Gothenburg weather in May

May in Gothenburg: nice, a little rain, with clean air — an excellent time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Gothenburg🇸🇪 Sweden · Scandinavia · City84
  1. 39Jan
  2. 47Feb
  3. 60Mar
  4. 74Apr
  5. 84May
  6. 92Jun
  7. 90Jul
  8. 87Aug
  9. 79Sep
  10. 65Oct
  11. 53Nov
  12. 42Dec

#4 of 12 months in Gothenburg · #507 of 1413 destinations to visit in May · comfort 84/100 (tier A)

Days
18°C
Nights
9°C
Wet days
9
Sun
12.2 h
Humidity
70%
Daylight
17 h
Gothenburg, Sweden
Photo: Deepraj Thapa · Pexels

Traveller notes on Gothenburg in May

Other months in Gothenburg

Forum posters describe February in Gothenburg as cold with a cold wind and a real chance of below-freezing temperatures, though the city's coastal position means any snow that falls tends to melt quickly rather than build up - sleet is more the norm than accumulating snow here. Posters note conditions can vary meaningfully by year, sometimes approaching -20C with real snow cover, other times milder and rainier around 0C. Posters are consistent that if snow does arrive it's more likely late in the month than early, and that daylight is visibly returning by February compared to the depths of the Swedish winter. Posters generally rate February as cold, wet and windy but variable enough that some visits land relatively mild, layered clothing the reliable recommendation either way.
Tripadvisor community · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Forum posters describe December snow chances in Gothenburg as slim, with one local estimating under 10% probability thanks to the city's oceanic, maritime climate similar to the UK's - better snow odds lie 40-60 minutes outside town in spots like Alingsås, Gråbo or Skövde. Posters generally describe December weather as miserable in a mild way: hovering around freezing, often rainy, and frequently windy rather than dramatically cold or snowy. Posters consistently flag how little daylight December brings, with sunrise around 8:50am and sunset near 3:25pm by mid-month. Posters generally still rate December worthwhile for Gothenburg's Christmas atmosphere, despite the short days and rain-prone, snow-scarce conditions.
Tripadvisor community · December · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Gothenburg forum regulars describe August as genuinely unpredictable in both directions: high pressure can bring “sunny days and temperatures in the mid to upper 70s [°F],” or the same week can turn “windy, overcast...with occasional showers and temperatures in the low 60s.” The range quoted overall spans “12-30 degrees Celsius,” with the back half of the month typically cooling toward “18 degrees” by day. Regulars call it usually a pretty nice month overall, and early August specifically gets recommended for an archipelago trip — high season there, so booking ahead matters. Standard advice: pack layers and rain gear regardless of the forecast, since Scandinavian weather this time of year genuinely swings both ways. Our record: 20.1°C days, 14.1°C nights, 15.6 rain days and 129.7mm of rain — mild with real rain frequency, matching the “can go either way” read.
Tripadvisor community · August · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
June in Gothenburg is the long-daylight month — around eighteen hours of it — but the forum is careful about temperature: posters describe mid-June arriving chilly and rainy enough for sweaters and jackets before turning sunny and warm, and put typical days at 16–19°C against a monthly average high near 21. Light showers with sunny spells between is the standard pattern. The date that actually matters is Midsummer: shops close around 2pm on Midsummer's Eve, 21 June, and stay shut on Midsummer's Day, one of only three days a year when nearly everything closes. Celebrations start about noon with dancing round the maypole; the 23rd runs like an ordinary Sunday.
Tripadvisor community · June · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Gothenburg climate normals — May

Daytime high18°C / 64°F😎 nice
Nighttime low9°C / 48°F
Feels like (high)16°C / 61°F
Sea temperature13°C / 55°F🥶 cold sea
Rainfall53 mm / 2.1 in🌦 some rain
Rainy days9 days
Humidity70%💧 humid
Dew point6°C / 42°F
Sunshine12.2 h/day
Daylight16.7 h
Wind17 km/h / 11 mph
Air quality (US AQI)44🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Gothenburg in May

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

Peak crowdsValborg and May Day, Goteborgsvarvet half marathon, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Gothenburg's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Fair weatherGothenburg's weather peaks June–August.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Gothenburg in May

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Opening

    Liseberg opens for the season

    15 Apr – 10 May · usuallySummer season opens

    The amusement park reopens in spring and runs to the autumn, which is roughly when the city's outdoor season starts too. Before it opens the park is shut and Avenyn is still eating indoors. Source ↗

  • Holiday

    Valborg and May Day

    30 Apr – 1 MayNational holidayCrowded

    Walpurgis Night on 30 April welcomes spring with bonfires, choirs singing and students out in white caps; 1 May is a public holiday with marches, and many shops keep Sunday hours. Source ↗

  • Festival

    Goteborgsvarvet half marathon

    15–31 May · usuallySporting eventCrowdedClosures

    One of the largest half marathons anywhere, with tens of thousands of runners on closed roads through the centre and over the Alvsborg bridge on a Saturday in late May. Source ↗

What's on around the world in May →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Gothenburg — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Gothenburg?

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Gothenburg in May — FAQ

Is May a good time to visit Gothenburg?
May in Gothenburg: nice, a little rain, with clean air — an excellent time to visit. It ranks #4 of 12 months for Gothenburg on SeasonMap's comfort score (84/100).
What is the weather like in Gothenburg in May?
In May, Gothenburg averages a daily high of 18°C and a low of 8.7°C, with about 52.8 mm of rain over roughly 8.5 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Gothenburg in May?
Gothenburg has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 44 in May.

Within 300 km: Copenhagen's Tivoli summer season on 27 Mar – 20 Sep, and Oslo's Constitution Day, 17 May on 17 May.