Funchal vs La Palma: which is sunnier?
🇵🇹 Portugal vs 🇪🇸 Spain · 462 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
La Palma is the sunnier overall: about 3,075 hours of sunshine a year to Funchal's 2,835. La Palma has the higher Sunshine Score in 10 of 12 months; the other 2 are within 2 points.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
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At a glance
| Funchal | La Palma | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 2,835 | 3,075 |
| Sunniest month | July (95/100) | June (97/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 78/100 | 87/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 94/100 | 97/100 |
| Rain / year | 364 mm | 242 mm |
| Warmest sea | 24°C / 75°F | 25°C / 77°F |
| Peak midday UV | 10 (very high) | 10 (very high) |
Funchal vs La Palma month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funchal | La Palma | Funchal | La Palma | Funchal | La Palma | Funchal | La Palma | |
| January | 74 | 85 | 18° | 19° | 37 | 27 | 21° | 21° |
| February | 73 | 84 | 18° | 19° | 45 | 32 | 20° | 21° |
| March | 73 | 85 | 18° | 19° | 44 | 23 | 19° | 21° |
| April | 83 | 86 | 19° | 19° | 29 | 16 | 20° | 22° |
| May | 92 | 96 | 20° | 20° | 20 | 6 | 21° | 23° |
| June | 94 | 97 | 22° | 22° | 10 | 4 | 21° | 24° |
| July | 95 | 97 | 23° | 23° | 5 | 2 | 23° | 24° |
| August | 94 | 96 | 24° | 24° | 8 | 5 | 24° | 25° |
| September | 92 | 95 | 24° | 24° | 21 | 10 | 24° | 25° |
| October | 88 | 92 | 23° | 24° | 41 | 29 | 24° | 24° |
| November | 86 | 89 | 21° | 22° | 51 | 43 | 22° | 23° |
| December | 79 | 89 | 19° | 21° | 53 | 45 | 21° | 22° |
The sunnier month by month: Jan La Palma · Feb La Palma · Mar La Palma · Apr La Palma · May La Palma · Jun La Palma · Jul even · Aug even · Sep La Palma · Oct La Palma · Nov La Palma · Dec La Palma.
When to pick which
- November–February: La Palma (average score 87/100 vs 78). Daytime highs are similar (19°C vs 20°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: La Palma (average score 89/100 vs 83). Daytime highs are similar (19°C vs 19°C).
- June–August: La Palma (average score 97/100 vs 94). Daytime highs are similar (23°C vs 23°C).
- September–October: La Palma (average score 94/100 vs 90). Daytime highs are similar (24°C vs 24°C).
Sea temperature
La Palma's sea gets warmer: 25°C / 77°F at its peak vs 24°C. Swimmable water (21°C+): Funchal about 9 months a year, La Palma all year. Month-by-month sea temperatures are in the table above.
Full month-by-month guides: Funchal weather by month · La Palma weather by month · Best time to visit Portugal · Best time to visit Spain.
More comparisons: Funchal vs Tenerife · Funchal vs Lanzarote · Funchal vs Ponta Delgada · La Palma vs Gran Canaria · La Palma vs Tenerife · La Palma vs Fuerteventura · all head-to-heads