Madeira weather · February
Weather in Madeira in February
A monthly average blurs the two Madeiras together: a drier south, a wetter and greener north. The numbers below are the island averaged out. On the day you actually walk, one coast is clear and the other is under cloud.
February looks a lot like January: mild on the coast, cold on the peaks, green everywhere. It is one of the least crowded months of the year, so popular trails that feel like a procession in August can be nearly empty on a weekday morning.
What are Madeira's temperatures, rain and sea like in February?
| Where | Day / night | Rain | Rainy days | Sun/day | Peak wind | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funchal / south coast | 18.7 / 13.6 °C | 73 mm | 9 | 9 h | 15 km/h | 19.6 °C |
| Porto Moniz / north coast | 18.5 / 14 °C | 94 mm | 12 | 10 h | 16 km/h | — |
| Pico do Arieiro (1,818 m) | 7.2 / 1.4 °C | 100 mm | 12 | 9 h | 12 km/h | — |
10-year monthly averages (2016-01-01 to 2025-12-31), historical archive. See all months
This page shows the averages. The pass shows what each trail is doing today, re-checked every 20 min, and which one is worth your morning.Where does February rank among Madeira's twelve months?
Measured on the south coast, February is number 8 of 12 for rain, number 9 of 12 for sunshine and number 11 of 12 for sea temperature, where number 1 is the wettest, the sunniest and the warmest month of the year.
In figures: 73 mm of rain, in a year that runs from 11 to 91 mm. 9.3 hours of sun a day, against a yearly range of 8.1 to 12.8. A sea of 19.6 °C, against 19.4 to 24.9 °C across the year. The order uses the same ten-year averages as the table above, so it describes a typical February rather than any single year, and it holds for the south coast only: the north coast and the summits keep their own order.
Why does Madeira's weather differ so much by coast and altitude?
The three rows above are the point: in the same February week, Funchal and the summits behave like different countries. Madeira's mountains split every weather system in two, so "weather in Madeira" is really the weather of whichever coast and altitude you stand on. The pattern is explained in our microclimate guide; for a specific day, live per-trail conditions beat any monthly average.
The three rows are three altitudes, not three towns: Funchal sits at 25 m, Porto Moniz at 20 m and Pico do Arieiro at 1,818 m. That last figure is why the third row reads like another island. In February its average day maximum is 11.5 °C below Funchal's, so a walk that starts in a t-shirt on the coast finishes in a warm layer at the top.
Wind splits the same way. In February the daily peak averages 12 km/h at Pico do Arieiro, 15 km/h at Funchal and 16 km/h at Porto Moniz. Each figure is the average of the strongest reading of each day over ten years, so single days run well above it. What decides whether you feel it is exposure, not altitude: the ridge between Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo and the coastal spine of Ponta de São Lourenço have nothing to break the wind, while a levada running inside laurel forest barely registers it.
Is February a good month for hiking in Madeira?
Waterfalls and levadas are at full power from winter rain, and the laurisilva is at its mossiest. Keep plans flexible: pick the sunny coast on the day rather than committing a week ahead, and treat the exposed ridge between Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo with respect when wind or cloud moves in.
Good starting points this month: waterfall hikes and forest & laurisilva trails. Regulated classics like PR1 need advance booking via SIMplifica.
What is February like in Madeira beyond the weather?
Carnival usually lands in February, filling Funchal with parades for a few days. Up high, clear post-frontal days give some of the best long-distance visibility of the year.
Common questions
How warm is Madeira in February?
On the south coast around Funchal, February days average about 18.7 °C and nights about 13.6 °C. The mountains are a different world: at Pico do Arieiro (1,818 m) the average daytime high is around 7.2 °C. Pack for both if you plan to hike high.
Does it rain a lot in Madeira in February?
Funchal averages roughly 73 mm across about 9 rainy days in February, a middling month for rain on the south coast. The north coast and the mountains always catch more. Rain is usually local: when one coast is wet, the other is often dry, which is why a single island-wide forecast misleads.
Is it windy in Madeira in February?
In February the strongest wind of the day averages 12 km/h at Pico do Arieiro, 15 km/h at Funchal and 16 km/h at Porto Moniz, over a ten-year record. Individual days run well above that. Wind is a question about the path rather than about the island: the ridge between Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo and the coastal spine of Ponta de São Lourenço are fully exposed, while levadas inside laurel forest are sheltered for most of their length. On an exposed section, wind costs you balance and body heat before it costs you time.
Can you swim in the sea in Madeira in February?
The Atlantic around Funchal averages about 19.6 °C in February, which is brisk, for determined swimmers. The natural lava pools at Porto Moniz and Seixal are the classic post-hike swim spots.
Is February a good month for the levada walks?
Yes. Levada walks work all year because most sit in sheltered valleys and forest, and Madeira has no real off-season. What changes in February is which side of the island has the better day, so check live per-trail conditions on the morning rather than trusting a single island-wide forecast.
Nearby months: January · March
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