Information on the Algarve Temperature and Climate

The Climate in the Algarve is one of the hottest and most sunny in mainland Europe with over 3000 hours of sunshine per year. Rainfall is fairly low and falls mainly in the winter months. In the summer rainfall is extremely rare. The Algarve is hilly, but traversed with rich valleys. Its highest point is the mountain range of Monchique, with a maximum altitude of 906m (Peak of the Foia).

In May and June the Tavira climate is mild with temperature ranges of between 12 and 25 degrees celcius and in January and February temperatures are between 7 and 17 degrees celcius. Rainfall peaks at 72mms in March with the dry season setting in in June with little rainfall falling untill September.

At night the west is warmer in the winter than the eastern Algarve and in the summer cooler. This is caused by the moderating effect of the Atlantic ocean. In the western Algarve temperatures are generally cooler in the day in summer and warmer in winter than in the eastern Algarve.

At Sagres the average temperature in January and Febuary ranges between 7 and 17 degrees celcius making the Sagres climate mild and in August and September it increases to between 17 and 29 degrees. Sagres dates back to before the Roman conquest. The frequent presence of Prince Henry the Navigator during the first days of Atlantic navigation and the discovery of the African coast as far as the Gulf of Guinea has forever linked this picturesque fishing port with the Discoveries.