Cartago weather in May

In May, Cartago sees average daytime highs of 22°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 455 mm of rain across 28.8 wet days and about 12.4 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 22°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 1% of the time in May, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 18 min at the start of May to 12 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Cartago's 7th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cartago's year-round climate.

Daytime high
22°
4th warmest
Overnight low
16°
12th coldest
Rainfall
455 mm
28.8 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
5:18 AM – 5:45 PM
Cloud cover
92%
7th clearest
Wind
4 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
4.41 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.6
out of 10

Cartago is city in Costa Rica.

Air quality
Good
PM10 23 µg/m³ · 2018
Density
6,583/km²
people per km²
Founded
1563

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 22°C through the month.

A typical May day in Cartago reaches about 22°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 24°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12315
22315
32315
42315
52315
62316
72316
82316
92316
102316
112316
122316
132316
142316
152316
162216
172216
182216
192216
202216
212216
222216
232216
242216
252216
262216
272216
282216
292216
302216
312216

Cartago weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan22° / 14°295.911.57.4
Feb23° / 14°275.611.77.7
Mar23° / 14°409.911.97.0
Apr23° / 15°12319.712.25.1
May22° / 16°45528.812.43.6
Jun22° / 16°45828.912.63.4
Jul22° / 15°34028.112.53.6
Aug22° / 15°43129.312.33.5
Sep22° / 15°50929.912.13.3
Oct22° / 15°53730.211.83.3
Nov21° / 15°29924.911.54.1
Dec22° / 14°8813.111.46.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 1% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 3% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 96%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11090
2892
3892
4892
5793
6793
7694
8595
9595
10595
11595
12496
13496
14496
15496
16496
17397
18397
19397
20397
21397
22199
23199
24199
25199
26199
27199
28199
29199
30199
31298

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Cartago gets around 455 mm of rain over 28.8 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 92% and peaks near 98% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
184
284
385
486
586
687
788
888
989
1090
1190
1291
1392
1492
1593
1693
1794
1894
1995
2095
2196
2296
2397
2497
2597
2698
2798
2898
2998
3098
3198

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 74% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1549460
2447480
3446500
4344530
5342550
6340570
7238600
8236620
9234640
10232651
11230671
12128701
13126721
14124741
15122761
16120781
17119791
18117811
19016831
20015841
21014851
22013861
23012871
24011881
25010891
26010891
2709910
2809910
2908920
3008920
3108920

Wind in May

Winds average 4 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 3 km/h on the calmest days to 4 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
263calm
273calm
283calm
293calm
303calm
313calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min at the start of May to 12 h 30 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 5:23 AM to 5:17 AM, and sunset from 5:43 PM to 5:49 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.35:235:43
212.45:225:43
312.45:225:43
412.45:225:44
512.45:215:44
612.45:215:44
712.45:215:44
812.45:205:44
912.45:205:44
1012.45:205:44
1112.45:195:45
1212.45:195:45
1312.45:195:45
1412.45:195:45
1512.45:195:45
1612.55:185:45
1712.55:185:46
1812.55:185:46
1912.55:185:46
2012.55:185:46
2112.55:185:46
2212.55:185:47
2312.55:175:47
2412.55:175:47
2512.55:175:47
2612.55:175:48
2712.55:175:48
2812.55:175:48
2912.55:175:48
3012.55:175:49
3112.55:175:49

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.41 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.74 kWh/m² to a high of 6.04 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 4.41 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.8Bright
64.8Bright
74.7Bright
84.7Bright
94.6Bright
104.6Bright
114.6Bright
124.5Bright
134.5Bright
144.4Bright
154.4Bright
164.3Bright
174.3Bright
184.3Bright
194.3Bright
204.2Bright
214.2Bright
224.2Bright
234.2Bright
244.2Bright
254.2Bright
264.2Bright
274.2Bright
284.2Bright
294.2Bright
304.2Bright
314.2Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Cartago

In seasonPeak

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

Cartago's rainy season runs May–November, 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 Cartago?

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

3.6
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
2.7
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Cartago.

What to pack for Cartago in May

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

In May, Cartago sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 16°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes. About 29 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothes

Sea temperature near Cartago in May

The nearest coast averages about 29°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 59 km away) is warmest in March at about 30°C and coldest in November near 28°C.

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

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar30Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov28Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Cartago in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Cartago peaks around March 19 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 10 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 19UV 15Dec 16UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan12Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec10Extreme

Air quality in Cartago 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 Cartago is worst in May — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (January, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodMay 1718 µg/m³Jan 149 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar11Good
Apr17Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov12Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Cartago?

Cartago sits at 9.9°N, 83.9°W, 1,440 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is Paraíso, 6.0 km away.

Topography around Cartago

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Cartago has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 376 m around an average of 1,436 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,606 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,764 m.

The land around Cartago is covered by artificial surfaces (61%) and grassland (23%) within 3 km, trees (64%) and grassland (22%) within 16 km, and trees (74%) within 80 km.

3 km
376 m
16 km
2,606 m
80 km
3,764 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Paraíso 6.0 km · San Diego 10 km · Patarrá 13 km · Curridabat 14 km · San Miguel 16 km · Ipís 16 km · San Pedro 16 km · Purral 16 km

Costa Rica travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 59% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$19,970
2025
Happiness
7.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
81%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
17.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
14.8
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 516
Religion
Roman Catholic 48%none 27%Evangelical and Pentecostal 20%other 3%

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 Cartago (9.8637°, -83.9195°, elevation 1,440 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. 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).