Your May weather guide
WarmWeather in Playa de las Americas in May
May is a good choice for Playa de las Americas if you want warm, mostly dry weather rather than strong heat. Daytime highs average around 22°C, with nights near 17°C, so light clothes should suit the day but an extra layer earns its place after dark. The catch is the sea: at around 20°C, it feels bracing rather than warm. This suits travellers who prefer comfortable outdoor days to reliably hot swimming weather.
Long-term climate averages for Playa de las Américas, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Playa de las Americas, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Playa de las Américas.
- Average daytime high
- 21.7°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 25°C
- Average night-time low
- 16.7°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 15°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +5.1°C
- London averages 16.6°C in May
- Sea temperature
- 20.2°C
- year to year: 19°C to 21°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 10.0h
- 75% of 13.4 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 3
- 9 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 73%
- Days over 25°C
- 9%
- 2% over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 35.5°C
- 2003-05-22
- Record low 1991-2020
- 12.5°C
- 2001-05-10
- Flight from London
- ≈ 4 h 24 min
- 2917 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 Playa de las Americas. Within Spain it is 51st of 87 (Spain in May). Against London's average high of 16.6°C in May, Playa de las Americas is 5.1°C warmer by day and 8.4°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in May
The typical May day in Playa de las Americas peaks at 21.7°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 24.7°C or more. Roughly 1 in 11 days top 25°C and 1 in 59 pass 30°C. Nights average 16.7°C; one night in ten drops to 14.5°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day here reached 35.5°C (2003-05-22) and the coldest night 12.5°C (2001-05-10).
Rain in May
Dry (3 rainy days or fewer): about 3 days with 1 mm or more, 9 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest May was 2008 with 32 mm, the driest 2019 with 1 mm. Humidity averages 73%.
Sea temperature in May
The sea averages 20.2°C - bracing (18-22°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 19.4°C to 20.8°C. For the warmest sea here, come in September (23.7°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 10.0 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 13.4 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:17 and sets about 20:49 local time in mid-May. Average cloud cover is 26%.
Is May a good time to visit Playa de las Americas?
It is a reasonable choice: warm days. The best months for Playa de las Americas on our scoring are July, August, September; months averaging 25°C or more: Jul, Aug, Sep.
Warm days, with a layer for evenings
Expect warmth you can comfortably spend time outdoors in, rather than heat that dictates your whole day. Only 9% of days reach 25°C, so May is not the strongest choice if hot afternoons are your main reason for going. Light tops and shorts are sensible daytime packing, alongside sun protection and something to cover up with when sitting in direct sunshine. Evenings need a little more thought: the coldest nights can fall to 14.5°C or below. A jumper or light jacket and long trousers will make eating or sitting outside more comfortable. Keep some flexibility for warmer days, but do not pack solely for high summer.
Plenty of sunshine, but a bracing sea
Rain is unlikely to be the main compromise in May. There are about 3 rainy days across the month, leaving outdoor plans a reasonable bet without making dry weather a guarantee. Around 10 hours of sunshine a day gives you plenty of scope to enjoy the weather without concentrating everything around midday. Sea swimming is the more personal decision. The water averages 20.2°C, with a year-to-year range of 19°C to 21°C, so expect a cool entry rather than an easy, warm soak. If you enjoy refreshing water, it may suit you; if you usually need a warm sea to linger in, May is likely to feel too early.
A little perspective
Playa de las Americas 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 | 19.6°C | 15.1°C | 19.9°C | 7.0 | 19 | 4 | 1% |
| February | 19.8°C | 15.1°C | 19.3°C | 7.9 | 25 | 4 | 3% |
| March | 20.4°C | 15.4°C | 19.1°C | 8.4 | 23 | 5 | 8% |
| April | 20.6°C | 15.7°C | 19.5°C | 9.0 | 17 | 5 | 6% |
| MaySelected | 21.7°C | 16.7°C | 20.2°C | 10.0 | 9 | 3 | 9% |
| June | 23.2°C | 18.1°C | 21.3°C | 11.7 | 6 | 2 | 18% |
| Julybest | 25.9°C | 20.4°C | 22.1°C | 12.9 | 1 | 0 | 51% |
| Augustbest | 26.6°C | 21.3°C | 23.0°C | 11.7 | 2 | 1 | 65% |
| Septemberbest | 25.4°C | 20.4°C | 23.7°C | 9.2 | 11 | 3 | 49% |
| October | 24.5°C | 19.7°C | 23.6°C | 7.4 | 25 | 6 | 30% |
| November | 22.6°C | 18.1°C | 22.5°C | 6.6 | 22 | 6 | 16% |
| December | 20.7°C | 16.4°C | 21.1°C | 6.6 | 39 | 6 | 1% |
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
Playa de las Americas in May FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Playa de las Americas hot in May?
Playa de las Americas is warm in May: the average daytime high is 21.7°C and nights average 16.7°C. Roughly 1 in 11 May days reach 25°C.
Can you swim in the sea in Playa de las Americas in May?
The sea around Playa de las Americas averages 20.2°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 Playa de las Americas in May?
Playa de las Americas sees about 3 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 9 mm of rain in a typical May. The wettest May between 1991 and 2020 was 2008 (32 mm) and the driest was 2019 (1 mm).
How sunny is Playa de las Americas in May?
Playa de las Americas gets around 10.0 hours of sunshine a day in May out of 13.4 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Playa de las Americas compare with the UK in May?
Playa de las Americas is on average 5.1°C warmer than London by day in May (21.7°C against 16.6°C).
What is the hottest May on record in Playa de las Americas?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day in Playa de las Americas reached 35.5°C on 2003-05-22, and the coldest night dropped to 12.5°C on 2001-05-10.
How much warmer is it than London in May?
Average daytime highs are 21.7°C in Playa de las Americas, compared with 16.6°C in London. That is a 5.1°C advantage: a noticeable step up in warmth, but not a guarantee of hot weather every day. You should still bring an evening layer.
Should I choose May or go later in summer?
Choose May if warm days and little rain matter more than strong heat or warm sea swimming. July, August and September are better overall weather choices here. May's main trade-off is the bracing sea, so your swimming preferences should help decide.
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 Playa de las Américas. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 4.4 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