SeasonMapPlitvice Lakes (Plitvice) weather in May
Croatia
May in Plitvice Lakes: cool, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 19 rainy days.
#6 of 12 months in Plitvice Lakes · #697 of 1383 destinations to visit in May · comfort 81/100 (tier A)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Plitvice Lakes in May
Notes from nearby Zadar (88 km away)
Plitvice Lakes doesn't have its own notes for May yet — these are about Zadar, close enough to share the season.
May is a fairly ideal month for the Dalmatian coast on the forum's telling — pleasant temperatures, far fewer tourists — with Zadar near 21°C and good bus connections down to Šibenik and beyond. Two honest caveats. The weather is genuinely unpredictable: one poster describes a week of lovely sun followed by a fortnight of cold and rain, and the record puts May at ten wet days. And the sea is the real catch, about 18°C, which regulars call too cold for comfortable swimming for most people. May here is a sightseeing month, not a swimming one.
Other months in Plitvice Lakes
Plitvice's forum calls June generally good, with real crowds not building until mid-July. Regulars note the park's weather can still turn changeable — one visitor's June trip brought torrential rain that had actually been falling in the mountains for days, which made the waterfalls especially dramatic rather than ruining the visit, and the lakes reportedly carry more water in June than later in summer.
Add your own note from Plitvice Lakes's card on the map.
Plitvice Lakes climate normals — May
| Daytime high | 16°C / 61°F | 🙂 cool |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 7°C / 45°F | |
| Feels like (high) | 15°C / 59°F | |
| Rainfall | 170 mm / 6.7 in | ⛈ soaked |
| Rainy days | 19 days | |
| Humidity | 80% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 8°C / 46°F | |
| Sunshine | 11 h/day | |
| Daylight | 14.9 h | |
| Wind | 13 km/h / 8 mph | |
| Snowfall | 1.8 cm / 0.7 in | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 42 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Plitvice Lakes 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 seasonschool holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Plitvice Lakes'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 weatherPlitvice Lakes's best weather comes in June, July and September — separate windows, not one continuous season.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Plitvice Lakes in May
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Nature
Snowmelt high water
25 Mar – 25 May · usuallyRiskThe falls are at their loudest as the Lika snow comes off, and the spray closes sections of boardwalk when the water is over them. It is the best month for the water and the worst for the route you planned.
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Plitvice Lakes — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Plitvice Lakes?
Plitvice Lakes in May — FAQ
- Is May a good time to visit Plitvice Lakes?
- May in Plitvice Lakes: cool, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 19 rainy days. It ranks #6 of 12 months for Plitvice Lakes on SeasonMap's comfort score (81/100).
- What is the weather like in Plitvice Lakes in May?
- In May, Plitvice Lakes averages a daily high of 16.3°C and a low of 7.3°C, with about 169.5 mm of rain over roughly 19.1 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Plitvice Lakes in May?
- Plitvice Lakes has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 42 in May.
- Does it snow in Plitvice Lakes in May?
- Plitvice Lakes sees roughly 1.8 cm of snowfall in May.
Other months in Plitvice Lakes
Compare Plitvice Lakes in May
Warmer or cooler than Plitvice Lakes in May
Similar destinations in Southeast Europe — May
Within 300 km: Ljubljana's Open Kitchen food market around 15 Mar – 31 Oct, and Bled's Vintgar gorge open around 20 Apr – 5 Nov.