Santa Cruz Temperature by Month
The average annual maximum temperature in Santa Cruz, Madeira Islands, Portugal is 21°C (70°F), with daytime highs ranging from 17°C (63°F) in February to 25°C (77°F) in August. This page covers monthly averages, day-night differences, and how Santa Cruz compares to cities worldwide.
Santa Cruz Monthly Temperatures
The climate in Santa Cruz experiences moderate temperature changes, with mild shifts between seasons. At night, temperatures range from 20°C (68°F) in August to 14°C (57°F) in February.
The chart below illustrates the average maximum day and minimum night temperatures in Santa Cruz by month:
Low temperatures are most often recorded between 4 AM and 6 AM, while highs typically occur around 3 PM. August, the city's warmest month, sees 238 hours of sunshine.
The chart below shows the average temperature throughout the year:
Temperature: Santa Cruz vs Portugal
The map below shows the annual temperature across Portugal. You can also select individual months if you want to compare a specific time of year.
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moderate
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Santa Cruz vs World: Temperature Compared
Santa Cruz's average annual maximum temperature is 21°C (70°F). To put that in context, here's how it compares to a few well-known destinations:
Barcelona, Spain has an annual average of around 21°C (70°F), with warm summers and mild, fairly short winters.
Interlaken, Switzerland averages 8°C (46°F) a year, with cold winters and cool summers thanks to its Alpine setting.
Beijing, China averages 20°C (68°F) annually, but with big seasonal swings — very cold winters and hot summers.
Brisbane, Australia averages 26°C (79°F) a year, with warm winters and hot, humid summers.
What Does the Temperature Feel Like in Santa Cruz?
Temperature alone doesn't tell the whole story — humidity plays a big role in how warm or cold it actually feels. High humidity in summer makes the heat feel more intense, particularly once temperatures climb above 25°C. In winter, the same humidity can make cold air feel sharper than the thermometer suggests.
In Santa Cruz, February is the coolest month, with average highs of 17°C (63°F) and humidity around 70% — considered high. In August, the warmest month, temperatures average 25°C (77°F) with 72% humidity — conditions that feel high. For a full picture, see our humidity page.
Climate temperature data is typically calculated as a 30-year average. This smooths out year-to-year variability and gives a more reliable picture of what a place is actually like, rather than what happened in any single unusual year.
The readings come from a range of sources — land-based weather stations, ocean buoys, ships, and satellites. That data is collected by weather services around the world, then pooled, quality-checked, and averaged to produce the climate records you see here.
Whether a city sits on the coast or deep inland makes a significant difference to its climate. Coastal areas tend to have more stable temperatures year-round — large bodies of water absorb heat slowly in summer and release it gradually in winter, keeping extremes in check. Cities far from the sea don't benefit from that buffer, which is why continental climates tend to have hotter summers and colder winters than their coastal counterparts at the same latitude.
For more on Santa Cruz's weather — including monthly rainfall, sunshine hours, and humidity — visit our Santa Cruz climate page.
