Your March weather guide
MildWeather in Madeira in March
Madeira in March is a good choice for mild days outdoors, but not for a reliably hot beach holiday. Daytime highs average around 18°C, about 7°C warmer than London, while roughly 10 rainy days mean you should leave room to change your plans. It suits travellers happy to pack layers and work around showers. If warm sea swimming and dependable sun are your priorities, March is harder to recommend.
Long-term climate averages for Funchal, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Madeira, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Funchal.
- Average daytime high
- 17.5°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 20°C
- Average night-time low
- 13.6°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 12°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +7.0°C
- London averages 10.5°C in March
- Sea temperature
- 18.0°C
- year to year: 18°C to 19°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 4.8h
- 41% of 11.8 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 10
- 60 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 77%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 26.1°C
- 2017-03-10
- Record low 1991-2020
- 7.9°C
- 2011-03-15
- 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 March compares
March is the 10th warmest month of the year in Madeira and ranks 70th of 134 destinations we compare for March - see where else is hot in March. Within Portugal it is 9th of 13 (Portugal in March). Against London's average high of 10.5°C in March, Madeira is 7.0°C warmer by day and 10.3°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in March
The typical March day in Madeira peaks at 17.5°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 19.9°C or more. Roughly 1 in 500 days top 25°C. Nights average 13.6°C; one night in ten drops to 11.5°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings - it is genuinely cool after dark. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest March day here reached 26.1°C (2017-03-10) and the coldest night 7.9°C (2011-03-15).
Rain in March
Wet (more than 8 rainy days): about 10 days with 1 mm or more, 60 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest March was 1996 with 178 mm, the driest 2012 with 2 mm. Humidity averages 77%.
Sea temperature in March
The sea averages 18.0°C - bracing (18-22°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 17.5°C to 18.7°C. For the warmest sea here, come in September (23.7°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 4.8 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 11.8 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:18 and sets about 19:15 local time in mid-March. Average cloud cover is 59%.
Is March a good time to visit Madeira?
March is not the strongest month here: mild days and frequent rain. The best months for Madeira on our scoring are July, August, September; months averaging 25°C or more: Aug.
Comfortable daytime temperatures, cooler evenings
Think light layers rather than a suitcase built around summer clothes. A T-shirt may feel comfortable during a sunny spell, but keep a jumper or light jacket handy for cooler periods and evenings. Nights average around 14°C, so eating outside after dark calls for more than daytime clothing. Even the warmer days typically reach only around 20°C, making this a better month for being active outdoors than lying still in search of heat. March is among Madeira's cooler months: the appeal is a milder break from the UK, not a preview of hot summer weather.
Allow for rain rather than planning around constant sunshine
Rain is a meaningful part of the March trade-off, so bring a waterproof jacket and shoes you are comfortable wearing in wet conditions. About 4.8 hours of sunshine sit within 11.8 hours of daylight: there is time for outdoor plans, but daylight should not be mistaken for uninterrupted sun. Keep your schedule flexible enough to use brighter spells rather than committing every day to weather-dependent activities. The monthly averages cannot tell you how rain will fall during your stay, so neither a completely wet holiday nor a dry week should be treated as a certainty.
A little perspective
Madeira through the year
March 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% |
| MarchSelected | 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 March
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Madeira in March FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Madeira hot in March?
Madeira is mild in March: the average daytime high is 17.5°C and nights average 13.6°C. Roughly 1 in 500 March days reach 25°C.
Can you swim in the sea in Madeira in March?
The sea around Madeira averages 18.0°C in March, 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 Madeira in March?
Madeira sees about 10 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 60 mm of rain in a typical March. The wettest March between 1991 and 2020 was 1996 (178 mm) and the driest was 2012 (2 mm).
How sunny is Madeira in March?
Madeira gets around 4.8 hours of sunshine a day in March out of 11.8 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Madeira compare with the UK in March?
Madeira is on average 7.0°C warmer than London by day in March (17.5°C against 10.5°C).
What is the hottest March on record in Madeira?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest March day in Madeira reached 26.1°C on 2017-03-10, and the coldest night dropped to 7.9°C on 2011-03-15.
Is the sea warm enough for swimming in March?
At around 18°C, the sea is bracing rather than comfortably warm. It may suit you if you already enjoy cooler-water swimming, but it is not a strong reason to choose March. Do not expect the mild air temperatures to translate into warm water.
How long is the flight from London?
The flight from London takes about 3 h 48 min, putting Madeira within short-haul reach. That makes March a practical option for a milder-weather break, provided you are comfortable trading guaranteed warmth for a relatively short flight.
Would it be better to wait until summer?
July, August and September are the stronger choices for weather overall. March still makes sense if mild temperatures suit your plans and you can accept rain, but waiting is the better fit if warmer conditions are central to your holiday.
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