Funchal in March: weather, water temperatures and things to do
Is March a good time to visit?
March 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 +19 °C.
Weather in March
Average daytime temperatures vary little between early, mid- and late March. There is no clear advantage in warmth between these periods.
- Ocean waterAtlantic Ocean
- +19 °C
- Daytime air
- +15 °C
- Night-time air
- +10 °C
Atlantic Ocean
Sun and precipitation in March
Monthly averages
Sunny
9 days
Sun and clouds
15 days
Cloudy
7 days
By part of the month
| Dates | Sunny | Sun and clouds | Cloudy | Days with precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 | 3 days | 5 days | 2 days | 6 days |
| 11–20 | 3 days | 5 days | 2 days | 6 days |
| 21–31 | 3 days | 5 days | 3 days | 8 days |
Early, mid or late March?
| Travel dates | Day | Night | Ocean waterWater | Days with precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 March | +14 °C | +10 °C | +19 °C | about 6 out of 10 |
| 11–20 March | +15 °C | +10 °C | +19 °C | about 6 out of 10 |
| 21–31 March | +15 °C | +10 °C | +18 °C | about 8 out of 11 |
Water in March
Seasonal data gives an average water temperature of +19 °C for the month. It averages +19 °C in the first ten days and +18 °C towards the end. These are seasonal averages, so the 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 March
Historical records show that March has precipitation on most days. This includes light precipitation and does not mean it lasts all day.
February, March or April: which should you choose?
| Month | Day | Night | Ocean waterWater |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | +14 °C | +10 °C | +19 °C |
| March | +15 °C | +10 °C | +19 °C |
| April | +16 °C | +11 °C | +19 °C |
March and February have similar average daytime temperatures. Neither has a clear advantage in warmth. April is warmer during the day than March.
The annual charts for Funchal compare air and water temperatures throughout the year. For historical weather in March across different years, see the weather archive.
Things to do in March
- 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.Sea temperature data source: NASA. Averages from complete months in: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
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.