Helsinki weather in May
Temperature, sea and sunshine in May: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in May
Good
Best time to visit: June – August
What is the weather like in Helsinki in May?
In May, Helsinki is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 6.4 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. With around 10 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 46 mm in total. All in all, May is a good month for a holiday in Helsinki.
May compared
How the weather changes from April to June. Tap a month to open it.
More details for May
- Daylight
- 17 h 7 min04:43 – 21:50
- UV index
- 5 · moderateclear sky, noon (estimate)
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 18 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 56 %on average
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 0 days1 cm or more of fresh snow
- Time zone
- UTC+3Europe/Helsinki
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %52 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %100 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %64 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in May
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Helsinki in May: quick answers
Is Helsinki hot in May?
No. In May, Helsinki is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C and nights drop to about 6 °C.
Can you swim in Helsinki in May?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in May the sea averages just 6.4 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
Does it rain much in Helsinki in May?
Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 46 mm in total.
Helsinki month by month
The whole year in HelsinkiAll destinations: Finland
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)