Brazil
Rio de Janeiro in May: weather, sea & travel advice
This month's data profile
Sea conditions lead
Rio de Janeiro in May is climatically well suited to family holidays, beach holidays and city breaks. The average daily high is around 25 °C, and the sea is about 24 °C. With about 11 rainy days it is wet.
Historical monthly averages, not a weather forecast. Individual days and years can differ substantially.
Rank among 12 monthly averages
80/100 · #4
Warmth
#9
Dryness
#4
Sun
#10
Sea warmth
#6
Published best categories: Overall, Beach, City break, Active, Family
Rio de Janeiro · MayPhoto: Jens Hausherr from Hamburg, Deutschland · CC BY-SA 2.0Climate facts
- Average high
- 25 °C
- Average low
- 20 °C
- Sea
- 24 °C
- Rainy days (est.)
- 11 rainy days (est.)
- Sun (est.)
- 5 h/day
- Humidity
- 81 %
Climate evidence with direct month comparison
The highlighted row is the selected month. Precipitation total and rainy days are separate monthly averages.
| Month | Avg high °C | Avg low °C | Rainy days (est.) | Precipitation mm | Sun h/day (est.) | Humidity % | Wind m/s | Sea °C | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | 27 | 22 | 14 | 102 | 5.6 | 82 | 2.6 | 25 | 74 |
| May (selected) | 25 | 20 | 11 | 76 | 4.6 | 81 | 2.8 | 24 | 80 |
| June | 25 | 19 | 8 | 50 | 4.3 | 80 | 2.7 | 23 | 84 |
How do the previous and next months compare?
Baseline: May (80/100)
Positive and negative values show the change from the selected month.
| Score Δ | Average high Δ | Average low Δ | Rainy days Δ | Rain Δ | Sun Δ | Humidity Δ | Wind Δ | Sea Δ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | -6 | +1.7 °C | +2 °C | +3.4 | +26.1 mm | +1 h | +1.4 % | -0.1 m/s | +1.3 °C |
| June | +4 | -0.5 °C | -1.3 °C | -2.8 | -25.7 mm | -0.3 h | -0.6 % | -0.1 m/s | -1 °C |
All twelve months in context
Find a place to stay
Where to stay in Rio de Janeiro
Compare available stays, prices and cancellation terms for Rio de Janeiro on Booking.com.
Booking.comFind places to stayAffiliate link: there is no extra cost to you.
Useful next decisions
Frequently asked questions
How warm is Rio de Janeiro in May?
The average daily high is around 25 °C, with an average daily low of about 20 °C.
Can you swim in Rio de Janeiro in May?
The sea is about 24 °C (swimmable).
Does it rain a lot in Rio de Janeiro in May?
The curated estimate is about 11 rainy days per month, not a directly measured long-term average. Total precipitation averages around 76 mm for the month. A rainy day does not mean all-day rain.
When is the best time to visit Rio de Janeiro?
By the climate score, May, June, July and August are the strongest months for Rio de Janeiro. For a beach trip: February, April, May and June. May is one of them.