San Juan del Sur (SJDS) weather in May

May in San Juan del Sur: sweltering, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 20 rainy days.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

San Juan del Sur🇳🇮 Nicaragua · Northern Central America · Beach74
  1. 88Jan
  2. 87Feb
  3. 91Mar
  4. 89Apr
  5. 74May
  6. 63Jun
  7. 78Jul
  8. 75Aug
  9. 68Sep
  10. 60Oct
  11. 72Nov
  12. 85Dec

#8 of 12 months in San Juan del Sur · #961 of 1413 destinations to visit in May · comfort 74/100 (tier B)

Days
32°C
Nights
26°C
Wet days
20
Sun
10.2 h
Humidity
79%
Daylight
13 h
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Photo: 🇻🇳🇻🇳 Việt Anh Nguyễn 🇻🇳🇻🇳 · Pexels

Traveller notes on San Juan del Sur in May

Other months in San Juan del Sur

San Juan del Sur's forum describes September and October as the heaviest rain of the year here, but the typical day still follows a manageable rhythm: cooler and overcast at dawn, clouds burning off by mid-morning, then sunny through the afternoon before rain returns. Posters said showers roll in roughly every other day and usually last only an hour or two rather than the whole day. A few forum regulars specifically preferred August over September, since the risk of a genuinely wet stretch climbs the closer you get to the end of the month.
NicaraguaSurfCoastRegular · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Forum posters describe March as squarely inside the strong seasonal wind window that runs January through March, with the ocean itself running noticeably cooler (around 17C) during the windiest stretch and beach days sometimes getting genuinely uncomfortable - one reviewer described wind strong enough to feel like it was 'beating' them while trying to lie on the beach. By March the pattern shifts toward hot, dry and dusty conditions on land even as the wind persists, with posters generally naming April (before or right after Easter week) or very early May as calmer, more comfortable alternatives for travelers who prioritize a still, sunny beach day over surf conditions - Papagayo-style offshore winds like this one are prized by kitesurfers even as they frustrate sunbathers.
Tripadvisor community · March · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from San Juan del Sur's card on the map.

San Juan del Sur climate normals — May

Daytime high32°C / 90°F🔥 sweltering
Nighttime low26°C / 79°F
Feels like (high)36°C / 97°F
Sea temperature30°C / 85°F♨️ bath-warm
Rainfall190 mm / 7.5 in⛈ soaked
Rainy days20 days
Humidity79%💦 very humid
Dew point24°C / 76°F
Sunshine10.2 h/day
Daylight12.6 h
Wind23 km/h / 14 mph
Air quality (US AQI)43🍃 good

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

Crowds in San Juan del Sur 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)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for San Juan del Sur'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 weatherSan Juan del Sur's best weather comes in January, March and April — separate windows, not one continuous season.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in San Juan del Sur in May

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

  • Season

    Southern swell season

    1 Apr – 31 Oct · usuallySurf season

    The consistent swell on this coast arrives with the southern hemisphere winter, so the best surf months are also the wet ones at Maderas and Remanso. The offshore wind that shapes it blows hardest in the dry season instead. Source ↗

What's on around the world in May →

Nearby, and something's on

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

Where is San Juan del Sur?

Loading map…

San Juan del Sur in May — FAQ

Is May a good time to visit San Juan del Sur?
May in San Juan del Sur: sweltering, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 20 rainy days. It ranks #8 of 12 months for San Juan del Sur on SeasonMap's comfort score (74/100).
What is the weather like in San Juan del Sur in May?
In May, San Juan del Sur averages a daily high of 32°C and a low of 26.1°C, with about 189.8 mm of rain over roughly 19.6 rainy days.
What is the air quality in San Juan del Sur in May?
San Juan del Sur has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 43 in May.

Within 300 km: Tortuguero's Leatherback nesting around 1 Mar – 31 May, and Nosara's South swell season around 1 Apr – 31 Oct.