Your May weather guide
WarmWeather in Marbella in May
May is a good time for Marbella if you want warm days rather than strong heat, but it is less suited to a holiday built around sea swimming. Average highs are around 22°C, nights drop to about 15°C, and the sea is a cold 17°C. For a UK traveller, the appeal is comfortable weather for spending time outdoors; the catches are cool evenings, some rain and water that may discourage lingering swims.
Long-term climate averages for Marbella, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Marbella, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Marbella.
- Average daytime high
- 21.5°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 25°C
- Average night-time low
- 14.9°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 12°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +4.9°C
- London averages 16.6°C in May
- Sea temperature
- 17.1°C
- year to year: 16°C to 18°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 8.8h
- 63% of 14.0 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 5
- 32 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 69%
- Days over 25°C
- 9%
- 0% over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 30.9°C
- 2015-05-14
- Record low 1991-2020
- 9.0°C
- 2012-05-01
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h 48 min
- 1669 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 Marbella and ranks 94th of 134 destinations we compare for May - see where else is hot in May. Within Spain it is 61st of 87 (Spain in May). Against London's average high of 16.6°C in May, Marbella is 4.9°C warmer by day and 6.6°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in May
The typical May day in Marbella peaks at 21.5°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 24.8°C or more. Roughly 1 in 11 days top 25°C and 1 in 1000 pass 30°C. Nights average 14.9°C; one night in ten drops to 12.3°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 30.9°C (2015-05-14) and the coldest night 9.0°C (2012-05-01).
Rain in May
Some rain (4-8 rainy days): about 5 days with 1 mm or more, 32 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest May was 1996 with 122 mm, the driest 2019 with 0 mm. Humidity averages 69%.
Sea temperature in May
The sea averages 17.1°C - too cold for most (under 18°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 16.3°C to 18.0°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (22.4°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 8.8 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 14.0 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:13 and sets about 21:19 local time in mid-May. Average cloud cover is 37%.
Is May a good time to visit Marbella?
It is a reasonable choice: warm days. The best months for Marbella on our scoring are July, August, June; months averaging 25°C or more: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
Warm afternoons, with a layer for evenings
Pack for warm afternoons rather than a reliably hot beach holiday. Only 9% of days reach 25°C, so light daytime clothes make sense, but do not assume every afternoon will feel hot enough for sitting still in swimwear. May suits travellers who prefer being outdoors without intense heat: you can plan daytime outings without making midday an automatic retreat indoors. Keep sun protection handy all the same. After sunset, a jumper or light jacket is a sensible addition, especially for eating outside. The cooler nights can fall to around 12°C or below, so packing only summer clothes would leave you short.
Plenty of daylight, but leave room for rain
With about 8.8 hours of sunshine across 14 hours of daylight, May gives you a generous window for being outside without suggesting uninterrupted sunshine. Rain falls on about 5 days during the month, so an entirely outdoor plan needs some flexibility. A light waterproof is more useful than assuming the warm daytime average means dry weather throughout your stay. Keep plans that need dry weather movable where possible, rather than treating a particular day as guaranteed beach weather. The balance suits a mixed holiday with time outdoors and room to change plans; it is less convincing if your main requirement is reliably dry sunbathing weather.
A little perspective
Marbella 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 | 14.7°C | 9.1°C | 15.3°C | 5.3 | 83 | 9 | 0% |
| February | 15.2°C | 9.4°C | 14.8°C | 6.0 | 72 | 8 | 0% |
| March | 16.9°C | 10.8°C | 15.2°C | 6.4 | 78 | 8 | 0% |
| April | 18.6°C | 12.3°C | 15.8°C | 7.4 | 55 | 7 | 0% |
| MaySelected | 21.5°C | 14.9°C | 17.1°C | 8.8 | 32 | 5 | 9% |
| Junebest | 25.3°C | 18.3°C | 18.9°C | 11.6 | 8 | 1 | 53% |
| Julybest | 28.2°C | 21.0°C | 21.1°C | 13.0 | 1 | 0 | 94% |
| Augustbest | 28.5°C | 21.6°C | 22.4°C | 11.3 | 4 | 1 | 97% |
| September | 25.4°C | 19.1°C | 21.0°C | 8.4 | 31 | 4 | 58% |
| October | 21.7°C | 16.1°C | 19.2°C | 6.1 | 81 | 8 | 9% |
| November | 17.7°C | 12.4°C | 17.2°C | 5.4 | 94 | 8 | 0% |
| December | 15.4°C | 10.4°C | 15.9°C | 4.6 | 115 | 9 | 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
Marbella in May FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Marbella hot in May?
Marbella is warm in May: the average daytime high is 21.5°C and nights average 14.9°C. Roughly 1 in 11 May days reach 25°C.
Can you swim in the sea in Marbella in May?
The sea around Marbella averages 17.1°C in May, which is cold for swimming without a wetsuit. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 16°C to 18°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Marbella in May?
Marbella sees about 5 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 32 mm of rain in a typical May. The wettest May between 1991 and 2020 was 1996 (122 mm) and the driest was 2019 (0 mm).
How sunny is Marbella in May?
Marbella gets around 8.8 hours of sunshine a day in May out of 14.0 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Marbella compare with the UK in May?
Marbella is on average 4.9°C warmer than London by day in May (21.5°C against 16.6°C).
What is the hottest May on record in Marbella?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day in Marbella reached 30.9°C on 2015-05-14, and the coldest night dropped to 9.0°C on 2012-05-01.
Is the sea warm enough for swimming in May?
The average sea temperature is 17.1°C, which is cold rather than merely bracing. The year-to-year range is 16°C to 18°C, so warmer weather on land does not necessarily mean comfortable swimming. May is a better fit if sea swimming is optional.
How much warmer is Marbella than London in May?
Marbella's average daytime high is 21.5°C, compared with 16.6°C in London, a difference of 4.9°C. That is a useful step up in daytime warmth, but it does not turn May into a hot summer month. You will still want an evening layer.
Should I choose May or wait until summer?
Choose May if comfortable daytime warmth matters more than heat and swimming. July, August and June rate better overall for holiday weather here. May remains a reasonable choice if you accept some rain, cool evenings and a cold 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 Marbella. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 4.6 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