Your May weather guide
MildWeather in Funchal in May
May is a good fit for Funchal if you want mild weather for walking and spending time outdoors, rather than a hot beach holiday. Daytime highs average around 20°C, with about 8 rainy days across the month. The catch is the sea: at 19.3°C, it feels bracing rather than comfortably warm. For a UK traveller, this is a modest step towards summer, with light layers still useful and some flexibility needed for rain.
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
- 19.9°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 23°C
- Average night-time low
- 15.6°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 14°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +3.3°C
- London averages 16.6°C in May
- Sea temperature
- 19.3°C
- year to year: 19°C to 20°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 6.2h
- 45% of 13.7 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 8
- 30 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 75%
- Days over 25°C
- 2%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 28.2°C
- 2020-05-25
- Record low 1991-2020
- 10.4°C
- 2018-05-01
- 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 May compares
May is the 6th warmest month of the year in Funchal. Within Portugal it is 13th of 13 (Portugal in May). Against London's average high of 16.6°C in May, Funchal is 3.3°C warmer by day and 7.3°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in May
The typical May day in Funchal peaks at 19.9°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 22.6°C or more. Roughly 1 in 45 days top 25°C. Nights average 15.6°C; one night in ten drops to 13.5°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day here reached 28.2°C (2020-05-25) and the coldest night 10.4°C (2018-05-01).
Rain in May
Some rain (4-8 rainy days): about 8 days with 1 mm or more, 30 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest May was 1996 with 83 mm, the driest 2003 with 2 mm. Humidity averages 75%.
Sea temperature in May
The sea averages 19.3°C - bracing (18-22°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 18.7°C to 19.9°C. For the warmest sea here, come in September (23.7°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 6.2 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 13.7 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:09 and sets about 20:59 local time in mid-May. Average cloud cover is 55%.
Is May a good time to visit Funchal?
May is not the strongest month here: mild days. The best months for Funchal on our scoring are July, August, September; months averaging 25°C or more: Aug.
Comfortable days, but keep a layer for evenings
The typical daytime high of 19.9°C suits being active without planning everything around midday heat. Hot weather is unusual: only 2% of days reach 25°C, so pack for mild conditions rather than relying on shorts throughout your stay. Nights average 15.6°C, while the coldest nights can fall to 13.5°C or lower. A jumper or light jacket makes sense for sitting outside after dark, alongside lighter clothes for daytime. Humidity averages 75%, but the mild temperatures are the more useful guide to what to wear. May suits travellers who prefer comfortable warmth over sustained heat.
Allow for rain and treat sea swimming as optional
With about 8 rainy days, May is not a month to assume every outdoor plan will stay dry. Pack a light waterproof and leave room to move walks around the forecast. There are about 6.2 hours of sunshine within 13.7 hours of daylight, so long days do not mean uninterrupted sun. That still leaves plenty of daylight for an unhurried outdoor day when conditions suit. Swimming is a separate judgement: the sea averages 19.3°C, with a year-to-year range of 19°C to 20°C. If you enjoy cooler water, a dip may appeal; if warm-water swimming is central to the holiday, May is a less convincing choice.
A little perspective
Funchal through the year
May 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+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 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% |
| MaySelected | 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 May
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
Italy · 21°C by day · sea 18°C
Venice
Italy · 20°C by day · sea 19°C
Amalfi Coast
Spain · 21°C by day · sea 20°C
Lanzarote
Italy · 20°C by day · sea 19°C
Sorrento
Greece · 20°C by day · sea 18°C
Thassos
A little more detail
Funchal in May FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Funchal hot in May?
Funchal is mild in May: the average daytime high is 19.9°C and nights average 15.6°C. Roughly 1 in 45 May days reach 25°C.
Can you swim in the sea in Funchal in May?
The sea around Funchal averages 19.3°C in May, which is bracing - fine for a quick dip, cool for long swims. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 19°C to 20°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Funchal in May?
Funchal sees about 8 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 30 mm of rain in a typical May. The wettest May between 1991 and 2020 was 1996 (83 mm) and the driest was 2003 (2 mm).
How sunny is Funchal in May?
Funchal gets around 6.2 hours of sunshine a day in May out of 13.7 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Funchal compare with the UK in May?
Funchal is on average 3.3°C warmer than London by day in May (19.9°C against 16.6°C).
What is the hottest May on record in Funchal?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day in Funchal reached 28.2°C on 2020-05-25, and the coldest night dropped to 10.4°C on 2018-05-01.
How much warmer is Funchal than London in May?
Funchal's average daytime high is 19.9°C, compared with London's 16.6°C, a difference of 3.3°C. That is a useful lift in warmth, but not a switch to reliably hot weather. Light layers remain a sensible choice.
Should I choose May or go later in summer?
Choose May if mild daytime weather matters more than heat and you can accept some rain and bracing sea temperatures. July, August and September are the stronger overall weather choices here, so consider those if May sounds too cool for your plans.
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