Your May weather guide
MildWeather in Copenhagen in May
May is a good time for Copenhagen if you want mild weather for exploring on foot, rather than summer heat. Average daytime highs are around 15°C, nights fall to 8°C, and about 10 days have rain. For a UK traveller, that means familiar spring packing: layers, a waterproof and something warmer for evenings. The long daylight hours are a real advantage, but you need to be comfortable changing plans when it turns wet.
Long-term climate averages for Copenhagen, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Copenhagen, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Copenhagen.
- Average daytime high
- 15.3°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 20°C
- Average night-time low
- 8.0°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 5°C or lower
- Compared with London
- -1.3°C
- London averages 16.6°C in May
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 6.9h
- 43% of 16.0 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 10
- 52 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 73%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 25.3°C
- 2018-05-30
- Record low 1991-2020
- 0.6°C
- 2011-05-04
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h
- 982 km, short-haul (estimate for a direct flight)
Records are observed extremes within 1991-2020, not typical holiday conditions. Warm-day percentages are shares of days, not day counts.
How May compares
May is the 5th warmest month of the year in Copenhagen. Against London's average high of 16.6°C in May, Copenhagen is 1.3°C cooler by day and 0.3°C cooler at night.
Daytime and night-time in May
The typical May day in Copenhagen peaks at 15.3°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 20.2°C or more. Roughly 1 in 333 days top 25°C. Nights average 8.0°C; one night in ten drops to 4.5°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings - it is genuinely cool after dark. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day here reached 25.3°C (2018-05-30) and the coldest night 0.6°C (2011-05-04).
Rain in May
Wet (more than 8 rainy days): about 10 days with 1 mm or more, 52 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest May was 2003 with 87 mm, the driest 2018 with 7 mm. Humidity averages 73%.
Sunshine and daylight
Around 6.9 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 16.0 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 04:58 and sets about 21:14 local time in mid-May. Average cloud cover is 57%.
Is May a good time to visit Copenhagen?
May is not the strongest month here: mild days and frequent rain. The best months for Copenhagen on our scoring are July, August, June.
Comfortable for walking, cool for sitting outside
The daytime average suits walking around without getting too hot, but it is less inviting for long stretches sitting outdoors. Keep a jumper handy rather than treating May as T-shirt weather. Warmer days can reach 20.2°C or more, so lighter clothing may get some use, but that is not the temperature to plan around. At the colder end, nights can drop to 4.5°C or below, making a warm outer layer useful if you stay out late. May works well if you prefer mild conditions to heat; it is a weaker choice if warm evenings are central to your holiday.
Long daylight helps, but leave room for rain
With about 16 hours of daylight and 6.9 hours of sunshine a day, May gives you plenty of scope to move outdoor plans around. Long daylight does not mean clear skies throughout, though, and rain is a meaningful part of the month. Pack a waterproof jacket and shoes you are comfortable walking in when it is wet, rather than relying on dry conditions. Keep your plans flexible so that indoor breaks can fit around the weather. The balance is appealing for travellers who want time outdoors without intense heat, but less suitable if rain would spoil the main purpose of the trip.
A little perspective
Copenhagen through the year
May is highlighted. See how it compares with the rest of the year.
| Month | Day | Night | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3.0°C | -0.4°C | 1.8 | 50 | 12 | 0% |
| February | 3.3°C | -0.6°C | 2.4 | 42 | 10 | 0% |
| March | 6.0°C | 0.6°C | 3.8 | 43 | 10 | 0% |
| April | 10.7°C | 3.8°C | 5.7 | 41 | 10 | 0% |
| MaySelected | 15.3°C | 8.0°C | 6.9 | 52 | 10 | 0% |
| Junebest | 18.4°C | 11.8°C | 7.1 | 73 | 12 | 3% |
| Julybest | 20.9°C | 14.3°C | 7.0 | 72 | 12 | 12% |
| Augustbest | 20.5°C | 14.6°C | 5.9 | 76 | 13 | 9% |
| September | 16.7°C | 11.7°C | 4.5 | 58 | 11 | 0% |
| October | 11.8°C | 7.8°C | 3.1 | 61 | 12 | 0% |
| November | 7.2°C | 4.1°C | 1.9 | 50 | 11 | 0% |
| December | 4.2°C | 1.0°C | 1.5 | 54 | 12 | 0% |
Day = average daytime high, night = average night-time low, 1991-2020.Sun is hours per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more.
Day, night and sea
Monthly average temperatures, 1991-2020
- Day
- Night
Best months here
On warmth, low rainfall and sunshine, start with these.
Keep exploring
Similar in May
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Copenhagen in May FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Copenhagen hot in May?
Copenhagen is mild in May: the average daytime high is 15.3°C and nights average 8.0°C. Roughly 1 in 333 May days reach 25°C.
How much does it rain in Copenhagen in May?
Copenhagen sees about 10 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 52 mm of rain in a typical May. The wettest May between 1991 and 2020 was 2003 (87 mm) and the driest was 2018 (7 mm).
How sunny is Copenhagen in May?
Copenhagen gets around 6.9 hours of sunshine a day in May out of 16.0 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Copenhagen compare with the UK in May?
Copenhagen is on average 1.3°C cooler than London by day in May (15.3°C against 16.6°C).
What is the hottest May on record in Copenhagen?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day in Copenhagen reached 25.3°C on 2018-05-30, and the coldest night dropped to 0.6°C on 2011-05-04.
Is Copenhagen colder than London in May?
Yes, slightly. Copenhagen's average daytime high is 15.3°C, compared with 16.6°C in London. The difference is modest, so familiar UK spring layers are a sensible starting point, with something warm for Copenhagen's cool evenings.
Is May suitable for a hot-weather holiday?
No. May is mild rather than hot, with an average daytime high of 15.3°C. Some warmer days reach 20.2°C or more, but you should choose it for comfortable outdoor activity rather than dependable heat or warm evenings.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid), 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Copenhagen. Sunshine hours are estimated from average cloud cover.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C