Bridgetown weather in May

In May, Bridgetown sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 41 mm of rain across 9 wet days and about 12.6 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Bridgetown's 9th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bridgetown's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
7th warmest
Overnight low
26°
8th coldest
Rainfall
41 mm
9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 36 min
5:37 AM – 6:13 PM
Cloud cover
56%
9th clearest
Wind
27 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
6.48 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.7
out of 10

Bridgetown is capital of Barbados.

Founded
1628

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month.

A typical May day in Bridgetown reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12726
22726
32726
42726
52726
62726
72726
82726
92726
102726
112726
122726
132726
142726
152726
162726
172726
182726
192726
202726
212726
222726
232726
242726
252726
262726
272726
282726
292726
302726
312726

Bridgetown weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 7th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 25°3610.611.37.0
Feb26° / 25°197.511.67.4
Mar26° / 25°236.911.97.5
Apr27° / 25°316.912.37.1
May27° / 26°41912.66.7
Jun27° / 26°8815.412.85.5
Jul28° / 26°11719.812.75.2
Aug28° / 26°14120.712.45.0
Sep28° / 26°13318.612.14.8
Oct28° / 26°15221.511.74.7
Nov27° / 26°13819.611.45.1
Dec27° / 26°5112.711.26.4

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 44%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16139
26139
35941
45941
55941
65941
75743
85743
95743
105743
115644
125644
135644
145743
155644
165644
175743
185644
195644
205644
215644
225644
235545
245545
255446
265446
275347
285347
295248
305050
315050

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Bridgetown gets around 41 mm of rain over 9 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 29% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
126
226
326
426
526
626
726
826
926
1025
1125
1225
1325
1425
1526
1626
1726
1827
1928
2028
2129
2230
2331
2433
2534
2635
2736
2837
2938
3039
3140

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the oppressive band about 90% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
14942
24942
33952
43952
53943
63943
73934
82944
92935
102926
112926
122917
131918
141918
151909
1618910
1718910
1818811
1918811
2018712
2118712
2218712
2318613
2418613
2518613
2618514
2718514
2818514
2918514
3018514
3118514

Wind in May

Winds average 27 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 27 km/h on the calmest days to 28 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
127breezy
227breezy
327breezy
427breezy
527breezy
627breezy
727breezy
827breezy
927breezy
1027breezy
1127breezy
1227breezy
1327breezy
1427breezy
1527breezy
1627breezy
1727breezy
1827breezy
1927breezy
2027breezy
2127breezy
2227breezy
2327breezy
2427breezy
2527breezy
2627breezy
2727breezy
2827breezy
2927breezy
3028breezy
3128breezy

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:42 AM to 5:35 AM, and sunset from 6:09 PM to 6:17 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.55:426:09
212.55:416:10
312.55:416:10
412.55:416:10
512.55:406:10
612.55:406:10
712.55:396:11
812.55:396:11
912.55:396:11
1012.65:386:11
1112.65:386:12
1212.65:386:12
1312.65:376:12
1412.65:376:12
1512.65:376:13
1612.65:376:13
1712.65:366:13
1812.65:366:13
1912.65:366:14
2012.65:366:14
2112.65:366:14
2212.75:356:14
2312.75:356:15
2412.75:356:15
2512.75:356:15
2612.75:356:16
2712.75:356:16
2812.75:356:16
2912.75:356:17
3012.75:356:17
3112.75:356:17

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.48 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.95 kWh/m² to a high of 6.59 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 6.48 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.6Intense
26.6Intense
36.6Intense
46.5Intense
56.5Intense
66.5Intense
76.5Intense
86.5Intense
96.5Intense
106.5Intense
116.5Intense
126.5Intense
136.5Intense
146.5Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.5Intense
226.5Intense
236.4Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.4Intense
276.4Intense
286.4Intense
296.3Intense
306.3Intense
316.3Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Bridgetown

In seasonPeak

None of Bridgetown's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Bridgetown sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Bridgetown's rainy season runs June–November, when most of the year's rain falls.

Bridgetown sees seasonal dust haze (June–July), heaviest in June.

Atlantic hurricane
Rainy season
Dust
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Bridgetown?

Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.7
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
6.8
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Bridgetown for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Bridgetown in May

From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In May, Bridgetown sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear and a windbreaker. About 9 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Bridgetown in May

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in September at about 29°C and coldest in February near 27°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr27Warm
May28Warm
Jun28Warm
Jul28Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Bridgetown in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Bridgetown peaks around March 20 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 8 (very high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highMar 20UV 14Dec 13UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Bridgetown in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Bridgetown is worst in June — around 32 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (January, 13 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateJun 1831 µg/m³Jan 1013 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb16Moderate
Mar15Moderate
Apr18Moderate
May21Moderate
Jun32Moderate
Jul25Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov15Moderate
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Bridgetown?

Bridgetown sits at 13.1°N, 59.6°W, 10 m above sea level, in Barbados. The nearest listed city is Vieux Fort, 159 km away.

Topography around Bridgetown

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Bridgetown.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Bridgetown has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 102 m around an average of 15 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 341 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 332 m.

The land around Bridgetown is covered by artificial surfaces (43%) and water (42%) within 3 km, water (62%) within 16 km, and water (94%) within 80 km.

3 km
102 m
16 km
341 m
80 km
332 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Vieux Fort 159 km · Calliaqua 170 km · Kingstown 174 km · Soufriere 176 km · Gros Islet 179 km · Castries 179 km · Le François 217 km · Ducos 219 km

Barbados travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B
115 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 110% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$28,365
2025
Homicide rate
7.4
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
8.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 66%none 21%other Christian 5%Roman Catholic 4%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Bridgetown (13.1073°, -59.6202°, elevation 10 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).