Stavanger weather in May
May in Stavanger: cool, a little rain, with clean air — an excellent time to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#4 of 12 months in Stavanger · #753 of 1413 destinations to visit in May · comfort 80/100 (tier A)
- Days
- 16°C
- Nights
- 8°C
- Wet days
- 10
- Sun
- 11.9 h
- Humidity
- 78%
- Daylight
- 17 h

Traveller notes on Stavanger in May
Other months in Stavanger
Forum posters cite typical December conditions in Stavanger around 10C with rain and wind, though one poster noted temperatures can swing from -5C up to 11.5C, averaging around 5.4C across the month. Posters consistently describe December as the darkest time of year, with only a few hours of daylight and conditions that can be dark, rainy, snowy and windy all within the same stretch - posters are direct that snow itself isn't a given. Posters generally recommend embracing the Christmas atmosphere as a real upside despite the challenging weather, highlighting Old Stavanger's charming December 1st market where local artists open their workshops, plus widespread festive lighting across the city. Posters generally rate December as dark, wet and cold but still worthwhile for the holiday atmosphere in Stavanger.
A local answering a Pulpit Rock question drops the line that reframes a Stavanger June: "average rain in June is 140mm for the month at the nearest weather station to Preikestolen — slightly more than the average for Bergen." Bergen is Norway's byword for rain. He adds: "last year it rained on 20 days in June, and that was a drier June than normal." Temperature is just as wide — in 2018 the hottest June day hit 26.7°C and the coldest managed 7.3°C, "so guess you can expect anything between 5 and 30°C." The advice for the hike is to read the 24-hour forecast, not the monthly one, and to carry a windproof jacket as a minimum plus sturdy shoes, because "you must be prepared for all sorts." Our city-centre record is milder — 86mm and 13 rain days — but the trailhead is the number that matters.
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Stavanger climate normals — May
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Stavanger 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 crowdsMai:Jazz festival, Constitution Day, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Stavanger'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 weatherStavanger's weather peaks June–August.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Stavanger in May
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Preikestolen hiking season
1 May – 31 Oct · usuallyTrail seasonThe trail to Pulpit Rock is straightforward and guide-free from May to October, the window that draws the heaviest foot traffic of any hike in Norway. Outside it, the path ices over and the official advice changes sharply. Source ↗
- Festival
Mai:Jazz festival
5–10 MayMusic festivalCrowdedThe region's biggest jazz festival, running since 1989, takes over venues across the city for a week each May. Expect fuller restaurants and hotels downtown, though nothing like the Gladmat crush a month later. Source ↗
- Holiday
Constitution Day
17 MayNational holidayClosuresCrowded17 May is Norway's national day. Children's parades with flags and school bands march through town centres, many people wear bunad, shops close and restaurants book up. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Stavanger — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Stavanger?
Stavanger in May — FAQ
- Is May a good time to visit Stavanger?
- May in Stavanger: cool, a little rain, with clean air — an excellent time to visit. It ranks #4 of 12 months for Stavanger on SeasonMap's comfort score (80/100).
- What is the weather like in Stavanger in May?
- In May, Stavanger averages a daily high of 15.9°C and a low of 7.9°C, with about 70.4 mm of rain over roughly 10.2 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Stavanger in May?
- Stavanger has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 43 in May.
Within 300 km: Bergen's Bergen International Festival on 27 May – 10 Jun.