Funchal in December: weather, water temperatures and things to do
Is December a good time to visit?
December in Funchal is suitable for sightseeing, but rain is frequent. Daytime temperatures average +15 °C, so a jacket will be useful for walks. The water is cool, averaging +20 °C.
Weather in December
Average daytime temperatures vary little between early, mid- and late December. There is no clear advantage in warmth between these periods.
- Ocean waterAtlantic Ocean
- +20 °C
- Daytime air
- +15 °C
- Night-time air
- +12 °C
Atlantic Ocean
Sun and precipitation in December
Monthly averages
Sunny
8 days
Sun and clouds
14 days
Cloudy
9 days
By part of the month
| Dates | Sunny | Sun and clouds | Cloudy | Days with precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 | 2 days | 5 days | 3 days | 7 days |
| 11–20 | 2 days | 5 days | 3 days | 6 days |
| 21–31 | 3 days | 5 days | 3 days | 6 days |
Early, mid or late December?
| Travel dates | Day | Night | Ocean waterWater | Days with precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 December | +15 °C | +12 °C | +20 °C | about 7 out of 10 |
| 11–20 December | +15 °C | +12 °C | +20 °C | about 6 out of 10 |
| 21–31 December | +15 °C | +11 °C | +20 °C | about 6 out of 11 |
Water in December
Seasonal data gives an average water temperature of +20 °C for the month. Water on your travel dates can be warmer or cooler. Before your trip, check the water temperature and weather in the forecast for Funchal.
Rainfall in December
Historical records show that December has precipitation on most days. This includes light precipitation and does not mean it lasts all day.
November, December or January: which should you choose?
| Month | Day | Night | Ocean waterWater |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | +17 °C | +13 °C | +22 °C |
| December | +15 °C | +12 °C | +20 °C |
| January | +14 °C | +11 °C | +19 °C |
Both the air and the water are warmer in November than in December. December and January have similar average daytime temperatures. Neither has a clear advantage in warmth.
The annual charts for Funchal compare air and water temperatures throughout the year. For historical weather in December across different years, see the weather archive.
Things to do in December
- Madeira Botanical Garden offers a variety of plants to discover and viewpoints overlooking Funchal.
- In the old quarter, Zona Velha, you can wander along narrow cobbled streets and Rua de Santa Maria, with its painted doors from the Portas Pintadas project.
- The Museum of Sacred Art houses Portuguese and Flemish paintings and sculpture in a former bishop’s palace.
About the data
Air temperatures use the WorldWeatherAI archive for 2020–2025. Precipitation uses data for 2020–2025. Water temperatures use WorldWeatherAI seasonal data.
Cloud cover is estimated from local six-hour intervals weighted by their overlap with daylight: up to 25% clear or mostly clear, 75% or more mostly cloudy, and partly cloudy in between. These are the site’s categories. Rounded day counts add up to the period length; icons do not represent particular dates. Precipitation is counted separately and may coincide with sunshine. Sunshine hours come from the archive, not from cloud cover. Each metric requires complete data for the same set of years; incomplete metrics are omitted.