Your May weather guide
WarmWeather in Lanzarote in May
May is a good time for Lanzarote if you want warm, dry weather rather than strong heat. Daytime highs average around 21°C, nights stay near 18°C, and the sea is a bracing 19.5°C. For a UK traveller, that makes it a sensible choice for spending time outdoors without very hot afternoons. The catch is swimming: the air can feel comfortable while the water still takes some getting used to.
Long-term climate averages for Puerto del Carmen, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Lanzarote, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Puerto del Carmen.
- Average daytime high
- 20.9°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 23°C
- Average night-time low
- 17.7°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 16°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +4.3°C
- London averages 16.6°C in May
- Sea temperature
- 19.5°C
- year to year: 19°C to 21°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 7.3h
- 54% of 13.4 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 0
- 1 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 73%
- Days over 25°C
- 3%
- 0% over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 32.1°C
- 2020-05-25
- Record low 1991-2020
- 14.0°C
- 2011-05-01
- Flight from London
- ≈ 4 h 6 min
- 2715 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 Lanzarote and ranks 103rd of 134 destinations we compare for May - see where else is hot in May. Within Spain it is 70th of 87 (Spain in May). Against London's average high of 16.6°C in May, Lanzarote is 4.3°C warmer by day and 9.4°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in May
The typical May day in Lanzarote peaks at 20.9°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 22.6°C or more. Roughly 1 in 34 days top 25°C and 1 in 500 pass 30°C. Nights average 17.7°C; one night in ten drops to 16.2°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day here reached 32.1°C (2020-05-25) and the coldest night 14.0°C (2011-05-01).
Rain in May
Dry (3 rainy days or fewer): about 0 days with 1 mm or more, 1 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest May was 2011 with 8 mm, the driest 1995 with 0 mm. Humidity averages 73%.
Sea temperature in May
The sea averages 19.5°C - bracing (18-22°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 18.8°C to 20.5°C. For the warmest sea here, come in September (22.9°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 7.3 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 13.4 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:03 and sets about 20:39 local time in mid-May. Average cloud cover is 45%.
Is May a good time to visit Lanzarote?
It is a reasonable choice: warm days. The best months for Lanzarote on our scoring are August, September, July.
Warmer than London, but not a hot-weather bet
Lanzarote's average May daytime high is 4.3°C above London's, so there is a clear improvement in warmth without a jump into intense heat. Light clothes make sense during the day, with a light jumper or cardigan for sitting outside in the evening. Even the warmer days are fairly restrained: the warmest 10% reach 22.6°C or more. This suits travellers who prefer being outdoors to planning everything around cooling off. If your main aim is reliably hot afternoons, May is less convincing. Treat it as comfortable warmth rather than summer heat, and keep something warmer handy for nights that fall below the average.
Dry days are the draw; the sea is the compromise
Rain is unlikely to shape your plans, with about 0 rainy days in a typical May. That makes outdoor time a reasonable default, rather than something to squeeze between showers. Swimming needs a different expectation: the sea averages 19.5°C, with a year-to-year range of 19°C to 20°C. It is bracing rather than comfortably warm, so May is better suited to travellers happy with a refreshing dip than those wanting to linger in the water. Bring something dry to put on afterwards. If warm sea swimming is central to your holiday, the low chance of rain does not make up for that cooler water.
A little perspective
Lanzarote 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 | 18.4°C | 15.7°C | 18.8°C | 5.6 | 12 | 3 | 0% |
| February | 18.5°C | 15.5°C | 18.1°C | 6.1 | 14 | 3 | 1% |
| March | 19.1°C | 15.9°C | 18.1°C | 6.8 | 10 | 2 | 2% |
| April | 19.8°C | 16.6°C | 18.6°C | 6.8 | 5 | 1 | 1% |
| MaySelected | 20.9°C | 17.7°C | 19.5°C | 7.3 | 1 | 0 | 3% |
| June | 22.4°C | 19.3°C | 20.6°C | 7.8 | 0 | 0 | 6% |
| Julybest | 23.7°C | 20.5°C | 21.5°C | 8.9 | 0 | 0 | 13% |
| Augustbest | 24.7°C | 21.5°C | 22.3°C | 8.6 | 0 | 0 | 25% |
| Septemberbest | 24.6°C | 21.5°C | 22.9°C | 7.7 | 3 | 1 | 26% |
| October | 23.4°C | 20.5°C | 22.6°C | 6.3 | 12 | 2 | 11% |
| November | 21.3°C | 18.6°C | 21.4°C | 5.4 | 12 | 2 | 3% |
| December | 19.6°C | 16.9°C | 19.9°C | 5.5 | 19 | 4 | 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
Lanzarote in May FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Lanzarote hot in May?
Lanzarote is warm in May: the average daytime high is 20.9°C and nights average 17.7°C. Roughly 1 in 34 May days reach 25°C.
Can you swim in the sea in Lanzarote in May?
The sea around Lanzarote averages 19.5°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 Lanzarote in May?
Lanzarote sees about 0 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 1 mm of rain in a typical May. The wettest May between 1991 and 2020 was 2011 (8 mm) and the driest was 1995 (0 mm).
How sunny is Lanzarote in May?
Lanzarote gets around 7.3 hours of sunshine a day in May out of 13.4 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Lanzarote compare with the UK in May?
Lanzarote is on average 4.3°C warmer than London by day in May (20.9°C against 16.6°C).
What is the hottest May on record in Lanzarote?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day in Lanzarote reached 32.1°C on 2020-05-25, and the coldest night dropped to 14.0°C on 2011-05-01.
Is Lanzarote likely to reach 25°C in May?
It can, but it is not something to plan around. Only 3% of May days reach 25°C. The average daytime high is 20.9°C, so expect warm conditions rather than the sort of heat that makes cooling off your main priority.
Will it be sunny all day?
Do not expect uninterrupted sunshine. May averages about 7.3 hours of sunshine within 13.4 hours of daylight. There is plenty of daylight for outdoor plans, but the very low rainfall does not mean the sky will always be clear.
Should I choose May or wait until later?
Choose May if warm days, little rain and avoiding strong heat matter most. August, September and July are stronger choices overall for weather. May's main drawback is the bracing sea, especially if swimming is a priority.
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 Puerto del Carmen. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 4 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