Monteverde weather in May

In May, Monteverde sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 260 mm of rain across 21.4 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 29°C in the first days to 27°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in May, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 24 min at the start of May to 12 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Monteverde's 7th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Monteverde's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
20°
12th coldest
Rainfall
260 mm
21.4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
5:21 AM – 5:50 PM
Cloud cover
86%
7th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
4.79 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.2
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 29°C in the first days to 27°C by the end.

A typical May day in Monteverde reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 20°C overnight — a 8°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 about 1°C cooler than April and about 1°C warmer than June.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12920
22920
32920
42920
52920
62920
72920
82920
92820
102820
112820
122820
132820
142820
152820
162820
172820
182820
192820
202820
212720
222720
232720
242720
252720
262720
272720
282720
292720
302720
312720

Monteverde weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 3rd-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 18°123.511.57.9
Feb27° / 18°9211.78.0
Mar29° / 19°82.111.97.0
Apr29° / 20°467.712.25.5
May28° / 20°26021.412.54.2
Jun27° / 20°28725.612.63.8
Jul27° / 20°20022.512.54.3
Aug27° / 20°24624.412.34.1
Sep27° / 20°34628.312.13.5
Oct26° / 20°3812811.83.7
Nov26° / 19°16519.411.55.0
Dec26° / 19°447.511.47.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 8% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 89%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12278
22278
32080
42080
51981
61882
71882
81783
91684
101684
111684
121486
131486
141288
151288
161189
17991
18991
19892
20793
21694
22694
23595
24595
25595
26496
27496
28496
29496
30397
31397

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Monteverde gets around 260 mm of rain over 21.4 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 69% and peaks near 89% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
146
247
348
449
550
651
752
854
955
1057
1159
1262
1364
1466
1569
1671
1773
1876
1978
2079
2181
2282
2384
2485
2586
2687
2787
2888
2988
3089
3189

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the muggy band about 83% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 91% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1126694
2125704
3123724
4121744
5119764
6118774
7117784
8015814
9014824
10013825
11011845
12010846
1309856
1408857
1507858
1606868
1705869
1804879
19038710
20038710
21038611
22028711
23028711
24028612
25018712
26018712
27018712
28018712
29018712
30018712
31018712

Wind in May

Winds average 6 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 24 min at the start of May to 12 h 36 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 5:26 AM to 5:20 AM, and sunset from 5:47 PM to 5:53 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.45:265:47
212.45:255:47
312.45:255:47
412.45:255:48
512.45:245:48
612.45:245:48
712.45:245:48
812.45:235:48
912.45:235:48
1012.45:235:48
1112.45:225:49
1212.45:225:49
1312.55:225:49
1412.55:225:49
1512.55:225:49
1612.55:215:50
1712.55:215:50
1812.55:215:50
1912.55:215:50
2012.55:215:50
2112.55:215:51
2212.55:205:51
2312.55:205:51
2412.55:205:51
2512.55:205:52
2612.55:205:52
2712.55:205:52
2812.55:205:52
2912.55:205:53
3012.55:205:53
3112.65:205:53

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.79 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.91 kWh/m² to a high of 6.29 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 4.79 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
134.9Bright
144.9Bright
154.8Bright
164.8Bright
174.7Bright
184.7Bright
194.6Bright
204.6Bright
214.5Bright
224.5Bright
234.5Bright
244.5Bright
254.4Bright
264.4Bright
274.4Bright
284.4Bright
294.4Bright
304.4Bright
314.4Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Monteverde

In seasonPeak

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

Monteverde's rainy season runs May–October, 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 Monteverde?

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

4.2
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
4.8
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Monteverde for sightseeing.

What to pack for Monteverde in May

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

In May, Monteverde sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 20°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 21 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Monteverde 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 52 km away) is warmest in April at about 29°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°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov28Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Monteverde 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 Monteverde peaks around March 17 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 10 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 17UV 14Dec 16UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec10Very high

Air quality in Monteverde 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 Monteverde is worst in May — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (January, 10 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodMay 1623 µg/m³Jan 1210 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb11Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May23Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul22Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep18Moderate
Oct15Moderate
Nov12Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Monteverde?

Monteverde sits at 10.3°N, 84.8°W, 0 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is La Fortuna, 26 km away.

La FortunaCañasChacaritaPuntarenasEsparzaQuesadaSan_Ramon_Nicoya

Topography around Monteverde

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Monteverde has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,048 m around an average of 1,390 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,704 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,891 m.

The land around Monteverde is covered by trees (90%) within 3 km, trees (83%) within 16 km, and trees (60%) and grassland (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
1,048 m
16 km
1,704 m
80 km
2,891 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
May weather nearby: La Fortuna 26 km · Cañas 34 km · Chacarita 36 km · Puntarenas 37 km · Esparza 38 km · Quesada 41 km · San_Ramon_ 45 km · Nicoya 72 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 Monteverde (10.3077°, -84.8106°, elevation 0 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).