SeasonMapSt Ives weather in May
United Kingdom
May in St Ives: cool, a little rain, with muggy air — a great time to visit.
#4 of 12 months in St Ives · #892 of 1383 destinations to visit in May · comfort 76/100 (tier B)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on St Ives in May
Other months in St Ives
St Ives's forum is candid that August weather is genuinely a coin flip — some years dry, warm and sunny throughout, others rain for most of the month, with plenty in between. Regulars are consistent that August is also peak season locally, rammed with school-holiday visitors regardless of what the sky is doing, and point to September as a calmer alternative with comparably decent weather odds.
Add your own note from St Ives's card on the map.
St Ives climate normals — May
| Daytime high | 16°C / 60°F | 🙂 cool |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 10°C / 49°F | |
| Feels like (high) | 13°C / 55°F | |
| Sea temperature | 13°C / 55°F | 🥶 cold sea |
| Rainfall | 50 mm / 2 in | 🌦 some rain |
| Rainy days | 8 days | |
| Humidity | 79% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 9°C / 48°F | |
| Sunshine | 11.4 h/day | |
| Daylight | 15.5 h | |
| Wind | 25 km/h / 16 mph | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 54 | 🙂 moderate |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in St Ives 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 crowdsFood and Drink Festival, Late-May half-term in United Kingdom, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for St Ives'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 weatherSt Ives's weather peaks June–August, best around July.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in St Ives in May
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Festival
Food and Drink Festival
15–17 MayMajor festivalCrowdedThree days on the sand at Porthminster in the middle of May, before the school holidays and while the town is still walkable. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of St Ives — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is St Ives?
St Ives in May — FAQ
- Is May a good time to visit St Ives?
- May in St Ives: cool, a little rain, with muggy air — a great time to visit. It ranks #4 of 12 months for St Ives on SeasonMap's comfort score (76/100).
- What is the weather like in St Ives in May?
- In May, St Ives averages a daily high of 15.6°C and a low of 9.5°C, with about 50.2 mm of rain over roughly 7.6 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in St Ives in May?
- St Ives has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 54 in May.
Other months in St Ives
Compare St Ives in May
Warmer or cooler than St Ives in May
Similar destinations in Northern Europe — May
Within 300 km: Bath's The Bath Festival on 16–24 May, and Bournemouth's Beach season around 15 May – 15 Sep.