The Azores climate is one of the most mysterious themes about the fantastic Atlantic islands. In fact, it is so fickle that the Azoreans themselves say that, on the same day, they experience all the seasons of the year: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
In practice it is not quite like that and we can analyze the Azorean climate in several aspects:
- temperature
- water temperature
- wind speed (super important for hiking!)
- rainfall (rainy days)
- cloudiness (cloudy days)
Let’s go explore the Azores climate! 🙂
Temperatures in the Azores
Being located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, quite expectedly the temperatures in the Azores tend not to be too cold during the winter months nor too warm during the summer months. In fact, during the warmest months in São Miguel island (July and August) the temperatures do not rise, on average, above 25 ºC (77 ºF) but they also do not fall below 13 ºC (55 ºF) during the winter months, which is fantastic. I remember spending an entire winter in São Miguel island wearing nothing but light raincoats over T-shirts, which was fantastic.
This makes the Azores climate perfect for people like me, who abhor winter months as much as the summer months. It is not so good for people that think that they will have the perfect opportunity to lay on the beach like a chicken on a grill for an entire day. It won’t be possible because indeed, the Azores islands is not a sunshine, golden sandy beach destination like the Algarve, in Southern Portugal.
Something else that I find interesting about the Azores climate is that, even though the Azores consists of 9 islands separated from each other by thousands of miles, the climate does not vary greatly between them. If you analyse the graphs below, you will see that the average lowest temperature in São Miguel island (in the Eastern group) is the same as in Flores island, in the Western group, which I find astonishing. Therefore, you only need to take into consideration the climate conditions of one island, even though you are probably visiting more than one, when deciding what to pack for your Azores trip :)
Coldest months
The coldest months in the Azores islands are definitely the months of December, January and February, when the average lowest temperature is 12 / 13 ºC ( 54 / 55 ºF) and the average highest temperature is 17 ºC (63 ºF).
Hottest months
The hottest months in the Azores islands are the months of July, August and September, with temperatures consistently ranging from 19 ºC (66 ºF) to 26 ºC (79 ºF). June and October are also interesting months to visit the Azores because the temperatures are slightly lower, but not by that much: usually, they range from 17º C (63º F) to 22º C (72 ºF) across the islands.
Does it truly get cold in the Azores?
As you can see on the graph above, the temperatures are quite mild (when compared, for example, with the winter in the North of Portugal, where I’m from, or even with the winters in Northern Europe), so during the winter it doesn’t feel cold in the Azores. The problem is the humidity, the overcast days, the extreme wind speed, and other factors that we will analyze in this article.
Therefore, even though it does not get very cold in the Azores I personally do not recommend visiting the Azores in winter, as I already mentioned in my article about the best time to visit the Azores.
During the summer months the temperatures don’t drop much either, not even at night, so I would say no, it never really gets cold in the Azores :)
Rainy days in the Azores
As you can see on the graph below, in general it doesn’t rain much in the Azores islands during the summer months, particularly in July and in August, where it rains on average between 1,3 to 2,3 days A MONTH in São Miguel island, the most visited island in the archipelago.
Interestingly enough, it rains on average a lot more in the islands on Faial (in the central group) and on Flores (western group), where it rains on average (in July and in August) 3,5 to 5 days and 3,4 to 3,9 days, respectively.
This is very interesting because unlike temperatures, that stay more a less the same across islands, it clearly rains more in the central and Western groups’ islands, like Flores and Faial.
During the winter it is exactly the same: it rains more in the central and Western groups’ islands than in the Eastern group ones, which are São Miguel and Santa Maria.
If you look at the graph above, you can see that, for instance in December, it rains on average 9,3 days in São Miguel, whereas it rains on average 10,8 days in Terceira island (which belongs to the central group) and 12,5 days in Flores island, in the Western group.
Therefore and taking into consideration the average rainy days per month and per island, I recommend you to visit the Azores during the summer months, particularly if you are planning to visit the central and Western groups’ islands, like Terceira, Faial, Pico and Flores.
If you are visiting the Azores later in the year, then I recommend you to stick to São Miguel island as it rains considerably less there.
Cloudy days in the Azores
The existence of cloudy days is a massive source of frustration for hikers in the Azores because there are such phenomenal hikes, in all the islands, that get completely ruined on a cloudy day. Because who on earth wants to climb a mountain for 3h just to discover that you can see s**t once you arrive at the top? It is horrible!
Therefore, if there is one thing about the Azores climate that is often overlooked and it shouldn’t be is the likelihood of having a cloudy day.
This is why I decided to include the graph below, which shows the percentage likelihood of having a clear sky per month, per island. It is useful to give you an idea of what you can expect all throughout the year in the Azores islands.
Nonetheless, I recommend you to, before getting out of the door for a hike, check the app Windguru as it shows the percentage cloud coverage in high, mid and low grounds. It is a life saving app that saved my ass so many times in the Azores as if I had planned to do a hike in “high” altitude but Windguru told me that the cloud coverage is very high, I didn’t bother going.
Water temperature in the Azores
The water temperature is an interesting topic within the Azores climate realm becaaaaause…
- During the summer months (July, August and September) it is a comfortable 22/23 ºC (72/73 ºF), which is perfect to enjoy some of the best beaches in the Azores islands.
- During the rest of the year the temperatures are not so bad either, ranging from 16 ºC to 21 ºC (61 ºC to 70 ºF, respectively), which is fine if you feel like taking a dive in the middle of the winter 😛
This means that, regardless of when you visit the Azores islands, the water will always be pleasant enough to enjoy some of the best water activities in São Miguel island.
Wind speed in the Azores
Wind speed is a critical factor, within the Azores climate topic, and it is very often overlooked. But, my dear friends, wind speed in the Azores is a serious topic that should not be overlooked because it affects your ability to a) do a hike and b) more importantly, take a boat or a plane to go to another island. Because yes, both planes and boats’ rides can be canceled due to strong winds.
This is the reason why I decided to mention the wind speed on this article about the Azores climate, by publishing the following graph, which showcases the average wind speed per month, per island:
Based on that, the safest months to visit the Azores, based on the wind speed, are the summer months (surprise, surprise!). If you like hiking and water sports I don’t recommend you to visit the Azores in late autumn and in winter because wind speed is a serious problem and it will hamper not only your ability to conduct activities but, more importantly, the ability to move from island to island, as the wind might be too strong for boats and planes alike to navigate.
Summary: Azores climate month by month
Winter in the Azores: December – February
The Azores climate is depressing during these winter months, there is no way around it. The temperature is mild, however there is a lot of rain and wind, and cloudy days are numerous. It is a time of enormous frustration for hikers, because the trails, despite being empty of tourists, are full of mud and visibility is very reduced. Precisely because of the weather conditions, it is impossible to carry out most water activities and walks have to be planned carefully and using some of the best weather apps.
On the other hand, if you’re a budget traveler it could be an interesting time to visit the Azores because, as it’s low season, it’s easier to negotiate the price of accommodation, car rental and even some activities.
Spring in the Azores: March – June
Spring is such an interesting time in the Azores. The days start to get longer and the temperatures are higher; for those that are used to snowy winters, spring in the Azores will already feel like summer, but with fewer tourists and more interesting prices than in actual summer.
The flower season is in full bloom, which provides plenty of photographic opportunities, including the extraordinary blue / violet shades of the iconic hydrangea flowers (June).
Spring is also perfect to explore some of the best hikes in the Azores islands, as the temperatures are not very high and there is an abundance of clear sky days.
April and May in particular are also the best time to do some whale watching in São Miguel, Pico island and Faial island, as this is the time when large whales pass by the Azores on their migration route from the equator to the summer feeding grounds off the coast of Greenland, Iceland and Norway. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the gentle giants up close!
Summer in the Azores: July – August
Summer in the Azores makes the Portuguese islands look even more idyllic than the photos you find online. The sunsets are Instagram-worthy, and there are plenty of warm, clear sky days, perfect for going to the beach and doing all kinds of outdoor activities.
The idyllic Azores climate during the summer comes with a price though, because it’s the months when crowds (both Portuguese and foreign alike) flood the island.
Hotels are more expensive, you need to book restaurants several nights in advance and several activities run out very fast.
More importantly, rental cars simply disappear from the market during the summer months in the Azores, and you can easily find yourself in a pickle if you do not rent a car in advance. Seriously, I have seen hundreds of people arriving at the Azores islands without having secured a rental car just to discover that there is none, and that they will have to rely on expensive (and scarce!) taxis to move around. It’s insane!
Fall in the Azores: September – November
Fall is probably my favourite time of the year in the Azores islands. Slowly, the summer crowds start to fade away (though not as quickly as you would expect). The days are still long and the temperatures still remain relatively high. Cloudy days are usually under control so it is the perfect time for hiking and taking photos in its pristine forests filled with the Fall’s colors.
Fall is the peak hurricane season in North Atlantic, where the Azores islands are located, so you can expect some occasional weather alerts that will compromise some of your time in the islands.
Summary: when to visit the Azores
I have already written a very detailed guide about the best time to visit the Azores islands, so make sure to read it before booking your trip!
