Funchal weather in December

In December, Funchal sees average daytime highs of 17°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 83 mm of rain across 10.4 wet days and about 9.9 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 17°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 hours at the start of December to 9 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Funchal's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Funchal's year-round climate.

Daytime high
17°
9th warmest
Overnight low
14°
5th coldest
Rainfall
83 mm
10.4 wet days
Daylight
9 h 54 min
8:08 AM – 6:00 PM
Cloud cover
68%
11th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
2.58 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.1
out of 10

Funchal is city and seat of Funchal municipality, Portugal.

Air quality
Good
PM2.5 5.2 µg/m³ · 2019

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 17°C through the month.

A typical December day in Funchal reaches about 17°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 15°C and 18°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C cooler than November and about 1°C warmer than January.

10°13°15°18°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11714
21714
31714
41714
51714
61714
71714
81714
91714
101714
111714
121714
131714
141714
151714
161714
171714
181714
191714
201614
211614
221614
231614
241614
251614
261614
271614
281614
291614
301614
311613

Funchal weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 9th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan16° / 13°518.410.14.9
Feb15° / 12°537.910.84.8
Mar16° / 13°5610.311.85.0
Apr17° / 13°478.612.85.4
May19° / 14°287.413.76.4
Jun21° / 16°133.514.17.5
Jul23° / 18°41.413.98.6
Aug24° / 19°72.513.28.6
Sep23° / 19°257.712.27.2
Oct21° / 18°6911.711.26.1
Nov18° / 15°641110.35.6
Dec17° / 14°8310.49.95.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 66%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13367
23367
33367
43367
53367
63367
73367
83367
93466
103367
113367
123367
133367
143367
153466
163466
173466
183466
193466
203466
213466
223466
233466
243664
253664
263763
273763
283763
293763
303763
313763

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Funchal gets around 83 mm of rain over 10.4 wet days in December, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 34% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
136
235
335
434
534
633
733
833
933
1034
1134
1234
1335
1435
1535
1636
1736
1836
1936
2036
2135
2235
2335
2434
2533
2633
2732
2831
2931
3030
3129

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 67% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
162326
262335
363334
463334
563343
663343
763343
863343
963343
1064342
1164342
1265332
1365332
1466322
1566322
1667312
1767312
1867303
1967303
2068293
2168293
2269283
2369283
2469283
2569283
2670273
2771272
2871272
2972262
3072262
3173252

Wind in December

Winds average 12 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
911calm
1011calm
1111calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2112calm
2212calm
2312calm
2412calm
2512calm
2612calm
2712calm
2812calm
2912calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 hours at the start of December to 9 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:57 AM to 8:15 AM, and sunset from 5:58 PM to 6:07 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.07:575:58
210.07:585:58
310.07:595:58
410.08:005:58
510.08:005:58
69.98:015:58
79.98:025:58
89.98:035:58
99.98:035:58
109.98:045:58
119.98:055:58
129.98:065:59
139.98:065:59
149.98:075:59
159.98:075:59
169.98:086:00
179.98:096:00
189.98:096:00
199.98:106:01
209.88:106:01
219.88:116:02
229.88:116:02
239.88:126:03
249.88:126:03
259.98:136:04
269.98:136:04
279.98:136:05
289.98:146:05
299.98:146:06
309.98:146:07
319.98:156:07

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.58 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.58 kWh/m² to a high of 7.31 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 2.58 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.7Moderate
22.6Moderate
32.6Moderate
42.6Moderate
52.6Moderate
62.6Moderate
72.6Moderate
82.6Moderate
92.6Moderate
102.6Moderate
112.6Moderate
122.6Moderate
132.6Moderate
142.6Moderate
152.6Moderate
162.6Moderate
172.6Moderate
182.6Moderate
192.6Moderate
202.6Moderate
212.6Moderate
222.6Moderate
232.6Moderate
242.6Moderate
252.6Moderate
262.6Moderate
272.6Moderate
282.6Moderate
292.6Moderate
302.6Moderate
312.6Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Funchal

In seasonPeak

None of Funchal's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Funchal sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Atlantic hurricane
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Funchal?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

5.1
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
1.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Funchal for sightseeing.

What to pack for Funchal in December

From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In December, Funchal sees daytime highs around 17°C and nights near 14°C. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Funchal in December

The nearest coast averages about 20°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in September at about 24°C and coldest in March near 18°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 30 to Dec 14 — about 6.5 months when the water holds above 20°C.

16°18°20°22°24°26°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan19Cool
Feb18Cool
Mar18Cool
Apr18Cool
May19Cool
Jun21Refreshing
Jul22Refreshing
Aug23Refreshing
Sep24Refreshing
Oct23Refreshing
Nov21Refreshing
Dec20Cool

UV index in Funchal in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Funchal peaks around July 15 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJul 15UV 11Dec 16UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar9Very high
Apr8Very high
May9Very high
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct7High
Nov3Moderate
Dec3Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Funchal?

Funchal sits at 32.7°N, 16.9°W, 280 m above sea level, in Portugal. The nearest listed city is Santo António, 1.0 km away.

Topography around Funchal

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Funchal.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Funchal has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,070 m around an average of 345 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,832 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,780 m.

The land around Funchal is covered by trees (46%) and artificial surfaces (42%) within 3 km, water (47%) and trees (40%) within 16 km, and water (93%) within 80 km.

3 km
1,070 m
16 km
1,832 m
80 km
1,780 m
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Santo António 1.0 km · São Martinho 3.0 km · Câmara de Lobos 5.0 km · Caniço 8.0 km · Santa Cruz de la Palma 450 km · Los Llanos de Aridane 456 km · Tacoronte 468 km · La Laguna 468 km

Portugal travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / E / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 60% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$32,082
2025
Happiness
6.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
95%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.7
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
8.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Very high
EF EPI 612
Religion
Catholic 68%not applicable 13%no religion 12%no response 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Funchal (32.6657°, -16.9255°, elevation 280 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).