The Madeira archipelego is located in the Atlantic ocean to the south west of mainland Portugal. The islands are of volcanic origin with steep mountains that make the Madeira temperature quite varied. At sea level the weather can be warm and sunny on the same day that rain is falling higher up on the mountains. Animals and plants of different species take advantage of differing climatic conditions at different points above sea level.
Madeira has warmer winters and cooler summers than the mainland Portugal temperature. Winter temperatures in January and Febuary range between 13 and 19 degrees celcius. Rainfall levels are on average 48.7mms in January at Porto Santo and this falls to just 14mms by May.
In the summer time the climate in Funchal is warm with temps ranging between 17 and 25 degrees celcius in June, July and August. The temperature in Funchal Madeira at Autumn time is still very mild with low temperatures falling from 19 to 16 degrees celcius. Rainfall is low at 3.2mms in July and this increases 39.9mms in October with the highest level of 69.9mms falling in December.
