Your May weather guide
WarmWeather in Tenerife in May
Yes - Tenerife in May is a good choice for a mostly dry holiday with warm afternoons rather than strong heat. Daytime highs average around 22°C, nights around 17°C, and the sea is a bracing 20.2°C. It suits travellers who want time outdoors without relying on hot weather every day. The main catches are cool water for swimming and evenings when a light layer will earn its place in your bag.
Long-term climate averages for Playa de las Americas (south coast), not a forecast · 1991-2020
Tenerife, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Playa de las Americas (south coast).
- 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 Tenerife and ranks 85th of 134 destinations we compare for May - see where else is hot in May. Within Spain it is 50th of 87 (Spain in May). Against London's average high of 16.6°C in May, Tenerife 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 Tenerife 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 Tenerife?
It is a reasonable choice: warm days. The best months for Tenerife on our scoring are July, August, September; months averaging 25°C or more: Jul, Aug, Sep.
Warm enough for light clothes, but not reliably hot
Pack for comfortable warmth rather than a heatwave. Light clothes make sense during the day, with a jumper or light jacket for sitting outside after dark. Only 9% of days reach 25°C, while 30°C is unusual, reached on 2% of days. That makes May a reasonable fit if you dislike strong heat, but less convincing if hot afternoons are the main reason for your trip. Cooler nights can dip to 14.5°C or below, so do not make your evening wardrobe entirely summer-weight. Keep sun protection handy during the day, and leave yourself the option of shade around midday rather than treating mild temperatures as a reason to skip it.
Plenty of sunshine, with a cooler sea
Rain is unlikely to dominate your plans: May averages about 3 rainy days, so outdoor time is a sensible focus, though a completely dry stay is not guaranteed. Around 10 hours of sunshine within 13.4 hours of daylight give you room to spread time outside across the day rather than squeeze it around midday. Swimming is the bigger compromise. The sea averages 20.2°C, with a range from 19°C to 21°C between years, so expect a bracing dip rather than warm water for lingering. If you enjoy cooler swims, that may be fine; if you need the water to feel warm, May is less suited to a sea-focused holiday.
A little perspective
Tenerife 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
Tenerife in May FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Tenerife hot in May?
Tenerife 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 Tenerife in May?
The sea around Tenerife 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 Tenerife in May?
Tenerife 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 Tenerife in May?
Tenerife 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 Tenerife compare with the UK in May?
Tenerife 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 Tenerife?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest May day in Tenerife 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 Tenerife than London in May?
Tenerife's average daytime high is 21.7°C, compared with 16.6°C in London - a difference of 5.1°C. That is a useful step up in warmth for time outdoors, but it still points to warm spring conditions rather than dependable hot-weather afternoons.
Is May the best month to go to Tenerife?
May suits a preference for warm, dry weather without frequent strong heat. July, August and September rate best overall, so May is not the strongest all-round choice. Its main trade-off is the bracing sea, especially if swimming matters more to you than comfortable daytime temperatures.
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 (Playa de las Americas (south coast)). 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