Your May weather guide
WarmWeather in Gran Canaria in May
May is a good choice for Gran Canaria if you want warm, mostly dry weather rather than intense heat. Average daytime highs are around 23°C, nights fall to about 18°C, and the sea sits at 20°C. For a UK traveller, that means weather suited to spending time outdoors, with a light layer for evenings. The main catch is swimming: the water is bracing rather than comfortably warm, despite the sunshine.
Long-term climate averages for Maspalomas (south coast), not a forecast · 1991-2020
Gran Canaria, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Maspalomas (south coast).
- Average daytime high
- 23.4°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 27°C
- Average night-time low
- 17.8°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 16°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +6.8°C
- London averages 16.6°C in May
- Sea temperature
- 20.0°C
- year to year: 19°C to 21°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 9.4h
- 70% of 13.4 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 3
- 8 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 69%
- Days over 25°C
- 17%
- 3% over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 37.0°C
- 2020-05-23
- Record low 1991-2020
- 13.3°C
- 2019-05-05
- Flight from London
- ≈ 4 h 24 min
- 2904 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 Gran Canaria and ranks 64th of 134 destinations we compare for May - see where else is hot in May. Within Spain it is 9th of 87 (Spain in May). Against London's average high of 16.6°C in May, Gran Canaria is 6.8°C warmer by day and 9.5°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in May
The typical May day in Gran Canaria peaks at 23.4°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 26.6°C or more. Roughly 1 in 6 days top 25°C and 1 in 36 pass 30°C. Nights average 17.8°C; one night in ten drops to 16.1°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day here reached 37.0°C (2020-05-23) and the coldest night 13.3°C (2019-05-05).
Rain in May
Dry (3 rainy days or fewer): about 3 days with 1 mm or more, 8 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest May was 2020 with 25 mm, the driest 1991 with 0 mm. Humidity averages 69%.
Sea temperature in May
The sea averages 20.0°C - bracing (18-22°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 19.4°C to 20.6°C. For the warmest sea here, come in September (23.2°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 9.4 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 13.4 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:13 and sets about 20:44 local time in mid-May. Average cloud cover is 30%.
Is May a good time to visit Gran Canaria?
Yes - it is one of the better months: warm days, little rain and long sunny days. The best months for Gran Canaria on our scoring are August, July, June; months averaging 25°C or more: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct.
Warm days without reliably hot weather
May suits travellers who want to spend the day outside without planning everything around strong heat. Days reach 25°C only 17% of the time, so do not book expecting consistently hot afternoons. Temperatures of 30°C occur on just 3% of days, although hotter spells are possible. Light clothes are a sensible daytime choice, with sun protection still important around midday. For evenings, pack a jumper or light jacket rather than relying entirely on summer clothing. The coldest 10% of nights fall to 16.1°C or below, which can make sitting outdoors feel cool. If reliable heat matters more to you than comfortable daytime temperatures, May is a compromise rather than the strongest choice.
Plenty of sunshine, but a cooler sea
Rain is unlikely to dominate a May holiday: there are about 3 rainy days across the month. That makes outdoor plans a reasonable bet, though it is sensible to keep some flexibility rather than assume every day will stay dry. Sunshine averages about 9.4 hours within 13.4 hours of daylight, leaving plenty of scope to be outside without concentrating everything around midday. The sea is the bigger limitation for a beach-focused trip. At an average of 20°C, it is bracing, and the year-to-year range of 19°C to 21°C stays below the comfortable-swimming threshold of 22°C. If you enjoy a refreshing dip, that may suit you; if you prefer lingering in warm water, the air temperature gives a more inviting impression than the sea delivers.
A little perspective
Gran Canaria 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 | 20.2°C | 15.5°C | 19.5°C | 6.8 | 14 | 3 | 1% |
| February | 20.5°C | 15.6°C | 18.8°C | 7.5 | 20 | 3 | 4% |
| March | 21.6°C | 16.1°C | 18.8°C | 8.1 | 16 | 4 | 12% |
| April | 22.0°C | 16.6°C | 19.2°C | 8.5 | 13 | 4 | 8% |
| MaySelected | 23.4°C | 17.8°C | 20.0°C | 9.4 | 8 | 3 | 17% |
| Junebest | 25.1°C | 19.3°C | 21.2°C | 11.2 | 3 | 1 | 42% |
| Julybest | 27.6°C | 20.9°C | 21.9°C | 12.1 | 1 | 0 | 89% |
| Augustbest | 28.3°C | 22.0°C | 22.8°C | 11.2 | 0 | 0 | 97% |
| September | 27.0°C | 21.5°C | 23.2°C | 9.1 | 7 | 2 | 90% |
| October | 25.7°C | 20.7°C | 23.2°C | 7.3 | 21 | 5 | 56% |
| November | 23.4°C | 18.8°C | 22.1°C | 6.4 | 15 | 4 | 21% |
| December | 21.2°C | 16.9°C | 20.6°C | 6.4 | 28 | 5 | 2% |
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
Gran Canaria in May FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Gran Canaria hot in May?
Gran Canaria is warm in May: the average daytime high is 23.4°C and nights average 17.8°C. Roughly 1 in 6 May days reach 25°C.
Can you swim in the sea in Gran Canaria in May?
The sea around Gran Canaria averages 20.0°C in May, which is bracing - fine for a quick dip, cool for long swims. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 19°C to 21°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Gran Canaria in May?
Gran Canaria sees about 3 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 8 mm of rain in a typical May. The wettest May between 1991 and 2020 was 2020 (25 mm) and the driest was 1991 (0 mm).
How sunny is Gran Canaria in May?
Gran Canaria gets around 9.4 hours of sunshine a day in May out of 13.4 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Gran Canaria compare with the UK in May?
Gran Canaria is on average 6.8°C warmer than London by day in May (23.4°C against 16.6°C).
What is the hottest May on record in Gran Canaria?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day in Gran Canaria reached 37.0°C on 2020-05-23, and the coldest night dropped to 13.3°C on 2019-05-05.
How much warmer is Gran Canaria than London in May?
The average daytime high is 23.4°C in Gran Canaria, compared with 16.6°C in London - a difference of 6.8°C. That is a noticeable step up in warmth, with a flight from London taking about 4 h 24 min.
Is May the best month to go for warm holiday weather?
May is a good fit for warmth and little rain, but June, July and August rate better overall for holiday weather. Choose May if you prefer warm days to a holiday built around heat, and can accept bracing seawater.
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 Maspalomas (Maspalomas (south coast)). Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 4.1 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