Shanghai weather in May

In May, Shanghai sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 127 mm of rain across 10 wet days and about 13.6 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 23°C in the first days to 26°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in May, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 12 min at the start of May to 13 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Shanghai's 9th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shanghai's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
5th warmest
Overnight low
17°
8th coldest
Rainfall
127 mm
10 wet days
Daylight
13 h 36 min
5:03 AM – 6:38 PM
Cloud cover
66%
9th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.24 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.7
out of 10

Shanghai is provincial-level municipality in China.

Air quality
Very high
PM2.5 37.7 µg/m³ · 2018
Density
3,923/km²
people per km²
Founded
1292

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 23°C in the first days to 26°C by the end.

A typical May day in Shanghai reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 20°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 5°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12215
22315
32315
42316
52316
62316
72316
82316
92316
102417
112417
122417
132417
142417
152417
162417
172418
182518
192518
202518
212518
222518
232519
242519
252519
262519
272619
282619
292619
302619
312620

How May really feels in Shanghai

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 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
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Shanghai weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 638.40.510.21.5
Feb10° / 628.70.510.92.2
Mar14° / 9611.30.111.83.8
Apr19° / 12°10410.2012.75.9
May24° / 17°12710013.66.7
Jun27° / 22°27014.50145.4
Jul31° / 26°15713.9013.83.8
Aug31° / 26°15414.8013.13.9
Sep27° / 22°10610.9012.26.1
Oct23° / 17°616011.27.4
Nov17° / 11°567.4010.45.8
Dec11° / 456.70.3103.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 62%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14060
24060
34060
44060
54060
64060
73961
83961
93862
103862
113862
123862
133763
143763
153763
163763
173961
183961
193862
203862
213961
223862
233862
243862
253862
263862
273862
283862
293763
303664
313565

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Shanghai gets around 127 mm of rain over 10 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 32% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
131
231
331
432
532
633
734
834
935
1035
1135
1235
1335
1435
1534
1634
1733
1833
1932
2032
2131
2231
2330
2430
2529
2629
2729
2830
2930
3031
3131

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the humid band about 29% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 25% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1412722910
23828231010
33629241010
43429241110
53230251220
63130261220
72930261320
82830261320
92730271430
102630271430
112530271530
122430271630
132329281640
142229281740
152128291840
161928291940
171827302050
181726302150
191626312350
201425312450
211324322650
221224322760
231123322860
241022332960
25822343060
26721343170
27619353270
28518353380
29417353490
30416353690
313153537101

Wind in May

Winds average 14 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 12 min at the start of May to 13 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:15 AM to 4:56 AM, and sunset from 6:27 PM to 6:47 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.25:156:27
213.25:146:28
313.35:136:29
413.35:126:30
513.35:126:30
613.35:116:31
713.45:106:32
813.45:096:32
913.45:086:33
1013.45:076:34
1113.55:076:34
1213.55:066:35
1313.55:056:36
1413.55:046:36
1513.65:046:37
1613.65:036:38
1713.65:026:39
1813.65:026:39
1913.65:016:40
2013.75:016:41
2113.75:006:41
2213.74:596:42
2313.74:596:42
2413.74:586:43
2513.84:586:44
2613.84:586:44
2713.84:576:45
2813.84:576:46
2913.84:566:46
3013.84:566:47
3113.94:566:47

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.24 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.47 kWh/m² to a high of 5.31 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 5.24 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.2Bright
115.2Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.3Bright
205.3Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.3Bright
245.3Bright
255.3Bright
265.3Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.2Bright
305.2Bright
315.2Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Shanghai

In seasonPeak

In May, Shanghai sits inside its pacific typhoon and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Shanghai sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Shanghai's rainy season runs May–August, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Shanghai?

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

6.7
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
5.7
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Shanghai for sightseeing.

What to pack for Shanghai in May

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

In May, Shanghai sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 17°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Shanghai in May

The nearest coast averages about 19°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 23 km away) is warmest in August at about 28°C and coldest in February near 7°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 27 to Oct 25 — about 5 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°20°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan8Bracing
Feb7Bracing
Mar10Bracing
Apr14Bracing
May19Cool
Jun22Refreshing
Jul26Warm
Aug28Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct21Refreshing
Nov17Cool
Dec12Bracing

UV index in Shanghai in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Shanghai peaks around August 16 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highModerateAug 16UV 10Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep10Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Shanghai 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 Shanghai is worst in December — around 53 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.2× the cleanest month (August, 25 µg/m³).

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Shanghai's WHO annual average of 37.7 µg/m³.

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorModeratePoorDec 2153 µg/m³Aug 1625 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan51Poor
Feb45Poor
Mar44Poor
Apr40Poor
May34Moderate
Jun29Moderate
Jul27Moderate
Aug25Moderate
Sep28Moderate
Oct32Moderate
Nov43Poor
Dec53Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Shanghai?

Shanghai sits at 31.2°N, 121.5°E, 12 m above sea level, in China. The nearest listed city is Suzhou, 83 km away.

TunxiGaigeturi

Topography around Shanghai

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Shanghai has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 30 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 55 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 158 m.

The land around Shanghai is covered by artificial surfaces (86%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (73%) within 16 km, and water (39%), cropland (29%) and artificial surfaces (22%) within 80 km.

3 km
30 m
16 km
55 m
80 km
158 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Suzhou 83 km · Wuxi 118 km · Ningbo 150 km · Hangzhou 161 km · Pingyao 169 km · Nanjing 270 km · Tunxi 345 km · Gaigeturi 520 km

China travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / I
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 47% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$13,862
2025
Happiness
6.1 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
0.5
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
17.4
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 464
Religion
unaffiliated 52%folk religion 22%Buddhist 18%Christian 5%

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 Shanghai (31.2222°, 121.4581°, elevation 12 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).