Rio de Janeiro 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
Excellent
Best time to visit: January – December
What is the weather like in Rio de Janeiro in May?
In May, Rio de Janeiro is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 18 °C. The sea averages 23.6 °C – pleasant for swimming. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 61 mm in total. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, May is an excellent month for a holiday in Rio de Janeiro.
May compared
How the weather changes from April to June. Tap a month to open it.
More details for May
- Daylight
- 11 h 2 min06:18 – 17:20
- UV index
- 6 · highclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 15 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 15 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 49 %on average
- Hot days
- 3 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC−3America/Sao_Paulo
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %100 %
- Seaweight 25 %94 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %60 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %59 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in May
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Insect repellent
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Rio de Janeiro in May: quick answers
Is Rio de Janeiro hot in May?
Warm rather than hot: in May, daytime highs in Rio de Janeiro average 26 °C and nights cool to about 18 °C. On about 3 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more.
Can you swim in Rio de Janeiro in May?
Yes. In May the sea averages 23.6 °C – pleasant for swimming.
Does it rain much in Rio de Janeiro in May?
Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 61 mm in total.
Rio de Janeiro month by month
The whole year in Rio de JaneiroAll destinations: BrazilWhere to go in May
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)