Lisbon is one of Europe’s mildest capitals, its southern latitude giving it a climate similar to that of Mediterranean countries, while the moderating effect of the Atlantic Ocean prevents it from becoming excessively hot in summer and excessively cold in winter. It is also very sunny, enjoying around 260 days of sunshine per year. The average minimum temperature in spring is about 10ºC and the maximum almost 20ºC, with plenty of sunshine but with occasional rain showers.
In May the average maximum temperature is above 20ºC and in June it is about 25ºC, and there is little rain in both months, making this time ideal to visit. July and August are mostly sunny, dry and hot, with average maximum temperatures of about 28ºC. September, being warm but not hot (average maximum about 26ºC), and with little rain, is the next ideal time to visit, although October can also be very mild.
Winters can be rainy, windy and cool, the average coldest minimum temperatures being around 8ºC and the average maximums being 15ºC. Even in winter it could be beautifully sunny and 25ºC. Frost or snowfall are very rare occurrences in Lisbon. In 2006 a couple of days of sleet and hail was the first snowfall registered in here for over forty years – a truly rare occurrence. On average, there are 3300 hours of sunshine per year or almost 9 hours per day!
