.6 | 17 | 4 | 8% |
| Julybest | 24.6°C | 19.7°C | 22.2°C | 8.8 | 6 | 2 | 41% |
| Augustbest | 25.6°C | 20.7°C | 23.3°C | 8.3 | 7 | 3 | 68% |
| Septemberbest | 24.3°C | 20.0°C | 23.7°C | 5.9 | 28 | 8 | 35% |
| October | 22.2°C | 18.5°C | 22.9°C | 4.4 | 71 | 12 | 6% |
| November | 19.5°C | 16.3°C | 21.4°C | 3.8 | 71 | 11 | 0% |
| December | 17.8°C | 14.9°C | 19.9°C | 3.5 | 87 | 11 | 0% |
Day = average daytime high, night = average night-time low, 1991-2020.Sun is hours per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more.
Day, night and sea
Monthly average temperatures, 1991-2020
- Day
- Night
- Sea
Best months here
On warmth, low rainfall and sunshine, start with these.
Keep exploring
Similar in January
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Funchal in January FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Funchal hot in January?
Funchal is mild in January: the average daytime high is 16.8°C and nights average 13.7°C. Days over 25°C are rare in January.
Can you swim in the sea in Funchal in January?
The sea around Funchal averages 18.7°C in January, which is bracing - fine for a quick dip, cool for long swims. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 18°C to 19°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Funchal in January?
Funchal sees about 8 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 53 mm of rain in a typical January. The wettest January between 1991 and 2020 was 1996 (177 mm) and the driest was 2013 (4 mm).
How sunny is Funchal in January?
Funchal gets around 3.7 hours of sunshine a day in January out of 10.1 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Funchal compare with the UK in January?
Funchal is on average 9.4°C warmer than London by day in January (16.8°C against 7.4°C).
What is the hottest January on record in Funchal?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest January day in Funchal reached 21.5°C on 2018-01-03, and the coldest night dropped to 8.7°C on 2019-01-10.
Is the sea warm enough for swimming in January?
The sea averages 18.7°C, which is bracing rather than comfortably warm. It may suit you if you already enjoy cooler-water swimming, but it is not a strong choice for a holiday centred on relaxed, warm-sea swims.
Is Funchal a short-haul option from London?
Yes. The flight from London is about 3 h 48 min, making Funchal a short-haul option for milder January weather. The trade-off is that the relatively short journey brings mild conditions, not dependable winter heat.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid) and NOAA Coral Reef Watch 5 km sea temperatures, 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Funchal. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 4.5 km from that point. Sunshine hours are estimated from average cloud cover.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C