Your May weather guide
MildWeather in La Palma in May
May is a good time for La Palma if you want mild, mostly dry weather rather than strong heat. Daytime highs average 20°C, with nights around 17°C, so it suits being outdoors without planning everything around the temperature. The catch is the sea: at about 20°C, it feels bracing rather than comfortably warm. For a UK traveller, this is a modest step up in warmth, not a reliable hot-weather holiday.
Long-term climate averages for Los Llanos de Aridane, not a forecast · 1991-2020
La Palma, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Los Llanos de Aridane.
- Average daytime high
- 19.6°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 21°C
- Average night-time low
- 16.7°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 15°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +3.0°C
- London averages 16.6°C in May
- Sea temperature
- 20.4°C
- year to year: 20°C to 21°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 8.7h
- 65% of 13.4 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 1
- 3 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 74%
- Days over 25°C
- 1%
- 0% over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 31.2°C
- 2020-05-24
- Record low 1991-2020
- 12.3°C
- 2019-05-06
- Flight from London
- ≈ 4 h 24 min
- 2906 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 7th warmest month of the year in La Palma and ranks 125th of 134 destinations we compare for May - see where else is hot in May. Within Spain it is 81st of 87 (Spain in May). Against London's average high of 16.6°C in May, La Palma is 3.0°C warmer by day and 8.4°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in May
The typical May day in La Palma peaks at 19.6°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 21.4°C or more. Roughly 1 in 77 days top 25°C and 1 in 500 pass 30°C. Nights average 16.7°C; one night in ten drops to 14.7°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day here reached 31.2°C (2020-05-24) and the coldest night 12.3°C (2019-05-06).
Rain in May
Dry (3 rainy days or fewer): about 1 days with 1 mm or more, 3 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest May was 2004 with 22 mm, the driest 1991 with 0 mm. Humidity averages 74%.
Sea temperature in May
The sea averages 20.4°C - bracing (18-22°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 19.8°C to 21.0°C. For the warmest sea here, come in September (24.1°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 8.7 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 13.4 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:21 and sets about 20:55 local time in mid-May. Average cloud cover is 35%.
Is May a good time to visit La Palma?
It is a reasonable choice: mild days. The best months for La Palma on our scoring are August, September, July.
Dry weather for spending time outdoors
May’s strongest point is how little rain usually interrupts the day: there is about 1 rainy day during the month. With around 8.7 hours of sunshine within 13.4 hours of daylight, there is plenty of scope to spend time outdoors without relying on every hour being sunny. The mild temperatures suit travellers who find hot afternoons tiring, though sunscreen and shade still belong in the plan. Pack light daytime clothes and a layer rather than assuming it will feel hot throughout the day. If your main aim is to lounge in strong heat, May is less convincing: days reaching 25°C are unusual.
Bracing swims and a layer for evenings
The sea is the main compromise if swimming matters to your holiday. At an average of 20.4°C, it is better approached as a refreshing dip than a promise of long, comfortable swims. Travellers who dislike cool water may prefer to keep swimming optional. Evenings are mild on average, but a light jumper or jacket is sensible for sitting outdoors, especially as the colder nights can fall to around 15°C or below. You do not need to treat this as a cold-weather trip; just avoid packing only for summer heat. May makes more sense for a mix of outdoor time and occasional swims than a holiday centred on warm water.
A little perspective
La Palma 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 | 17.3°C | 14.9°C | 20.0°C | 6.2 | 21 | 4 | 0% |
| February | 17.1°C | 14.7°C | 19.4°C | 6.9 | 30 | 4 | 1% |
| March | 17.6°C | 14.9°C | 19.3°C | 7.3 | 24 | 4 | 1% |
| April | 18.2°C | 15.5°C | 19.7°C | 7.9 | 12 | 3 | 0% |
| MaySelected | 19.6°C | 16.7°C | 20.4°C | 8.7 | 3 | 1 | 1% |
| June | 21.5°C | 18.7°C | 21.6°C | 10.4 | 2 | 1 | 3% |
| Julybest | 23.0°C | 20.2°C | 22.4°C | 11.5 | 0 | 0 | 10% |
| Augustbest | 24.0°C | 21.2°C | 23.3°C | 10.8 | 1 | 0 | 14% |
| Septemberbest | 23.7°C | 20.9°C | 24.1°C | 8.8 | 4 | 1 | 13% |
| October | 22.1°C | 19.6°C | 23.8°C | 6.9 | 20 | 4 | 4% |
| November | 19.9°C | 17.7°C | 22.6°C | 5.8 | 26 | 5 | 2% |
| December | 18.3°C | 16.1°C | 21.1°C | 5.8 | 40 | 6 | 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.
Greece · 20°C by day · sea 19°C
Paxos
Greece · 20°C by day · sea 19°C
Corfu
Italy · 20°C by day · sea 19°C
Amalfi Coast
Italy · 20°C by day · sea 19°C
Sorrento
Greece · 19°C by day · sea 18°C
Skiathos
A little more detail
La Palma in May FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is La Palma hot in May?
La Palma is mild in May: the average daytime high is 19.6°C and nights average 16.7°C. Roughly 1 in 77 May days reach 25°C.
Can you swim in the sea in La Palma in May?
The sea around La Palma averages 20.4°C in May, which is bracing - fine for a quick dip, cool for long swims. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 20°C to 21°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in La Palma in May?
La Palma sees about 1 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 3 mm of rain in a typical May. The wettest May between 1991 and 2020 was 2004 (22 mm) and the driest was 1991 (0 mm).
How sunny is La Palma in May?
La Palma gets around 8.7 hours of sunshine a day in May out of 13.4 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does La Palma compare with the UK in May?
La Palma is on average 3.0°C warmer than London by day in May (19.6°C against 16.6°C).
What is the hottest May on record in La Palma?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day in La Palma reached 31.2°C on 2020-05-24, and the coldest night dropped to 12.3°C on 2019-05-06.
How much warmer is La Palma than London in May?
La Palma’s average daytime high is 19.6°C, compared with 16.6°C in London - a difference of 3°C. That is a useful lift in warmth, but not a jump into hot summer conditions. Expect mild days rather than dependable heat.
How long is the flight from London?
The flight from London takes about 4 h 24 min, making La Palma a short-haul option. For that journey, May offers mild temperatures and generally dry weather; it is a better fit for avoiding strong heat than seeking it.
Should I choose May or go later in summer?
Choose May if mild days and little rain matter more than heat or warm-water swimming. August, September and July rate best overall for weather here. May suits travellers who are happy with gentler warmth and a bracing sea.
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 Los Llanos de Aridane. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 3.8 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