Climate - Portugal

Index

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• Introduction
• North - Porto, Bragança
• Center-south - Lisbon
• Algarve
• Best Time
• What to pack

Introduction

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The climate of Portugal is temperate and influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. In the north, the climate is cool and rainy, while moving south it becomes gradually warmer and sunnier; in the far south, the region of Algarve has a dry and sunny microclimate.
In the interior, on the border with Spain, the climate is a bit more continental. In the north-central there are also mountain ranges. In the highest, Serra da Estrela, you can ski in winter.
In summer, Portugal is protected by the Azores High, so it's usually sunny everywhere, however, a few weather fronts can still affect the northern part of the country. In the rest of the year, and especially from November to March, rainfall can occur, especially in the north where it is more frequent and abundant. Therefore, the landscape in the north is definitely green, while it gradually becomes more arid towards the south, down to Algarve, which has a fairly dry climate.
In fact, annual precipitation amounts to 1,450 mm (57 inches) in Braga and 1,100 millimeters (45 in) in Porto, while it drops to around 900 mm (35 in) in Coimbra, to 800 mm (31.5 in) in Lisbon, and to about 500 mm (20 in) in Algarve. The rainiest season is winter.

Winter, from December to February, is mild on the coast, even in the northern part, since the average temperature in January is around 10 °C (50 °F) in Porto, 12 °C (53.5 °F) in Lisbon, and 12.5 °C (54.5 °F) in Faro.
In winter, there are periods of good weather when the Azores Anticyclone settles in the country, but there are also waves of bad weather, with rain and wind. Sometimes, gale force winds may blow from the ocean, especially in the north.
The position of the country, overlooking the ocean, provides good shelter from cold winds and night frosts, which, in fact, are very rare and not intense, especially on the coast, where the records are a few degrees below freezing in the north and around 0 °C (32 °F) in the south.
On the other hand, in the inland areas of the center-north, the cold is more intense, especially in hilly and mountainous areas, where it can sometimes even snow.

Summer, from June to mid-September, is sunny, and it's mild or even cool on the northern coast, and warm in the center and south. In Porto, the daily average temperatures in August is 20 °C (68 °F), with highs around 25 °C (77 °F). In Lisbon, the average is higher, and reaches 23.5 °C (74.5 °F), with highs around 28 °C (82 °F). However, in the coastal areas most exposed to ocean winds (see Peniche, Sines, Sagres), it is cool even in summer. The Algarve coast is more sheltered, and therefore the temperatures are similar to those of Lisbon.
The heat is more intense in the interior, especially in the south-central, in the plains and in valleys at low altitudes (see Évora, Beja), where sometimes it can be scorching.
However, from mid-June to early September, the whole of Portugal can be hit by heat waves from Africa. In these situations, the temperature can exceed 36/37 °C (97/99 °F) on the coasts, while it can exceed 40 °C (104 °F) in inland areas.

Spring and autumn are cool in the north and mild in the south. The rains are quite frequent, especially in the north, where it can sometimes be a bit cold.

North

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Porto

Here are the average temperatures of Porto, located in the northern part of the coast.

The rains in Porto are more frequent and abundant from November to February, while they are quite rare in summer. Here is the average rainfall.

The temperature of the sea in the northern part of the coast is very cool, if not cold, even in summer, in fact it reaches 19 °C (66 °F) in August.

In the inland areas of the north, east of Aveiro and Oporto, the winter is colder, not only for the greater distance to the sea, but also because the altitude increases, and at times it can snow.

Bragança

Here are the average temperatures of Bragança, located in the extreme north-east, at 700 meters (2,300 feet), near the Montesinho Natural Park. Here, during the most intense cold periods, the temperature can go down to around -10 °C (14 °F). Summer is hot and sunny, even though nights are cool. Sometimes it can get very hot here as well.

Further south, and north-east of Coimbra, we find a mountain range, the Serra da Estrela, which reaches 1,993 meters (6,539 ft). Here the temperature can drop to -15/-20 °C (-4/5 °F).
To the north-east of the Serra da Estrela we find Manteigas, at almost 800 meters (2,600 feet), and Guarda, which is located at 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) above sea level.
Here are the average temperatures of Penhas Douradas, 1,400 meters (4,600 ft) above sea level and a short distance from Manteigas.

Center-south

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In central and southern Portugal, winter is milder, Atlantic disturbances pass less often over the region, and windy days are less frequent. Summer is warmer, but not on the coast, where the ocean air is felt even in this season.

Lisbon

Lisbon, the capital, is located not exactly on the Atlantic coast, but in a sheltered bay on the estuary of the Tagus river, so in summer it is warm (while for example, at Cabo da Roca, it is cool even in summer). Here are the average temperatures.

Here is the average precipitation.

The sun in central and southern Portugal shines regularly in summer, but even in winter there are several sunny periods, as we can see from the data of Lisbon. In the north, the sun shines a little less often in Porto, on average, about an hour less in both winter and summer.

In Lisbon, the sea temperature is slightly warmer than in Porto, although it's still very cool for swimming, in fact, it only reaches 20.5 °C (69 °F) in July and August.



In inland south-central areas (Alentejo region, see Évora, Beja), summer is definitely hot, especially during heat waves from Africa.
Here are the average temperatures of Beja, where the temperature can reach 45 °C (113 °F) in the worst moments.

In August 2003, in Amareleja, a town located in Alentejo, north-east of Beja, the temperature reached 47.3 °C (117 °F).

Algarve

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In the far south, in Algarve, along the south-facing Atlantic coast, in cities such as Lagos, Portimão, Albufeira, Faro, and Tavira, the climate is Mediterranean, though the summer is not as sultry as in the real Mediterranean areas. The climate here is similar to that of Lisbon but a little less rainy, in fact, the yearly rainfall is around 500 mm (20 in). Summer is sunny, and there are often lively breezes; in addition, there may be some days a bit cool, with highs below 25 °C (77 °F), especially in June and in the first half of July.
However, the cold records in the Algarve are around 0 °C (32 °F), while the heat records are around 40 °C (104 °F).
Here are the average temperatures of Faro.

The sea on the south coast of Algarve is cool, although a little less than in the rest of Portugal, in fact, it reaches 21 °C (70 °F) in August and September. Here is the average sea temperature in Albufeira.

On the south-western tip, in Cape St. Vincent and in Sagres, the summer is cooler: average highs in July and August are only around 25/25.5 °C (77/78 °F). Here are the average temperatures in Sagres.

Best Time

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The best periods to visit the cities of Portugal are from mid-May to mid-June and from mid-September to early October, since in summer it can sometimes get very hot. On the coasts, where the heat is less frequent, and generally less intense, you can go in the summer, also because on very hot days you can seek refuge by the sea.
Winter is mild, but it can be very rainy and windy, especially in the north, and it can be cold in inland areas.
If you want to go on a beach holiday, the best period is summer, especially July and August (and also the first half of September in the center and south), however, as mentioned, the temperature of the ocean is not high, and is definitely cool on the north coast.

What to pack

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In winter: for Lisbon and the south coast, bring spring/autumn clothes, a sweater, a coat, a rain jacket; you can bring a jacket a bit heavier and a hat for Porto and the northern coast. For inland and mountainous areas: warm clothes, such as a down jacket, a hat, a raincoat or umbrella.
In summer: bring light clothes, a sun hat, a light scarf for the sea breeze, a sweatshirt for the evening; a sweatshirt and a light jacket for the north and the mountains.

See also the climate of the Azores islands and of Madeira.