Vienna (Wien) weather in May

May in Vienna: nice, rainy — an excellent time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Vienna🇦🇹 Austria · Central Europe · City87
  1. 49Jan
  2. 64Feb
  3. 72Mar
  4. 81Apr
  5. 87May
  6. 89Jun
  7. 82Jul
  8. 84Aug
  9. 90Sep
  10. 75Oct
  11. 61Nov
  12. 51Dec

#3 of 12 months in Vienna · #359 of 1413 destinations to visit in May · comfort 87/100 (tier A)

Days
21°C
Nights
11°C
Wet days
11
Sun
10.5 h
Humidity
69%
Daylight
15 h
Vienna, Austria
Photo: Eleonora Vokueva · Pexels

Traveller notes on Vienna in May

Regulars give May here as 15 to 25C, warm without being humid, and make a point our row supports: May through August are this city's wettest stretch - May is the wettest single month in our row at 85.6mm - but the rain arrives as heavy showers with dry hot spells between rather than as grey days. Our 85.6mm across 10.6 days is that pattern. The averages are cooler than the range suggests, 21C by day reading as 19C in an 18.4 kph wind, over 10.9C nights, so early May can still want a jacket. Their advice is thin layers, something waterproof and a small umbrella as insurance, and not to trust a forecast more than a few days out. The record: humidity 69 percent, 10.5 hours of sun inside 15.2 of daylight, and AQI 52.
HeavyShowersThenSandals · May · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Vienna

Regulars describe genuinely hot days, sometimes pushing into the mid-to-high 30s Celsius, generally low humidity, with an afternoon or evening thunderstorm a real possibility - but are clear the heat doesn't shut the city down the way it might elsewhere, just calling for water and shade rather than a change of plans. Our row backs the summer heat, 28.4C reading as 28C over 17.2C nights, with 76.9mm of rain across 8.8 days. Regulars note this month's rain tends to arrive as a heavy downpour after a storm rather than a steady drizzle, so an umbrella sees little use compared with a lighter, breathable outfit. Long days help too, with light lasting from just after 5am to nearly 9pm. Crowds are also thinner than peak spring or autumn, since fewer travellers choose the hottest stretch of the year. The record: humidity 62 percent, 12.1 hours of sun, a 17.4 kph wind and AQI 52.
HeatDoesNotShutTheCityDown · July · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Air conditioning is not standard here and the boards say so plainly: rare in apartments, missing from many hotel rooms, and present in most museums and restaurants - which is how the city is actually navigated in a hot August. They also note the centre runs hotter than the official figure because of all the stone. Our row gives 28.1C over 17C at 65 percent humidity with 68.4mm of rain across 6.3 days, so it is dry heat by central European standards. The other August fact is cultural rather than meteorological: the main ensembles and the riding school are on holiday, so the concert calendar is thin. The record: 10.8 hours of sun and AQI 53.
TheMuseumsHaveTheAirConditioning · August · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Vienna forum regulars are honest that March offers no single forecast: “it can be cold but sunny, or warmer and nearly spring-like, or cold, wet and dizzy,” unpredictable more than a week out and more so in spring than any other season. Mid-March can run anywhere from “late winter weather (0-5°C, rarely some late snow)” to “early spring weather (up to approx. 15°C)” in the same week. Snow is possible but rarely sticks. The trade for the uncertainty: genuinely fewer tourists than peak season, and regulars call it worth it for anyone prepared, mentally and attire-wise, with a warm coat, gloves and hat as standard kit. Our record: 11.4°C days, 1.2°C nights, 7.2 rain days and 0.6cm of snow — cool with real variability, matching the “no single forecast” read closely.
Tripadvisor community · March · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Vienna forum regulars call June warm but not scorching — “probability of temperatures higher than 30°C is relatively low,” with most posters expecting a 20-25°C range and rain a real possibility most trips. Days run long: sunrise around 5:10am, sunset near 8:50pm. One frequently cited upside: fewer tourists than July/August, and the palace gardens (Schönbrunn, Belvedere) hit peak bloom, with the Volksgarten's rose garden in full flower. Standard packing advice is T-shirts and a light jumper to layer, plus something waterproof and sturdy shoes for the rain that does show up. Our record: 25.3°C days, 15.4°C nights, 11.6 rain days and 12 hours of sun — warm with real rain risk, not the scorching, rain-free read a summer visit might assume.
Tripadvisor community · June · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Year-round notes are on Vienna's overview. Add your own note from Vienna's card on the map.

Vienna climate normals — May

Daytime high21°C / 70°F😎 nice
Nighttime low11°C / 52°F
Feels like (high)19°C / 66°F
Rainfall86 mm / 3.4 in🌧 rainy
Rainy days11 days
Humidity69%💧 humid
Dew point8°C / 46°F
Sunshine10.5 h/day
Daylight15.2 h
Wind18 km/h / 11 mph
Air quality (US AQI)52🙂 moderate

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

Crowds in Vienna 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.

BusyPentecost (Whitsun) holidays in Austria, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Vienna'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).

Best weatherVienna's best weather comes in May, June and September — separate windows, not one continuous season.

May includes Wiener Festwochen.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Vienna in May

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

  • Festival

    Wiener Festwochen

    14 May – 20 Jun · usuallyArts festivalBook early

    Five weeks of theatre and performance from the middle of May, using the Museumsquartier and a shifting set of borrowed halls. The free opening night on Rathausplatz is the one everyone turns up to. Source ↗

What's on around the world in May →

Nearby, and something's on

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

Where is Vienna?

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Vienna in May — FAQ

Is May a good time to visit Vienna?
May in Vienna: nice, rainy — an excellent time to visit. It ranks #3 of 12 months for Vienna on SeasonMap's comfort score (87/100).
What is the weather like in Vienna in May?
In May, Vienna averages a daily high of 21°C and a low of 10.9°C, with about 85.6 mm of rain over roughly 10.6 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Vienna in May?
Vienna has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 52 in May.

Within 300 km: Budapest's Garden bar season around 1 May – 30 Sep, and Prague's Prague Spring music festival on 12 May – 4 Jun.