- Temperature
- Feels like
- Rain
- Wind
- Sea water
- Waves
- Updated
Sea water: 24.1°C, practically unchanged all week
Waves: 0.5m
At 24.1 °C the water in Funchal is genuinely warm. Comfortable for long swims.
| Day | Sea water | Waves |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday 25/07 | 24.1 °C | 0.5 m |
| Sunday 26/07 | 24.1 °C | 0.5 m |
| Monday 27/07 | 23.9 °C | 0.4 m |
| Tuesday 28/07 | 23.7 °C | 0.4 m |
| Wednesday 29/07 | 24.0 °C | 0.3 m |
| Thursday 30/07 | 24.2 °C | 0.3 m |
| Friday 31/07 | 24.3 °C | 0.4 m |
The water temperature shown here comes from marine forecast models with a dedicated ocean grid point for Funchal, updated every day. The table covers the next seven days, so you can pick the best beach day before you go.
Sea temperature moves much more slowly than air temperature. A hot afternoon does not warm the ocean, and a windy day can cool it fast. Checking the water itself is the only reliable way to know what to expect.
Funchal sits on the sheltered south coast of Madeira, surrounded by deep Atlantic water that changes little from day to day. The sea stays mild all year, cooler than the Algarve at the height of summer but far warmer through winter and spring.
From August to October, at around 23 to 24 °C. Madeira has the smallest seasonal swing of all Portuguese coasts, and even in February the sea rarely drops below 18 °C.
The ocean gains and loses heat far more slowly than land, so it runs months behind the seasons. On top of that, the summer northerly wind pushes surface water offshore and draws cold deep water up in its place, which is why a heatwave on land so often coincides with a colder sea.
Once a day, every morning, from marine forecast models. The page shows today's water temperature in Funchal, the outlook for seven days and the wave height for each day.