Your May weather guide
WarmWeather in Zante in May
May is a good time for Zante if you want warm days rather than strong heat, but it is less convincing for a swimming-led holiday. Average daytime highs of 21°C suit being outdoors without planning everything around the hottest part of the day. The catch is the sea: at 19°C, it is bracing rather than comfortably warm. With about 4 rainy days, you should also leave room for the occasional change of plan.
Long-term climate averages for Zakynthos Town, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Zante, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Zakynthos Town.
- Average daytime high
- 21.0°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 24°C
- Average night-time low
- 17.3°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 15°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +4.4°C
- London averages 16.6°C in May
- Sea temperature
- 19.0°C
- year to year: 18°C to 20°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 9.4h
- 67% of 14.0 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 4
- 22 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 78%
- Days over 25°C
- 5%
- 1% over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 35.6°C
- 2020-05-17
- Record low 1991-2020
- 11.5°C
- 2019-05-01
- Flight from London
- ≈ 3 h 30 min
- 2223 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 Zante and ranks 102nd of 134 destinations we compare for May - see where else is hot in May. Within Greece it is 25th of 44 (Greece in May). Against London's average high of 16.6°C in May, Zante is 4.4°C warmer by day and 9.0°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in May
The typical May day in Zante peaks at 21.0°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 23.6°C or more. Roughly 1 in 21 days top 25°C and 1 in 100 pass 30°C. Nights average 17.3°C; one night in ten drops to 14.8°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day here reached 35.6°C (2020-05-17) and the coldest night 11.5°C (2019-05-01).
Rain in May
Some rain (4-8 rainy days): about 4 days with 1 mm or more, 22 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest May was 2019 with 76 mm, the driest 2004 with 4 mm. Humidity averages 78%.
Sea temperature in May
The sea averages 19.0°C - bracing (18-22°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 18.0°C to 19.7°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (26.2°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 9.4 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 14.0 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 06:26 and sets about 20:39 local time in mid-May. Average cloud cover is 33%.
Is May a good time to visit Zante?
It is a reasonable choice: warm days. The best months for Zante on our scoring are July, August, June; months averaging 25°C or more: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
Warm enough for light clothes, with a layer for evenings
Pack light clothes for daytime, but keep a jumper or light jacket for sitting outside after dark. The average night low is 17.3°C, while the coldest 10% of nights fall to 14.8°C or below, so evenings will not always feel like summer. May suits travellers who find sustained heat tiring: only 5% of days reach 25°C, making hot afternoons the exception rather than the basis for your plans. You can still get warmer spells, so do not assume every day will be mild. The sensible approach is flexible clothing, sun protection and a shaded break at midday when you need it, rather than packing solely for beach heat.
Plenty of outdoor time, but a bracing sea
Rain is a reason to keep plans flexible, not to rule May out. About 4 rainy days leaves plenty of scope for time outdoors, though it does not guarantee a dry stay. A light waterproof is a sensible addition to your bag. Sunshine averages 9.4 hours within 14 hours of daylight, giving you room to shift outdoor plans if a shower passes through. Swimming needs a separate judgement: the sea averages 19°C, with a year-to-year range of 18°C to 20°C. That suits travellers happy with a brisk dip better than those wanting to linger in warm water. If comfortable sea swimming is central to your holiday, May's warm air may not compensate for the cooler water.
A little perspective
Zante 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 | 13.5°C | 10.8°C | 16.2°C | 4.6 | 145 | 13 | 0% |
| February | 13.6°C | 10.6°C | 15.4°C | 5.2 | 116 | 12 | 0% |
| March | 15.0°C | 11.7°C | 15.2°C | 6.3 | 79 | 10 | 0% |
| April | 17.3°C | 13.7°C | 16.1°C | 7.8 | 42 | 7 | 1% |
| MaySelected | 21.0°C | 17.3°C | 19.0°C | 9.4 | 22 | 4 | 5% |
| Junebest | 25.0°C | 21.1°C | 22.5°C | 12.2 | 12 | 2 | 41% |
| Julybest | 27.3°C | 23.7°C | 24.7°C | 13.7 | 5 | 0 | 89% |
| Augustbest | 28.3°C | 24.6°C | 26.2°C | 12.6 | 6 | 1 | 99% |
| September | 25.4°C | 22.2°C | 25.2°C | 9.2 | 62 | 6 | 56% |
| October | 22.1°C | 19.1°C | 23.0°C | 6.5 | 112 | 8 | 7% |
| November | 18.4°C | 15.6°C | 20.5°C | 4.7 | 173 | 13 | 0% |
| December | 15.0°C | 12.3°C | 17.9°C | 4.3 | 173 | 14 | 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.
A little more detail
Zante in May FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Zante hot in May?
Zante is warm in May: the average daytime high is 21.0°C and nights average 17.3°C. Roughly 1 in 21 May days reach 25°C.
Can you swim in the sea in Zante in May?
The sea around Zante averages 19.0°C in May, which is bracing - fine for a quick dip, cool for long swims. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 18°C to 20°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Zante in May?
Zante sees about 4 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 22 mm of rain in a typical May. The wettest May between 1991 and 2020 was 2019 (76 mm) and the driest was 2004 (4 mm).
How sunny is Zante in May?
Zante gets around 9.4 hours of sunshine a day in May out of 14.0 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Zante compare with the UK in May?
Zante is on average 4.4°C warmer than London by day in May (21.0°C against 16.6°C).
What is the hottest May on record in Zante?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day in Zante reached 35.6°C on 2020-05-17, and the coldest night dropped to 11.5°C on 2019-05-01.
How much warmer is Zante than London in May?
Zante's average daytime high is 21°C, compared with London's 16.6°C, a difference of 4.4°C. That is a useful step up in warmth for a UK traveller, but it is better viewed as mild-to-warm holiday weather than dependable hot weather.
Should I go in May or wait for warmer weather?
Choose May if warm days matter more than strong heat and you can accept bracing swims. If heat is your priority, consider June, July or August instead. These are Zante's strongest months for holiday weather overall.
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 Zakynthos (Zakynthos Town). Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 1.9 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