São Sebastião weather in May

In May, São Sebastião sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 98 mm of rain across 19.7 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 42 min at the start of May to 11 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is São Sebastião's 12th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see São Sebastião's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
8th warmest
Overnight low
22°
6th coldest
Rainfall
98 mm
19.7 wet days
Daylight
11 h 30 min
5:36 AM – 5:09 PM
Cloud cover
59%
12th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
4.26 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.5
out of 10

São Sebastião is human settlement in Brazil.

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 29°C through the month.

A typical May day in São Sebastião reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12923
22923
32923
42923
52923
62923
72923
82923
92923
102923
112923
122923
132922
142922
152922
162922
172922
182922
192822
202822
212822
222822
232822
242822
252822
262822
272822
282822
292822
302822
312822

How May really feels in São Sebastião

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 8 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
8
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

São Sebastião weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 8th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan31° / 24°4110.912.54.2
Feb31° / 24°4511.112.34.1
Mar31° / 24°5613.312.14.1
Apr30° / 23°7516.611.84.1
May29° / 22°9819.711.64.5
Jun27° / 21°9121.511.44.8
Jul26° / 21°8622.211.54.9
Aug27° / 20°6019.411.75.3
Sep28° / 21°4213.911.95.7
Oct30° / 22°339.112.25.4
Nov31° / 23°266.412.54.9
Dec32° / 23°226.512.64.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time in May, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 29% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 47%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
24951
34951
45050
55050
65050
75149
85149
95248
105347
115347
125347
135446
145446
155446
165446
175446
185446
195545
205545
215545
225545
235545
245644
255545
265545
275644
285644
295644
305743
315743

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

São Sebastião gets around 98 mm of rain over 19.7 wet days in May, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 64% and peaks near 67% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
163
263
363
463
563
663
762
862
962
1062
1162
1262
1362
1462
1562
1663
1763
1864
1964
2064
2164
2265
2365
2465
2565
2666
2766
2866
2967
3067
3167

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 88% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
17921
28911
38911
49901
59910
69910
710900
810900
910900
1011890
1111890
1211890
1311890
1412880
1512880
1612880
1712880
1813870
1913870
2013870
2113870
2213870
2314860
2414860
2515850
2615850
2716840
2816840
2917830
3018820
3118820

Wind in May

Winds average 9 km/h in May, the calmest month.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 10 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min at the start of May to 11 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:34 AM to 5:40 AM, and sunset from 5:13 PM to 5:08 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.75:345:13
211.65:345:13
311.65:345:12
411.65:345:12
511.65:345:12
611.65:345:11
711.65:355:11
811.65:355:11
911.65:355:10
1011.65:355:10
1111.65:355:10
1211.65:355:10
1311.65:365:09
1411.65:365:09
1511.65:365:09
1611.55:365:09
1711.55:365:09
1811.55:365:09
1911.55:375:08
2011.55:375:08
2111.55:375:08
2211.55:375:08
2311.55:385:08
2411.55:385:08
2511.55:385:08
2611.55:385:08
2711.55:395:08
2811.55:395:08
2911.55:395:08
3011.55:395:08
3111.55:405:08

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.26 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.88 kWh/m² to a high of 6.28 kWh/m² in December across the year — May's 4.26 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.6Bright
24.5Bright
34.5Bright
44.5Bright
54.5Bright
64.4Bright
74.4Bright
84.4Bright
94.4Bright
104.4Bright
114.3Bright
124.3Bright
134.3Bright
144.3Bright
154.3Bright
164.3Bright
174.3Bright
184.2Bright
194.2Bright
204.2Bright
214.2Bright
224.2Bright
234.2Bright
244.1Bright
254.1Bright
264.1Bright
274.1Bright
284.1Bright
294.1Bright
304.0Bright
314.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for São Sebastião

In seasonPeak

In May, São Sebastião sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

São Sebastião's rainy season runs February–August, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit São Sebastião?

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

4.5
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
5.4
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit São Sebastião for sightseeing.

What to pack for São Sebastião in May

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

In May, São Sebastião sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. About 20 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near São Sebastião 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 at the nearest coast (about 52 km away) is warmest in April at about 29°C and coldest in August near 26°C.

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

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb28Tropical
Mar28Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Warm
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct26Warm
Nov27Warm
Dec27Warm

UV index in São Sebastião in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in São Sebastião peaks around February 22 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeFeb 22UV 14Jun 23UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec12Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is São Sebastião?

São Sebastião sits at 9.9°S, 36.6°W, 204 m above sea level, in Brazil. The nearest listed city is Junqueiro, 9.0 km away.

Topography around São Sebastião

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around São Sebastião has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 123 m around an average of 185 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 299 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 909 m.

The land around São Sebastião is covered by grassland (68%) within 3 km, grassland (67%) and cropland (21%) within 16 km, and grassland (56%) within 80 km.

3 km
123 m
16 km
299 m
80 km
909 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
May weather nearby: Junqueiro 9.0 km · Feira Grande 14 km · Teotônio Vilela 22 km · Limoeiro de Anadia 22 km · Lagoa da Canoa 23 km · Arapiraca 23 km · Igreja Nova 24 km · Campo Alegre 28 km

Brazil travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / N
127 / 220 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 46% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$10,713
2025
Happiness
6.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
89%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
19.3
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
16
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 482
Religion
Roman Catholic 57%Evangelical 27%none 9%other 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 São Sebastião (-9.9336°, -36.5542°, elevation 204 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. 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).