Madeira weather · September
Weather in Madeira in September
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.
September keeps August's weather and loses its crowds, especially after mid-month. The sea reaches its annual peak around 25 °C, the mountains stay dependable, and the light starts softening into autumn.
What are Madeira's temperatures, rain and sea like in September?
| Where | Day / night | Rain | Rainy days | Sun/day | Peak wind | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funchal / south coast | 25.7 / 19.7 °C | 39 mm | 9 | 11 h | 13 km/h | 24.4 °C |
| Porto Moniz / north coast | 25.1 / 20.2 °C | 32 mm | 7 | 11 h | 15 km/h | — |
| Pico do Arieiro (1,818 m) | 14.2 / 7.6 °C | 53 mm | 12 | 10 h | 9 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 September rank among Madeira's twelve months?
Measured on the south coast, September is number 10 of 12 for rain, number 5 of 12 for sunshine and number 2 of 12 for sea temperature, where number 1 is the wettest, the sunniest and the warmest month of the year.
In figures: 39 mm of rain, in a year that runs from 11 to 91 mm. 11 hours of sun a day, against a yearly range of 8.1 to 12.8. A sea of 24.4 °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 September 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 September 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 September 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 September the daily peak averages 9 km/h at Pico do Arieiro, 13 km/h at Funchal and 15 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 September a good month for hiking in Madeira?
Arguably the smartest month to visit: summer conditions on the trails without summer queues. Everything from the peaks to the coastal paths is in play. The first Atlantic fronts can brush the island late in the month, so keep one flexible day in the plan.
Good starting points this month: coastal walks and summit hikes. Regulated classics like PR1 need advance booking via SIMplifica.
What is September like in Madeira beyond the weather?
Harvest season in the vineyards, warm long evenings, and the best swimming of the year after a day on the trail.
Common questions
How warm is Madeira in September?
On the south coast around Funchal, September days average about 25.7 °C and nights about 19.7 °C. The mountains are a different world: at Pico do Arieiro (1,818 m) the average daytime high is around 14.2 °C. Pack for both if you plan to hike high.
Does it rain a lot in Madeira in September?
Funchal averages roughly 39 mm across about 9 rainy days in September, one of the wetter months 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 September?
In September the strongest wind of the day averages 9 km/h at Pico do Arieiro, 13 km/h at Funchal and 15 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 September?
The Atlantic around Funchal averages about 24.4 °C in September, which is comfortably warm for swimming. The natural lava pools at Porto Moniz and Seixal are the classic post-hike swim spots.
Is September 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 September 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: August · October
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