Jakarta weather in May

May in Jakarta: sweltering, rainy, with poor air quality — a gamble, with 20 rainy days.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Jakarta🇮🇩 Indonesia · Java, Bali & Nusa Tenggara · City62
  1. 51Jan
  2. 48Feb
  3. 53Mar
  4. 55Apr
  5. 62May
  6. 65Jun
  7. 69Jul
  8. 70Aug
  9. 68Sep
  10. 61Oct
  11. 56Nov
  12. 54Dec

#5 of 12 months in Jakarta · #1144 of 1413 destinations to visit in May · comfort 62/100 (tier C)

Days
32°C
Nights
24°C
Wet days
20
Sun
9.9 h
Humidity
84%
Daylight
12 h
Jakarta, Indonesia
Photo: Dapur Melodi · Pexels

Traveller notes on Jakarta in May

Regulars describe this as the wet season's fading tail, with rain typically arriving as a late-afternoon or evening thunderstorm rather than an all-day event, and recommend checking a three-hourly forecast rather than a daily one since conditions shift fast enough within a day to matter. Our row backs a still-wet transition, a striking 123.2mm of rain across 19.9 days, alongside intense heat, 31.8C reading as a severe 38C at 84 percent humidity, over 24.1C nights. Regulars are consistent that Jakarta's weather resists easy prediction generally, so building flexibility into outdoor plans matters more here than trusting any single forecast. The sea holds a very warm 30.8C. The record: 9.9 hours of sun, a 9.7 kph wind and AQI 169.
AfternoonThunderstormsAsRainySeasonFades · May · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Jakarta

Regulars describe this as a transition month rather than either extreme, marking the start of the shift toward the wetter season that runs into spring, though rarely with continuous heavy rain on a given day - more often a sunny stretch broken by a light shower in the early afternoon or evening. Our row backs real, building wetness, 84.2mm of rain across 13.3 days, alongside intense heat, 32.1C reading as a real 37C at 75.7 percent humidity, over 23.3C nights. Regulars' standard advice is to carry an umbrella as routine rather than optional, since a passing shower is likely on most days even if it rarely derails a full day's plans. The sea holds a warm 30.1C. The record: 10.8 hours of sun, a 12.3 kph wind and AQI 165.
TransitionMonthBeforeTheWetSeasonProper · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
June opens the Indonesian dry season and regulars describe it as good temperatures and plenty of sun with occasional rain - which is true of the country and only half true of this city. Our row still carries 99.3mm across 16.9 days at 82.5 percent humidity, so rain falls on more than half the days here even at the dry end of the year; what changes is the total, not the frequency. Heat is unrelieved, 31.4C reading as 37C over 23.6C nights. Two practical points: the traffic is the city's defining feature, and the Eid travel exodus moves with the lunar calendar, so check where it falls before booking. The record: 9.9 hours of sun and AQI 166.
DrySeasonIsRelative · June · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Jakarta-forum threads place August squarely in the dry season, which locals mark roughly April through September - the stretch posters call the good window, with lower humidity and more reliable sun than the October-to-March wet season. Even in the wet months regulars note it mostly pours in the late afternoon rather than raining all day, so August's near-absence of that pattern is the real payoff. The record still runs hot and properly humid though: 31.7C days feeling like a sticky 37C, 23.1C nights, 63mm of rain across ten days, and a 29.8C sea. The number the forum threads don't dwell on: AQI runs 168 here, one of the haziest months on this destination's whole calendar - dry doesn't mean clear.
MentengDrySeason · August · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Jakarta forum threads describe February as squarely the peak of the rainy season, with the typical pattern being heavy showers around midday and again at night, though the sun does come out reliably between them on most days - full days of nonstop rain and cloud happen but aren't the norm. Posters flagged real flooding as an annual concern in the city's low-lying areas, with some north-coast roads periodically blocked, though flights and the main rail and bus routes were described as rarely affected. The other consistent theme: the city's already notorious traffic gets noticeably worse during rainy-season downpours, so posters recommended building extra time into any February itinerary here.
MonasRegular · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Jakarta climate normals — May

Daytime high32°C / 89°F🔥 sweltering
Nighttime low24°C / 75°F
Feels like (high)38°C / 100°F
Sea temperature31°C / 87°F♨️ bath-warm
Rainfall123 mm / 4.9 in🌧 rainy
Rainy days20 days
Humidity84%💦 very humid
Dew point24°C / 75°F
Sunshine9.9 h/day
Daylight11.8 h
Wind10 km/h / 6 mph
Air quality (US AQI)169⚠️ unhealthy

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

Crowds in Jakarta 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.

BusyJava Jazz Festival, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Jakarta'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 weatherJakarta's weather peaks July–September, best around August.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Jakarta in May

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

  • Festival

    Java Jazz Festival

    29–31 MayMusic festivalCrowdedBook early

    Southeast Asia's biggest jazz festival, held annually in late May at Jakarta's international expo halls, with a lineup that draws acts and fans from across the region. Source ↗

What's on around the world in May →

Where is Jakarta?

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Jakarta in May — FAQ

Is May a good time to visit Jakarta?
May in Jakarta: sweltering, rainy, with poor air quality — a gamble, with 20 rainy days. It ranks #5 of 12 months for Jakarta on SeasonMap's comfort score (62/100).
What is the weather like in Jakarta in May?
In May, Jakarta averages a daily high of 31.8°C and a low of 24.1°C, with about 123.2 mm of rain over roughly 19.9 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Jakarta in May?
Jakarta has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 169 in May.