City break

Southend-on-Sea weather in May

Temperature, sea and sunshine in May: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.

69

Holiday weather in May

Good

Best time to visit: May – September

What is the weather like in Southend-on-Sea in May?

In May, Southend-on-Sea is cool: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sea averages 12.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 55 mm in total. All in all, May is a good month for a holiday in Southend-on-Sea.

May compared

How the weather changes from April to June. Tap a month to open it.

AprilAprMayMayJuneJun
Score506983
Day12°16°19°
Night6°9°12°
Sea9°12°15°
Sun6 h7 h8 h
Rain days101010

More details for May

Daylight
15 h 34 min05:06 – 20:40
UV index
7 · highclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
Muggy days
0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
Wind
23 km/haverage daily peakAll months
Cloud cover
64 %on averageAll months
Hot days
0 days30 °C or more
Snow days
0 days1 cm or more of fresh snow
Time zone
UTC+1Europe/London

How the score comes together

  • Temperatureweight 50 %75 %
  • Sunshineweight 20 %72 %
  • Few rainy daysweight 30 %56 %

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

Southend-on-Sea in May: quick answers

Is Southend-on-Sea hot in May?

No. In May, Southend-on-Sea is cool: daytime highs average 16 °C and nights drop to about 9 °C.

Can you swim in Southend-on-Sea in May?

Only if you don't mind cold water: in May the sea averages just 12.1 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.

Does it rain much in Southend-on-Sea in May?

Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 55 mm in total.

Southend-on-Sea month by month

Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences