Montevideo weather in May

May in Montevideo: nice, rainy, with clean air — a great time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Montevideo🇺🇾 Uruguay · Pampas & Uruguay · City78
  1. 83Jan
  2. 81Feb
  3. 86Mar
  4. 84Apr
  5. 78May
  6. 75Jun
  7. 72Jul
  8. 77Aug
  9. 82Sep
  10. 87Oct
  11. 92Nov
  12. 88Dec

#9 of 12 months in Montevideo · #816 of 1413 destinations to visit in May · comfort 78/100 (tier B)

Days
18°C
Nights
11°C
Wet days
7
Sun
7.1 h
Humidity
77%
Daylight
10 h
Montevideo, Uruguay
Photo: Cristiano Junior · Pexels

Traveller notes on Montevideo in May

Forum posters call May full autumn in Montevideo, with genuinely mixed days - some beautifully warm, especially toward month's end, others noticeably cooler. Rain is described as spread fairly evenly across the year rather than concentrated in one season, so May isn't singled out as unusually wet, but the city's characteristic high humidity and frequent fog are called out as more likely to bother visitors from drier climates than the rain itself. It's windy essentially year-round here, so that's treated as a given rather than a May-specific complaint. For a variable-weather day, posters point to Ciudad Vieja and the Mercado del Puerto as reliable indoor-adjacent options regardless of what the sky does.
Tripadvisor community · May · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Montevideo

Regulars field a recurring question about whether the water has already turned too cold for swimming by this point, and the consistent answer is no - this month runs genuinely cooler than the January-February peak on land, but the sea itself stays comfortably warm for most visitors. Our row backs that warm, still-showery read, 25.2C reading as a hot 27C, over 17.7C nights, with 87.2mm of rain across 9.1 days and humidity at 73 percent. Regulars are consistent this remains a genuinely pleasant month overall for exploring the Rambla and Ciudad Vieja, warm days without peak summer's most intense heat, cooling further by month's end. The sea sits at a warm 25.2C. The record: 9.8 hours of sun, a 21.3 kph wind and one of the cleanest air readings in this project, AQI 32.
StillWarmEnoughToSwimDespiteTheQuestion · March · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Montevideo-forum threads on February weather confirm it's the height of southern-hemisphere summer here, warm, beach-ready days that posters compare to a mild North Carolina August rather than anything tropical or extreme. The Rambla waterfront and nearby beaches are called the default way locals spend a hot afternoon, and regulars recommend the same, with an evening stroll once the heat eases as the sun drops. Wind off the Rio de la Plata is a near-constant feature and can pick up enough to matter for beach plans, worth checking before committing to a full day on the sand. Showers do pass through on occasion but are described as brief rather than day-ruining. Regulars call February one of the liveliest, most reliably warm months to be in the city. The record: 27.4C days feeling like a punishing 30C, 19.3C nights, a 24.7C sea, 72 percent humidity and 10.7 hours of sun.
RamblaFebruaryRegular · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Montevideo-forum threads on general weather confirm January as the hottest month of the year here, warm days and balmy nights that make it a genuine peak-summer destination on Uruguay's coast. Humidity stays high year-round, but posters note January and February actually run slightly less humid than the cooler months, the trade-off being that heat rather than dampness is the main discomfort in summer. Rain is described as a real but limited presence, showers passing through without dominating the month, and January specifically posts some of the lowest rainfall totals of the year. Long daylight hours through the Southern Hemisphere summer stretch the day considerably, plenty of time for the beach promenade and the historic old town both. Regulars call January and February the prime window for beach time along the Pocitos waterfront. The record: 27.1C days feeling like a sticky 30C, 19.4C nights, 66mm across 7.1 days, a 25.3C sea, 70 percent humidity and 11.9 hours of sun.
PocitosJanuaryRegular · January · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
October in Montevideo is the month regulars compare to an English spring: pleasant and cool for walking the city, a little rain, nights chilly enough for a light jacket or sweater, and not warm enough for the beach - our row gives 19.9C days over 12.5C nights with a 17C sea. They also call it a strange month, because the years differ sharply: one October brings driving rain and strong cold winds off the Atlantic, the next is 20C and sunny throughout. The wind is the constant, and our row's 23.2 kph says the same. The record: 8.1 precipitation days carrying 80.2mm, humidity 74 percent, 9.6 hours of sun and AQI 32.
LikeAnEnglishSpring · October · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Montevideo climate normals — May

Daytime high18°C / 65°F😎 nice
Nighttime low11°C / 53°F
Feels like (high)17°C / 63°F
Sea temperature17°C / 63°F🧊 bracing
Rainfall92 mm / 3.6 in🌧 rainy
Rainy days7 days
Humidity77%💦 very humid
Dew point11°C / 51°F
Sunshine7.1 h/day
Daylight10.3 h
Wind20 km/h / 13 mph
Air quality (US AQI)32🍃 good

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

Crowds in Montevideo 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.

Shoulder seasonan ordinary month(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Montevideo'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 weatherMontevideo's weather doesn't swing hard through the year — comfort stays fairly steady in every month.

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Nearby, and something's on

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

Where is Montevideo?

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Montevideo in May — FAQ

Is May a good time to visit Montevideo?
May in Montevideo: nice, rainy, with clean air — a great time to visit. It ranks #9 of 12 months for Montevideo on SeasonMap's comfort score (78/100).
What is the weather like in Montevideo in May?
In May, Montevideo averages a daily high of 18.1°C and a low of 11.4°C, with about 91.7 mm of rain over roughly 7.3 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Montevideo in May?
Montevideo has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 32 in May.

Within 300 km: Buenos Aires' Autumn in the plane trees around 15 Apr – 5 Jun.