When you’re travelling as far as the Azores, a collection of remote islands scattered across a vast area of ocean, you’ll want to know what the weather’s going to be like – and get an idea of the sea conditions for swimming and water sports, diving and sailing. Here’s your definitive guide to the Azores weather and the ocean surrounding them.
What’s the weather like in the Azores?
The Azores archipelago sits between two vast air masses, one coming from the tropics and the other from the pole. Together they create a unique climate called the Azores High, basically a powerful permanent anticyclone. In winter it moves south bringing slightly cooler air with it. In summer it heads north, bringing the slightly warmer tropical air back for the holiday season.
São Miguel and Santa Maria have more of a Mediterranean-like climate, while the central and westerly islands including Flores and Corvo are more humid, wetter with more of a subtropical feel. The differences are subtle and won’t affect the clothes you need. Take Sao Miguel’s weather and much the same applies to every island.
Climb peaks like Mount Pico and the air dries out and cools, as you’d expect from being at altitude. Now and again you get hazy volcanic ash or fine sand blown over from the Sahara, cooling the air up there even more.
What to wear in the Azores
If you’re going walking in the mountains, valleys and jungly forests you’ll need something a bit more sturdy than flip-flops. If you’re serious walkers or an adrenaline monkey hell-bent on heavy duty adventuring you’ll already know the score. Other than that, just bring the usual hot weather holiday gear in summer, plus a lightweight waterproof in case of showers.
The Azores weather by season
The Azores weather is relatively temperate, gentle and balmy thanks to the vast, warming Gulf Stream current that flows past, but it’s also all over the place. As Brits we’re used to fast-changing conditions and we feel right at home. You’ll probably see four seasons in a day in the Azores.
So the Azores temperature doesn’t vary much throughout the year. It’s usually anything from 10 to 24C, depending on the season, but it can get as hot as 28C and plummet close to freezing in the off-season. Basically this is pretty warm considering the islands are so far north, and way out in the North Atlantic, at much the same latitude as Philadelphia, USA, where they get winter lows of minus forty.
The humidity is high in the Azores, usually in the late 70s to early 80s percent, which makes the summers muggy. In winter a cloudy, windy day will feel cooler than you’d expect it to thanks to the chill factor of the humidity.
When’s the best time to visit the Azores? Some people say May and September, both highly recommended thanks to the warm, mostly dry weather and fewer crowds. But it depends what you’re there for, as you’ll see next.
Spring Weather in the Azores – Warm, fresh and fragrant
March, April, and May are popular months to visit the Azores for the mild weather, fresh spring greenery and glorious wildflowers. Spring is a particularly good time for nature-lovers and a joy for hikers.
Summer weather in the Azores – A hot, sunny holiday paradise
June, July, and August mark the peak tourist season when the weather gets warmer, making the beaches a treat to lounge and play on. If you’re into hiking this might not be your best bet simply because the trails can get pretty crowded. At this time of year, obviously, you pay the most for things like hotels and hire cars, so spring or autumn might be better for your budget.
Autumn weather in the Azores – Mild with plenty of potential for thrills
September and October are mild and the warmth often carries on into November. The islands empty out, breathe and relax, leaving a peaceful vibe and wonderfully deserted beaches, a bit too chilly for sunbathing but brilliant for seaside walks. The hiking and outdoor activities continue as long as the good weather lasts.
Now and again there’s a hurricane, but it’s pretty rare. If one approaches it’ll probably roar archipelago-wards from the south but run out of wind well before reaching the islands.
Winter weather in the Azores – An adventurer’s paradise
Warm winters typify winters in the Azores and it rarely falls below 10C. The cost of accommodation plummets and things are really quiet, just the locals plus the kind of holidaymakers who are more likely to be found traversing the rim of an extinct volcano than smothering themselves in SPF50 down on the beach.
Azores weather – April, May, June and October on land and sea
Early autumn and late spring come with varied weather, less predictable, and that’s why they fall neatly into a weather group of their own. If you love a hot tub the Azores hot springs will blow it out of the water during these months, pun intended! You could easily stay in there all day.
October offers an average 11cm rain over 16 days and April has quite a lot less, both in terms of the amount of rain and the number of days on average when it rains: 7cm of rain and around 13 days when rain falls. May gets even drier, so does June, and it stays as humid as ever throughout. Your sea temperatures rise from 17.5C in May through to 20C in June with a balmy 21C in October.
Azores weather – July, August and September on land and sea
These are your warmest months in the Azores, hitting highs of 24 to 25C with lows averaging 17C. This is the time of year when warm weather meets smaller crowds. There’s less rain in July and August, ideal for beach-based breaks, with just a bit of rain falling over 9 days or so per month in July, increasing the closer you get to October.
Now’s when you get the east misty and best views of delights like crater lakes, the amazing Sete Cidades, loved for its astonishing beauty, and the extraordinary Lagoa do Fogo. And this is the best weather for calm seas, voyages over the ocean, and island air transfers.
Azores weather – November to March on land and sea
If you want to break things into logical chunks, looking at November to March in one go makes sense. These are the wettest months, with 10.5cm to 13cm of rain on 17-19 days. It gets steadily less wet from January to March and the humidity is the same as the rest of the year: 79-82%.
It rains, but not all day every day. Whale watching is mostly off the menu because the sea gets rough, and hikers can lose the views to mist and fog. The beaches are fabulous with barely anyone on them. And wild swimmers adore November because the water hits a lovely 20C. By January the sea temperature has dropped to 17C. The hot springs are particularly popular at this time of year and Furnas is a really good choice.
Azores tours to inspire your holiday
Pre-booking Azores tours for the busiest months means you won’t miss out. Even at less-busy times it’s a good idea to get your tours arranged beforehand so you can just turn up and go. Here are some inspiring trips, experiences and tours to get you going. Azores, here we come!
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