The Azores Anticyclone or Azores High, the reason for summer heatwaves in continental Europe, is probably what most people in Western Europe heard about the weather in the Azores. But how is the weather here? Having been here in the past years during all seasons, I tend to describe it like in Scotland, just 15 degrees warmer. It is continuously changing, sunshine in the morning, windy and rain in the afternoon. That might not sound too compelling, but considering that temperature is very stable, only a couple of degrees difference between day and night, throughout the year only 8,5 degrees between lows and highs, it is very mild. Here in Faial, average temperature is 15 degrees in January, maximum in August 24. Constant high levels of humidity, on an annual average 80% here in Faial, make it feel much warmer than on the continent. Even 15 degrees and a light rain feel pleasant.
When arriving, we were told that February to April are considered to be worst months. We could experience that during the last week, on Sunday sunshine, a real summer day, on Monday torrential rains – I think, most of the people here just stayed at home. Tuesday to Thursday changing, drizzling rain, clouds and sometimes within minutes sunshine. Finally, yesterday morning, no wind a fog with a visibility of probably 100m – today again sunshine. Well, no more stable continental weather as we were used to in Budapest.
