Your May weather guide
MildWeather in Skiathos in May
May is a good fit for Skiathos if you want mild weather for time outdoors rather than a hot beach holiday. Daytime highs average 19°C, the sea is around 18°C and there are about 9 hours of sunshine a day. The catch is that bright skies do not necessarily mean swimming warmth. Pack for comfortable days with a layer handy, and choose this month if you would rather avoid strong heat than rely on it.
Long-term climate averages for Skiáthos, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Skiathos, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Skiáthos.
- Average daytime high
- 19.3°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 22°C
- Average night-time low
- 17.4°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 15°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +2.7°C
- London averages 16.6°C in May
- Sea temperature
- 18.3°C
- year to year: 17°C to 19°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 9.0h
- 63% of 14.2 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 4
- 40 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 78%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 25.8°C
- 2010-05-31
- Record low 1991-2020
- 12.1°C
- 1995-05-04
- Flight from London
- ≈ 3 h 36 min
- 2269 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 6th warmest month of the year in Skiathos and ranks 126th of 134 destinations we compare for May - see where else is hot in May. Within Greece it is 43rd of 44 (Greece in May). Against London's average high of 16.6°C in May, Skiathos is 2.7°C warmer by day and 9.1°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in May
The typical May day in Skiathos peaks at 19.3°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 22.0°C or more. Roughly 1 in 1000 days top 25°C. Nights average 17.4°C; one night in ten drops to 14.9°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day here reached 25.8°C (2010-05-31) and the coldest night 12.1°C (1995-05-04).
Rain in May
Some rain (4-8 rainy days): about 4 days with 1 mm or more, 40 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest May was 2012 with 134 mm, the driest 2006 with 0 mm. Humidity averages 78%.
Sea temperature in May
The sea averages 18.3°C - bracing (18-22°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 17.0°C to 19.4°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (26.3°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 9.0 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 14.2 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 06:13 and sets about 20:32 local time in mid-May. Average cloud cover is 36%.
Is May a good time to visit Skiathos?
It is a reasonable choice: mild days. The best months for Skiathos on our scoring are July, August, June; months averaging 25°C or more: Jul, Aug.
Comfortable for being outdoors, less reliable for beach warmth
May suits travellers who prefer walking and spending time outside without intense heat. The warmer days reach 22°C or more, but that is not the everyday expectation, so do not build the trip around hot afternoons. You should not need to organise your whole day around avoiding midday heat, though sun protection still belongs in your bag. Nights average about 17°C, with the colder ones falling to around 15°C or below. A jumper or light jacket is a sensible choice for sitting outside in the evening. Take clothes you can layer rather than packing only shorts and light tops; the appeal here is mildness, not dependable summer heat.
Plenty of sunshine, but a bracing sea
The sea is the main compromise for a May trip. At an average of 18.3°C, it is bracing rather than comfortably warm, so swimming is more appealing if you already tolerate cool water. If long, leisurely swims are central to your holiday, May is a less convincing choice. There is plenty of scope for time outside, with about 9 hours of sunshine within 14.2 hours of daylight, but leave some flexibility for rain. Around 4 days have measurable rain during the month. A light waterproof is useful, and plans that can move between outdoors and shelter make more sense than expecting uninterrupted beach weather throughout your stay.
A little perspective
Skiathos through the year
May is highlighted. See how it compares with the rest of the year.
| Month | Day | Night | Sea | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 11.8°C | 9.6°C | 14.1°C | 4.0 | 98 | 11 | 0% |
| February | 12.1°C | 9.7°C | 13.7°C | 4.8 | 78 | 10 | 0% |
| March | 13.3°C | 11.0°C | 13.7°C | 6.1 | 71 | 8 | 0% |
| April | 15.3°C | 13.3°C | 14.7°C | 7.4 | 37 | 6 | 0% |
| MaySelected | 19.3°C | 17.4°C | 18.3°C | 9.0 | 40 | 4 | 0% |
| Junebest | 23.6°C | 21.7°C | 22.8°C | 11.7 | 13 | 2 | 24% |
| Julybest | 26.0°C | 24.1°C | 25.4°C | 13.0 | 17 | 2 | 80% |
| Augustbest | 26.6°C | 24.7°C | 26.3°C | 12.1 | 20 | 3 | 90% |
| September | 23.8°C | 21.8°C | 24.4°C | 9.0 | 51 | 5 | 29% |
| October | 20.2°C | 18.4°C | 21.4°C | 6.0 | 74 | 8 | 2% |
| November | 16.5°C | 14.5°C | 18.1°C | 4.3 | 72 | 8 | 0% |
| December | 13.2°C | 11.1°C | 15.6°C | 3.6 | 110 | 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
- Sea
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.
Spain · 19°C by day · sea 18°C
Menorca
Italy · 20°C by day · sea 19°C
Amalfi Coast
Malta · 21°C by day · sea 19°C
Valletta
Italy · 20°C by day · sea 19°C
Sorrento
Spain · 20°C by day · sea 20°C
La Palma
A little more detail
Skiathos in May FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Skiathos hot in May?
Skiathos is mild in May: the average daytime high is 19.3°C and nights average 17.4°C. Roughly 1 in 1000 May days reach 25°C.
Can you swim in the sea in Skiathos in May?
The sea around Skiathos averages 18.3°C in May, which is bracing - fine for a quick dip, cool for long swims. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 17°C to 19°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Skiathos in May?
Skiathos sees about 4 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 40 mm of rain in a typical May. The wettest May between 1991 and 2020 was 2012 (134 mm) and the driest was 2006 (0 mm).
How sunny is Skiathos in May?
Skiathos gets around 9.0 hours of sunshine a day in May out of 14.2 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Skiathos compare with the UK in May?
Skiathos is on average 2.7°C warmer than London by day in May (19.3°C against 16.6°C).
What is the hottest May on record in Skiathos?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day in Skiathos reached 25.8°C on 2010-05-31, and the coldest night dropped to 12.1°C on 1995-05-04.
Is Skiathos warmer than London in May?
Yes, but the difference is modest. Skiathos has an average daytime high of 19.3°C, compared with 16.6°C in London, a gap of 2.7°C. Think of it as a mild-weather change rather than a substantial jump into summer heat.
Would a later month be a better choice?
June, July and August are stronger choices overall for weather in Skiathos, with July and August ahead of June. May still makes sense if mild temperatures suit you, but it is less persuasive if heat is your main reason for going.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid) and NOAA Coral Reef Watch 5 km sea temperatures, 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Skiáthos. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 2 km from that point. 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