Algarve Climate and Weather
Being the southern-most location in Portugal and situated just across the water from Africa, the Algarve experiences some of the most hospitable weather in Europe throughout the year. Year round, this equates to an inordinate number of hours of sunshine making it an ideal destination at anytime. The rainfall is correspondingly low even in the winter months with December the wettest.
In the summer one is virtually guaranteed hot, sunny weather - often a little too hot for some. If you are a committed beach-goer or sun-worshipper then this may be the ideal time to enjoy the Algarve's fantastic beaches. For those who want to get out and about and see some of the sights and have a more active holiday then spring may be a better bet. This is also the prettiest time of year with plenty of greenery to be seen.
The table below shows a summary of the Algarve weather averages that can be expected year round.
| High temp °C (°F) | Low temp °C (°F) | Average temp °C (°F) | Rainfall mm (ins) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16.1 (61) | 7.7 (45.9) | 11.9 (53.4) | 78.0 (3.2) |
| Feb | 16.7 (62.1) | 8.4 (47.1) | 12.6 (54.7) | 72.0 (3) |
| Mar | 18.4 (65.1) | 8.9 (48) | 13.7 (56.7) | 39.0 (1.6) |
| Apr | 19.8 (67.6) | 10.4 (50.7) | 15.1 (59.2) | 38.0 (1.6) |
| May | 22.4 (72.3) | 12.5 (54.5) | 17.5 (63.5) | 21.0 (0.9) |
| Jun | 25.4 (77.7) | 15.7 (60.3) | 20.6 (69.1) | 8.0 (0.3) |
| Jul | 28.7 (83.7) | 17.9 (64.2) | 23.3 (73.9) | 1.0 (0) |
| Aug | 28.8 (83.8) | 18.0 (64.4) | 23.4 (74.1) | 4.0 (0.2) |
| Sep | 26.7 (80.1) | 16.9 (62.4) | 21.8 (71.2) | 14.0 (0.6) |
| Oct | 23.1 (73.6) | 14.3 (57.7) | 18.7 (65.7) | 67.0 (2.7) |
| Nov | 19.4 (66.9) | 10.9 (51.6) | 15.1 (59.2) | 86.0 (3.5) |
| Dec | 16.7 (62.1) | 8.6 (47.5) | 12.7 (54.9) | 94.0 (3.9) |
The table below shows the average sea temperatures for the Algarve. As you can see it is warm enough for swimming (just!) all year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| °C | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 14 |
| °F | 59 | 61 | 62 | 64 | 66 | 69 | 69 | 67 | 66 | 64 | 61 | 57 |
