Your May weather guide
MildWeather in Madeira in May
May is a good time for Madeira if you want mild days rather than beach heat. Average highs are around 20°C, nights settle near 16°C, and the sea is a bracing 19°C. That suits walking and spending time outdoors without planning everything around high temperatures. The catch is that sunshine is not guaranteed and swimming may feel chilly. Pack for a mix of pleasant afternoons, cooler evenings and some rain.
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
- 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 Madeira and ranks 121st of 134 destinations we compare for May - see where else is hot in May. Within Portugal it is 12th of 13 (Portugal in May). Against London's average high of 16.6°C in May, Madeira 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 Madeira 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 Madeira?
May is not the strongest month here: mild days. The best months for Madeira on our scoring are July, August, September; months averaging 25°C or more: Aug.
Comfortable warmth, not hot holiday weather
Madeira in May suits travellers who prefer being active to lying in strong heat. Days reaching 25°C account for just 2%, so do not choose this month expecting reliably hot afternoons. Lighter clothes are a sensible starting point for daytime, with a jumper or light jacket for evenings. The coldest nights can fall to around 14°C or lower, making that extra layer useful rather than optional packing. Humidity averages 75%, so breathable fabrics are a practical choice. You are unlikely to need to organise the whole day around avoiding midday heat, though mild temperatures are not a reason to skip sun protection.
Allow for showers and a cool sea
Rain is a consideration, but not a reason on its own to rule May out. There are about 8 rainy days, so bring a light waterproof and leave room to move outdoor plans around. About 6.2 hours of sunshine sit within 13.7 hours of daylight: useful time outdoors, but not a promise of clear skies all day. Sea temperatures average 19.3°C, which makes swimming bracing rather than comfortably warm. If you enjoy cooler water, a dip may appeal; if you want to linger in the sea, this is the main compromise. Plan a holiday that works without daily swimming, and treat sunnier spells as opportunities rather than something the whole trip depends on.
A little perspective
Madeira 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
Madeira in May FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Madeira hot in May?
Madeira 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 Madeira in May?
The sea around Madeira 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 Madeira in May?
Madeira 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 Madeira in May?
Madeira 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 Madeira compare with the UK in May?
Madeira 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 Madeira?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day in Madeira 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 Madeira than London in May?
Madeira's average daytime high is 3.3°C above London's in May. That is a noticeable lift in warmth, but not a move into reliably hot weather. Expect a milder outdoor holiday rather than a dramatic change to summer heat.
Should I go in May or wait until later in the year?
Choose May if mild weather suits your plans and you can accept some rain and bracing swims. July, August and September are the stronger choices for weather overall. May is a reasonable compromise when high temperatures are not your priority.
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