Guápiles weather in May

In May, Guápiles sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 334 mm of rain across 26.9 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 2% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 24 min at the start of May to 12 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Guápiles's 10th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Guápiles's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
4th warmest
Overnight low
21°
11th coldest
Rainfall
334 mm
26.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
5:17 AM – 5:45 PM
Cloud cover
88%
10th clearest
Wind
4 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
4.48 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.6
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical May day in Guápiles reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12821
22821
32821
42821
52821
62821
72821
82821
92821
102821
112821
122821
132821
142821
152821
162821
172821
182821
192821
202821
212821
222821
232821
242821
252821
262821
272821
282821
292821
302821
312821

Guápiles 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
Jan26° / 19°26817.311.55.8
Feb26° / 19°16313.711.76.1
Mar27° / 19°13614.211.96.0
Apr28° / 20°11716.912.25.2
May28° / 21°33426.912.53.6
Jun28° / 21°30628.812.63.1
Jul28° / 21°28128.412.53.5
Aug28° / 21°24628.312.33.4
Sep28° / 21°27028.112.13.2
Oct28° / 21°36829.311.83.4
Nov27° / 20°42826.311.53.9
Dec26° / 20°35321.411.45.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 2% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 6% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 92%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11684
21684
31387
41387
51387
61189
71189
81189
91090
10991
11892
12892
13793
14793
15793
16694
17694
18694
19694
20694
21694
22694
23694
24694
25694
26694
27694
28793
29793
30793
31793

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Guápiles gets around 334 mm of rain over 26.9 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 87% and peaks near 95% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
171
273
374
475
576
678
779
880
981
1083
1184
1285
1386
1488
1589
1690
1791
1891
1992
2092
2193
2293
2393
2494
2594
2694
2795
2895
2995
3095
3195

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 78% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1146521
2144550
3143560
4141580
5139600
6137620
7135640
8133660
9131680
10129700
11127720
12124750
13022780
14020800
15018820
16016840
17015850
18013870
19012880
20011890
21011890
22010900
23010900
2409910
2509910
2609910
2708920
2808920
2908920
3008920
3108920

Wind in May

Winds average 4 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 4 km/h on the calmest days to 5 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 24 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 6 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:22 AM to 5:16 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)
112.45:225:43
212.45:215:43
312.45:215:43
412.45:215:43
512.45:205:44
612.45:205:44
712.45:205:44
812.45:195:44
912.45:195:44
1012.45:195:44
1112.45:185:44
1212.45:185:45
1312.45:185:45
1412.55:185:45
1512.55:185:45
1612.55:175:45
1712.55:175:46
1812.55:175:46
1912.55:175:46
2012.55:175:46
2112.55:175:46
2212.55:175:47
2312.55:165:47
2412.55:165:47
2512.55:165:47
2612.55:165:48
2712.55:165:48
2812.55:165:48
2912.55:165:48
3012.55:165:49
3112.55:165:49

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.48 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.5 kWh/m² to a high of 5.54 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 4.48 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
24.9Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.8Bright
64.8Bright
74.7Bright
84.7Bright
94.6Bright
104.6Bright
114.5Bright
124.5Bright
134.5Bright
144.4Bright
154.4Bright
164.4Bright
174.4Bright
184.3Bright
194.3Bright
204.3Bright
214.3Bright
224.3Bright
234.3Bright
244.3Bright
254.3Bright
264.4Bright
274.4Bright
284.4Bright
294.4Bright
304.4Bright
314.4Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Guápiles?

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
4.0
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Guápiles.

What to pack for Guápiles in May

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

In May, Guápiles sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. About 27 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Guápiles 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 48 km away) is warmest in September at about 29°C and coldest in January 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
Mar28Warm
Apr28Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Guápiles 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 Guápiles peaks around March 20 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 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 highMar 20UV 13Dec 16UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb12Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Guápiles 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 Guápiles is worst in July — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (January, 10 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1423 µg/m³Jan 1210 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb11Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr22Moderate
May23Moderate
Jun22Moderate
Jul23Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep18Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov12Moderate
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Guápiles?

Guápiles sits at 10.2°N, 83.8°W, 254 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is Siquirres, 33 km away.

SiquirresTurrialbaIpísPurralSan Vicente de MoraviaSan VicenteCartagoSan Pablo

Topography around Guápiles

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Guápiles has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 190 m around an average of 253 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,700 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,471 m.

The land around Guápiles is covered by trees (48%) and grassland (34%) within 3 km, trees (70%) and grassland (26%) within 16 km, and trees (70%) within 80 km.

3 km
190 m
16 km
1,700 m
80 km
3,471 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Siquirres 33 km · Turrialba 37 km · Ipís 38 km · Purral 40 km · San Vicente de Moravia 41 km · San Vicente 41 km · Cartago 42 km · San Pablo 42 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 Guápiles (10.2168°, -83.7848°, elevation 254 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).