Your May weather guide
WarmWeather in Lake Garda in May
May is a good time for Lake Garda if you want warm days rather than dependable heat, and can keep your plans flexible around rain. Average daytime highs are 21°C, nights fall to around 12°C, and about 13 days have measurable rain. For a UK traveller, that means comfortable weather for spending time outdoors, but not a reliably dry holiday. Pack for pleasant afternoons, cooler evenings and wet spells rather than assuming summer has arrived.
Long-term climate averages for Desenzano del Garda (south shore), not a forecast · 1991-2020
Lake Garda, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Desenzano del Garda (south shore).
- Average daytime high
- 21.4°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 26°C
- Average night-time low
- 12.0°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 9°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +4.8°C
- London averages 16.6°C in May
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 6.4h
- 44% of 14.7 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 13
- 101 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 71%
- Days over 25°C
- 15%
- 1% over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 31.6°C
- 2009-05-25
- Record low 1991-2020
- 3.9°C
- 1991-05-17
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h
- 1012 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 Lake Garda and ranks 97th of 134 destinations we compare for May - see where else is hot in May. Within Italy it is 9th of 16 (Italy in May). Against London's average high of 16.6°C in May, Lake Garda is 4.8°C warmer by day and 3.7°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in May
The typical May day in Lake Garda peaks at 21.4°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 25.7°C or more. Roughly 1 in 7 days top 25°C and 1 in 111 pass 30°C. Nights average 12.0°C; one night in ten drops to 8.5°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 31.6°C (2009-05-25) and the coldest night 3.9°C (1991-05-17).
Rain in May
Wet (more than 8 rainy days): about 13 days with 1 mm or more, 101 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest May was 2002 with 206 mm, the driest 2009 with 19 mm. Humidity averages 71%.
Sunshine and daylight
Around 6.4 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 14.7 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 05:47 and sets about 20:41 local time in mid-May. Average cloud cover is 56%.
Is May a good time to visit Lake Garda?
May is not the strongest month here: warm days and frequent rain. The best months for Lake Garda on our scoring are July, August, June; months averaging 25°C or more: Jun, Jul, Aug.
Warmer than London, without reliable summer heat
Lake Garda's average daytime high is 4.8°C above London's in May, a noticeable step up without usually bringing intense heat. Light clothes should work on warmer afternoons, but a jumper and trousers will be useful once the temperature drops. The warmer end of the range reaches around 26°C, so allow for afternoons when shade feels welcome. The catch is the evening chill: the coldest nights fall to around 9°C or below, making a jacket a sensible choice for sitting outside. May suits travellers who prefer mild warmth to hot weather; it is less convincing if your holiday depends on consistently hot afternoons.
Leave room for rain in your plans
Rain is the main compromise in May. With about 13 rainy days, it makes sense to bring a waterproof layer and shoes you are happy to wear in wet weather, rather than treating rain as an unlikely interruption. Keep outdoor plans movable and avoid making every day depend on dry conditions. There is still useful sunshine: about 6.4 hours a day on average, within 14.7 hours of daylight. That gives you long days, but daylight should not be mistaken for uninterrupted sun. May works best if you are content to adjust your timing; travellers wanting dependable dry weather may find the wet spells frustrating.
A little perspective
Lake Garda 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 | 7.1°C | 1.0°C | 3.9 | 51 | 7 | 0% |
| February | 9.0°C | 1.4°C | 4.7 | 55 | 7 | 0% |
| March | 13.3°C | 3.8°C | 5.5 | 64 | 9 | 0% |
| April | 17.0°C | 7.4°C | 5.8 | 87 | 12 | 1% |
| MaySelected | 21.4°C | 12.0°C | 6.4 | 101 | 13 | 15% |
| Junebest | 25.5°C | 16.6°C | 7.8 | 91 | 12 | 55% |
| Julybest | 27.9°C | 19.5°C | 8.8 | 79 | 10 | 83% |
| Augustbest | 27.7°C | 20.0°C | 8.0 | 92 | 11 | 80% |
| September | 22.7°C | 16.2°C | 6.3 | 103 | 11 | 24% |
| October | 17.5°C | 11.6°C | 4.2 | 109 | 11 | 1% |
| November | 11.9°C | 6.7°C | 3.3 | 113 | 11 | 0% |
| December | 7.6°C | 2.4°C | 3.6 | 69 | 8 | 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.
Hungary · 21°C by day
Budapest
Spain · 22°C by day · sea 17°C
Lloret de Mar
Bermuda · 22°C by day · sea 22°C
Bermuda
Spain · 22°C by day · sea 20°C
Fuerteventura
Montenegro · 22°C by day · sea 19°C
Budva
A little more detail
Lake Garda in May FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Lake Garda hot in May?
Lake Garda is warm in May: the average daytime high is 21.4°C and nights average 12.0°C. Roughly 1 in 7 May days reach 25°C.
How much does it rain in Lake Garda in May?
Lake Garda sees about 13 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 101 mm of rain in a typical May. The wettest May between 1991 and 2020 was 2002 (206 mm) and the driest was 2009 (19 mm).
How sunny is Lake Garda in May?
Lake Garda gets around 6.4 hours of sunshine a day in May out of 14.7 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Lake Garda compare with the UK in May?
Lake Garda is on average 4.8°C warmer than London by day in May (21.4°C against 16.6°C).
What is the hottest May on record in Lake Garda?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day in Lake Garda reached 31.6°C on 2009-05-25, and the coldest night dropped to 3.9°C on 1991-05-17.
Is Lake Garda hot in May?
Usually it is warm rather than hot. Around 15% of days reach 25°C, while only 1% reach 30°C. Pack some light clothing, but do not count on heat throughout your stay, particularly after sunset.
Is May among the best months to go?
May is a reasonable choice for mild warmth, but July, August and June come out ahead overall. Choose May if you prefer gentler daytime temperatures and can accept rain, rather than expecting a reliably summery holiday.
How short is the journey from London?
The flight from London is about 2 h, making this a short-haul option. That is flight time rather than the full journey to Lake Garda, so allow separately for airport time and onward travel when planning your stay.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid), 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Desenzano del Garda (Desenzano del Garda (south shore)). 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