The Climate of
Portugal
View of Praça Dom Pedro IV, Lisbon
Climate Map
Climate map of Portugal
What is the climate of Portugal like?
Portugal is a small country, about the size of Scotland. It has a coastline on the Atlantic Ocean and a land frontier with Spain. In addition, two attractive groups of Atlantic islands are integral parts of Portugal—the Azores and Madeira.
Together with Ireland, mainland Portugal occupies the westernmost position in Europe and the weather and climate are heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. Its southern latitude gives it a Mediterranean climate, similar to that of the state of California, but one where the summer heat is moderated by the Atlantic influence.
Despite being a small country, Portugal has a wide variety of climatic conditions. The mountain regions in the north are significantly colder than in the south. Winter snow in the Serra da Estrela—which contains Portugal's highest mountain—and the Serra do Geres near the northern Spanish border can block roads at times. The weather is milder on the north coasts and in the center of the country; Southern Portugal is even warmer. The sea moderates coastal temperatures, but the interior of the Alentejo can be quite warm, with temperatures sometimes exceeding 40ºC (104ºF) during the summer months. Due to the Mediterranean climate, most of Portugal's rains fall in winter, with the north receiving much more rain than the south.
Winters are particularly mild on the coast. The north and central interior of Portugal includes mountains and plateaux rising in places to over 1,800 meters (6,000 feet); here the summers are much cooler and the winters can be quite cold (see the climate of Bragança, which is at mid-elevation in the far north).
| Climate data for Bragança | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 8.8 (47.8) | 11.4 (52.5) | 15.1 (59.2) | 16.3 (61.3) | 20.0 (68.0) | 25.5 (77.9) | 29.2 (84.6) | 29.1 (84.4) | 25.1 (77.2) | 18.4 (65.1) | 12.8 (55.0) | 9.5 (49.1) | 18.4 (65.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.5 (40.1) | 6.2 (43.2) | 9.2 (48.6) | 10.7 (51.3) | 14.0 (57.2) | 18.8 (65.8) | 21.7 (71.1) | 21.6 (70.9) | 18.4 (65.1) | 13.1 (55.6) | 8.3 (46.9) | 5.5 (41.9) | 12.7 (54.8) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 0.2 (32.4) | 0.9 (33.6) | 3.2 (37.8) | 5.1 (41.2) | 8.0 (46.4) | 12.0 (53.6) | 14.2 (57.6) | 14.0 (57.2) | 11.6 (52.9) | 7.9 (46.2) | 3.7 (38.7) | 1.3 (34.3) | 6.8 (44.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 95.8 (3.77) | 75.0 (2.95) | 44.3 (1.74) | 62.1 (2.44) | 70.0 (2.76) | 38.7 (1.52) | 19.6 (0.77) | 18.4 (0.72) | 45.0 (1.77) | 84.8 (3.34) | 86.0 (3.39) | 118.6 (4.67) | 758.3 (29.84) |
| Source: Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera | |||||||||||||
The central part of the country has hot summers and mild, rainy winters, and the south has a dry climate with long, hot summers. Average temperatures in Lisbon are around 23°C (73°F) in July and around 12°C (54°F) in January.
| Climate data for Lisbon | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 14.8 (58.6) | 16.2 (61.2) | 18.8 (65.8) | 19.8 (67.6) | 22.1 (71.8) | 25.7 (78.3) | 27.9 (82.2) | 28.3 (82.9) | 26.5 (79.7) | 22.5 (72.5) | 18.2 (64.8) | 15.3 (59.5) | 21.3 (70.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 11.6 (52.9) | 12.7 (54.9) | 14.9 (58.8) | 15.9 (60.6) | 18.0 (64.4) | 21.2 (70.2) | 23.1 (73.6) | 23.5 (74.3) | 22.1 (71.8) | 18.8 (65.8) | 15.0 (59.0) | 12.4 (54.3) | 17.4 (63.4) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 8.3 (46.9) | 9.1 (48.4) | 11.0 (51.8) | 11.9 (53.4) | 13.9 (57.0) | 16.6 (61.9) | 18.2 (64.8) | 18.6 (65.5) | 17.6 (63.7) | 15.1 (59.2) | 11.8 (53.2) | 9.4 (48.9) | 13.5 (56.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 99.9 (3.93) | 84.9 (3.34) | 53.2 (2.09) | 68.1 (2.68) | 53.6 (2.11) | 15.9 (0.63) | 4.2 (0.17) | 6.2 (0.24) | 32.9 (1.30) | 100.8 (3.97) | 127.6 (5.02) | 126.7 (4.99) | 774 (30.47) |
| Source: Instituto de Meteorologia | |||||||||||||
Winter is the rainy season throughout Portugal, but in the north the autumn rains can sometimes be heavy when the summer weather breaks. The length and severity of the summer drought increases from north to south. The summer sun and heat as well as the winter mildness also increase towards the south. The south-facing Algarve coast is the sunniest, driest and warmest part of the country (see Faro's climate), but the summer heat rarely reaches the uncomfortable levels sometimes found in south-eastern Spain. Another beneficial aspect of this region for tourists is the higher sea temperatures compared to those on the west-facing coasts further north, where the seas are most likely to be rough.
| Climate data for Faro (1981-2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 16.1 (61.0) | 16.9 (62.4) | 19.1 (66.4) | 20.4 (68.7) | 22.8 (73.0) | 26.4 (79.5) | 29.2 (84.6) | 28.8 (83.8) | 26.6 (79.9) | 23.2 (73.8) | 19.6 (67.3) | 17.0 (62.6) | 22.2 (72.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 12.0 (53.6) | 12.8 (55.0) | 14.8 (58.6) | 16.1 (61.0) | 18.4 (65.1) | 21.9 (71.4) | 24.2 (75.6) | 24.1 (75.4) | 22.3 (72.1) | 19.3 (66.7) | 15.7 (60.3) | 13.3 (55.9) | 17.9 (64.2) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 7.9 (46.2) | 8.7 (47.7) | 10.5 (50.9) | 11.8 (53.2) | 14.0 (57.2) | 17.3 (63.1) | 19.1 (66.4) | 19.4 (66.9) | 18.0 (64.4) | 15.3 (59.5) | 11.7 (53.1) | 9.6 (49.3) | 13.6 (56.5) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 59.3 (2.33) | 52.0 (2.05) | 39.4 (1.55) | 38.6 (1.52) | 21.7 (0.85) | 4.3 (0.17) | 1.8 (0.07) | 3.9 (0.15) | 23.2 (0.91) | 60.1 (2.37) | 90.4 (3.56) | 114.1 (4.49) | 508.8 (20.03) |
| Source: Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera | |||||||||||||
Mean annual rainfall ranges from over 1,500 millimeters (60 inches) in the northwest wine region to 500 millimeters (20 inches) on the south coast. Snow is very rare at sea level in Portugal, but becomes more common inland and in the higher areas of the north. North of Lisbon it rains quite heavily in winter and the weather in the far north is often wet and stormy. Most parts of Portugal are sunny. Daily hours of sunshine average between four and five in winter and ten to eleven in summer in the north. In the extreme south, these numbers rise to six in winter and twelve in summer.
When is the best time to visit ?
In the north the climate is an Atlantic one, while the south is more Mediterranean. The heat of the high summer is tempered by the influence of the Atlantic on the coastal areas. The southern Algarve coast has a year-round mild climate; Lisbon, hot in summer, can be wet and windy January through April.
References
- E. A. Pearce, Charles Gordon Smith, (1990) The Hutchinson World Weather Guide, John Murray Press. ISBN 1859863426
- Timothy L. Gall, (ed.), (2003), Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, Eleventh Edition, Thomson Gale
- Federal Research Division, Library of Congress, (1993), Portugal: a country study. Claitor's Pub. Division. ISBN 0844407763.
- Hugh Chisholm, (ed.), (1911), Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh edition, Cambridge University Press
The Climate of
Portugal
In summary:
Portugal has a Mediterranean climate, but one where the summer heat is tempered by the Atlantic Ocean. Marked seasonal and regional variations within temperate limits characterize the climate. In the north there are cool summers and rainy winters. Central Portugal has hot summers and cool, rainy winters. The southern climate is very dry, with rainfall not exceeding 500 mm (20 in) along the coast. In Lisbon, the average temperature is about 23°C (73°F) in July and 12°C (54°F) in January.