SeasonMapWhat season is it in May? The world, region by region
In May, 4 of 27 regions are in a dry season, 1 in a wet one and 22 in between; the northern hemisphere is in spring (16 regions), the southern in autumn (3) and 8 regions are tropical, with no cool season. The region with most places at their best is Southeast Europe, 56% of its 25.
Each row averages the region's own places from monthly climate normals: the afternoon feels-like high, the month's rain and its share of the year, and the hazard and condition seasons on somewhere in it. Wet means the month carries well over its share of the year's rain; dry, well under.
Every region has its own year. “In season” and “off-season” below compare a region against its own twelve months, never against another region's — a hemisphere in its winter isn't “worse” than one in summer, it's just further from its own best months right now.
In season in May (7 regions)
well over a third of the region's places are at one of their own best three months right now.
Southeast EuropeEurope
56% of 25 places at their bestMay in Southeast Europe is spring and between wet and dry: 24 °C afternoons and 99 mm of rain, 9% of the year's total; summer season opens and trail season are on in parts of the region — 56% of its 25 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 24 °C
- Rainfall
- 99 mm (9% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇷🇸 Belgrade, 🇭🇷 Split, 🇭🇷 Zagreb, 🇭🇷 Plitvice Lakes
Southern AfricaAfrica
51% of 35 places at their bestMay in Southern Africa is autumn and dry: 24 °C afternoons and 21 mm of rain, 4% of the year's total; smoke season is on in parts of the region, dry season and fog season in others — 51% of its 35 places are at their best.
- Season
- Autumn
- Rain
- Dry season
- Afternoons
- 24 °C
- Rainfall
- 21 mm (4% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇿🇦 Drakensberg, 🇿🇦 Pretoria, 🇿🇦 Johannesburg, 🇿🇲 Livingstone
East AsiaAsia
51% of 82 places at their bestMay in East Asia is spring and between wet and dry: 26 °C afternoons and 157 mm of rain, 10% of the year's total; dust season and algae & red tide are on in parts of the region, monsoon and off-season shutdown in others — 51% of its 82 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 26 °C
- Rainfall
- 157 mm (10% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇰🇷 Seoul, 🇨🇳 Beijing, 🇰🇷 Busan, 🇯🇵 Kanazawa
CaucasusAsia
45% of 11 places at their bestMay in the Caucasus is spring and wet: 19 °C afternoons and 125 mm of rain, 13% of the year's total; avalanche season is on in parts of the region, off-season shutdown and ski season in others — 45% of its 11 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Wet season
- Afternoons
- 19 °C
- Rainfall
- 125 mm (13% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇦🇿 Baku, 🇬🇪 Tbilisi, 🇬🇪 Mestia, 🇬🇪 Batumi
Western AsiaAsia
42% of 26 places at their bestMay in Western Asia is spring and between wet and dry: 24 °C afternoons and 59 mm of rain, 8% of the year's total; summer season opens and trail season are on in parts of the region — 42% of its 26 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 24 °C
- Rainfall
- 59 mm (8% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇹🇷 Istanbul, 🇹🇷 Selçuk, 🇹🇷 Izmir, 🇹🇷 Göreme
Southern EuropeEurope
41% of 108 places at their bestMay in Southern Europe is spring and between wet and dry: 23 °C afternoons and 62 mm of rain, 8% of the year's total; dust season is on in parts of the region, summer season opens and wind season in others — 41% of its 108 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 23 °C
- Rainfall
- 62 mm (8% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇮🇹 Catania, 🇪🇸 Las Palmas, 🇵🇹 Lisbon, 🇪🇸 Madrid
Central AsiaAsia
40% of 16 places at their bestMay in Central Asia is spring and between wet and dry: 26 °C afternoons and 64 mm of rain, 12% of the year's total; off-season shutdown and ski season are on in parts of the region — 40% of its 16 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 26 °C
- Rainfall
- 64 mm (12% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇰🇿 Almaty, 🇺🇿 Bukhara
Shoulder season in May (9 regions)
a mixed bag — some of the region's places are near their best, most aren't.
North AmericaNorth America
33% of 225 places at their bestMay in North America is spring and between wet and dry: 22 °C afternoons and 73 mm of rain, 7% of the year's total; extreme heat and hurricane season are on in parts of the region, off-season shutdown and summer season opens in others — 33% of its 225 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 22 °C
- Rainfall
- 73 mm (7% of the year)
⚠ Extreme heat⚠ Hurricane season⚠ Storm season⚠ Flood seasonOff-season shutdownSummer season opensTrail seasonSki seasonBest-known this month: 🇺🇸 Los Angeles, 🇲🇽 Los Cabos, 🇺🇸 Napa, 🇺🇸 Lahaina
North AfricaAfrica
27% of 35 places at their bestMay in North Africa is spring and dry: 29 °C afternoons and 12 mm of rain, 6% of the year's total; dust season and extreme heat are on in parts of the region, wind season and sea warm enough in others — 27% of its 35 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Dry season
- Afternoons
- 29 °C
- Rainfall
- 12 mm (6% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇪🇬 Marsa Alam, 🇪🇬 Sharm El Sheikh, 🇲🇦 Casablanca, 🇪🇬 Dahab
Middle EastAsia
26% of 46 places at their bestMay in the Middle East is spring and dry: 34 °C afternoons and 11 mm of rain, 5% of the year's total; dust season and extreme heat are on in parts of the region, harvest and sea warm enough in others — 26% of its 46 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Dry season
- Afternoons
- 34 °C
- Rainfall
- 11 mm (5% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇯🇴 Aqaba, 🇯🇴 Dead Sea, 🇮🇱 Tel Aviv, 🇮🇱 Jerusalem
Western EuropeEurope
24% of 38 places at their bestMay in Western Europe is spring and between wet and dry: 19 °C afternoons and 74 mm of rain, 8% of the year's total; summer season opens and ski season are on in parts of the region — 24% of its 38 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 19 °C
- Rainfall
- 74 mm (8% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇫🇷 Aix-en-Provence, 🇫🇷 Marseille, 🇫🇷 Avignon, 🇫🇷 Bordeaux
Eastern EuropeEurope
23% of 38 places at their bestMay in Eastern Europe is spring and between wet and dry: 17 °C afternoons and 72 mm of rain, 10% of the year's total; summer season opens and off-season shutdown are on in parts of the region — 23% of its 38 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 17 °C
- Rainfall
- 72 mm (10% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇷🇴 Brașov, 🇷🇴 Bucharest, 🇷🇺 Kaliningrad, 🇷🇺 Moscow
Northern EuropeEurope
20% of 75 places at their bestMay in Northern Europe is spring and between wet and dry: 13 °C afternoons and 61 mm of rain, 6% of the year's total; summer season opens and ski season are on in parts of the region — 20% of its 75 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 13 °C
- Rainfall
- 61 mm (6% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇬🇧 Keswick, 🇮🇪 Killarney, 🇳🇴 Geiranger, 🇬🇧 Fort William
MediterraneanEurope
20% of 5 places at their bestMay in the Mediterranean is spring and dry: 28 °C afternoons and 14 mm of rain, 5% of the year's total; dust season is on in parts of the region, sea warm enough in others — 20% of its 5 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Dry season
- Afternoons
- 28 °C
- Rainfall
- 14 mm (5% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇲🇹 Valletta, 🇨🇾 Limassol, 🇨🇾 Paphos
West AfricaAfrica
19% of 24 places at their bestMay in West Africa is tropical and between wet and dry: 35 °C afternoons and 84 mm of rain, 5% of the year's total; monsoon and wind season are on in parts of the region — 19% of its 24 places are at their best.
- Season
- Tropical
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 35 °C
- Rainfall
- 84 mm (5% of the year)
Central EuropeEurope
16% of 70 places at their bestMay in Central Europe is spring and between wet and dry: 17 °C afternoons and 119 mm of rain, 10% of the year's total; flood season is on in parts of the region, summer season opens and off-season shutdown in others — 16% of its 70 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 17 °C
- Rainfall
- 119 mm (10% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇭🇺 Budapest, 🇦🇹 Innsbruck, 🇦🇹 Vienna, 🇩🇪 Berlin
Off-season in May (11 regions)
few of the region's places are near their own best right now — that's a fact about the calendar, not a verdict on the place.
Indian OceanAfrica
11% of 18 places at their bestMay in the Indian Ocean is tropical and between wet and dry: 31 °C afternoons and 87 mm of rain, 6% of the year's total; cyclone season is on in parts of the region, dry season and wind season in others — 11% of its 18 places are at their best.
- Season
- Tropical
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 31 °C
- Rainfall
- 87 mm (6% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇲🇬 Antananarivo, 🇲🇺 Grand Baie, 🇲🇬 Nosy Be, 🇲🇺 Port Louis
East AfricaAfrica
10% of 32 places at their bestMay in East Africa is tropical and between wet and dry: 29 °C afternoons and 114 mm of rain, 11% of the year's total; monsoon and fog season are on in parts of the region — 10% of its 32 places are at their best.
- Season
- Tropical
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 29 °C
- Rainfall
- 114 mm (11% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇹🇿 Ngorongoro, 🇰🇪 Nairobi, 🇹🇿 Arusha, 🇰🇪 Maasai Mara
South AmericaSouth America
9% of 121 places at their bestMay in South America is autumn and between wet and dry: 23 °C afternoons and 134 mm of rain, 8% of the year's total; flood season and dust season are on in parts of the region, monsoon and off-season shutdown in others — 9% of its 121 places are at their best.
- Season
- Autumn
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 23 °C
- Rainfall
- 134 mm (8% of the year)
⚠ Flood season⚠ Dust season⚠ Sargassum season⚠ Smoke seasonMonsoonOff-season shutdownDry seasonSki seasonBest-known this month: 🇵🇪 Arequipa, 🇵🇪 Cusco, 🇵🇪 Lima, 🇵🇪 Ollantaytambo
South AsiaAsia
9% of 76 places at their bestMay in South Asia is spring and between wet and dry: 32 °C afternoons and 171 mm of rain, 8% of the year's total; extreme heat and cyclone season are on in parts of the region, monsoon and trail season in others — 9% of its 76 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 32 °C
- Rainfall
- 171 mm (8% of the year)
⚠ Extreme heat⚠ Cyclone season⚠ Dust season⚠ Flood seasonMonsoonTrail seasonDry seasonOff-season shutdownBest-known this month: 🇮🇳 Kasol, 🇮🇳 Srinagar, 🇮🇳 Pondicherry, 🇮🇳 Dharamshala
OceaniaOceania
8% of 48 places at their bestMay in Oceania is autumn and between wet and dry: 16 °C afternoons and 99 mm of rain, 8% of the year's total; avalanche season and extreme cold are on in parts of the region, dry season and fog season in others — 8% of its 48 places are at their best.
- Season
- Autumn
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 16 °C
- Rainfall
- 99 mm (8% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇦🇺 Exmouth, 🇦🇺 Uluru, 🇦🇺 Brisbane, 🇦🇺 Airlie Beach
Central AmericaNorth America
6% of 34 places at their bestMay in Central America is tropical and between wet and dry: 35 °C afternoons and 231 mm of rain, 10% of the year's total; sargassum season is on in parts of the region, monsoon and surf season in others — 6% of its 34 places are at their best.
- Season
- Tropical
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 35 °C
- Rainfall
- 231 mm (10% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇭🇳 Roatán, 🇧🇿 Caye Caulker, 🇧🇿 Placencia, 🇵🇦 Bocas del Toro
Southeast AsiaAsia
1% of 102 places at their bestMay in Southeast Asia is tropical and between wet and dry: 38 °C afternoons and 198 mm of rain, 9% of the year's total; extreme heat and algae & red tide are on in parts of the region, monsoon and dry season in others — 1% of its 102 places are at their best.
- Season
- Tropical
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 38 °C
- Rainfall
- 198 mm (9% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇮🇩 Gili Trawangan, 🇮🇩 Lombok, 🇮🇩 Labuan Bajo, 🇮🇩 Canggu
CaribbeanNorth America
0% of 47 places at their bestMay in the Caribbean is tropical and between wet and dry: 34 °C afternoons and 73 mm of rain, 8% of the year's total; sargassum season is on in parts of the region, dry season and wind season in others — 0% of its 47 places are at their best.
- Season
- Tropical
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 34 °C
- Rainfall
- 73 mm (8% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇱🇨 Castries, Fort-de-France, Pointe-à-Pitre, 🇧🇧 Bridgetown
PacificOceania
0% of 33 places at their bestMay in the Pacific is tropical and between wet and dry: 31 °C afternoons and 194 mm of rain, 8% of the year's total; typhoon season and smoke season are on in parts of the region, dry season and monsoon in others — 0% of its 33 places are at their best.
- Season
- Tropical
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 31 °C
- Rainfall
- 194 mm (8% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇵🇫 Moorea, 🇫🇯 Nadi, 🇵🇫 Bora Bora, 🇲🇵 Saipan
Central AfricaAfrica
0% of 9 places at their bestMay in Central Africa is tropical and between wet and dry: 37 °C afternoons and 127 mm of rain, 7% of the year's total; extreme heat is on in parts of the region, monsoon and dry season in others — 0% of its 9 places are at their best.
- Season
- Tropical
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- 37 °C
- Rainfall
- 127 mm (7% of the year)
ArcticNorth America
0% of 3 places at their bestMay in the Arctic is spring and between wet and dry: -1 °C afternoons and 35 mm of rain, 6% of the year's total; ice season and summer season opens are on in parts of the region — 0% of its 3 places are at their best.
- Season
- Spring
- Rain
- Between wet and dry
- Afternoons
- -1 °C
- Rainfall
- 35 mm (6% of the year)
Best-known this month: 🇬🇱 Ilulissat
The two hemispheres in May
Northern hemisphere
Spring in 16 regions (Southeast Europe, East Asia, Caucasus, Western Asia, Southern Europe, Central Asia, North America, North Africa, Middle East, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Northern Europe, Mediterranean, Central Europe, South Asia, Arctic). Tropical, with no cool season: West Africa, Central America, Southeast Asia, Caribbean, Central Africa. Driest: Middle East at 11 mm; wettest: South Asia at 171 mm. Most places at their best: Southeast Europe, 56%.
Southern hemisphere
Autumn in 3 regions (Southern Africa, South America, Oceania). Tropical, with no cool season: Indian Ocean, East Africa, Pacific. Driest: Southern Africa at 21 mm; wettest: South America at 134 mm. Most places at their best: Southern Africa, 51%.