Nicoya weather in May

In May, Nicoya sees average daytime highs of 33°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 251 mm of rain across 20.5 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 35°C in the first days to 31°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% 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 Nicoya's 7th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Nicoya's year-round climate.

Daytime high
33°
4th warmest
Overnight low
24°
11th coldest
Rainfall
251 mm
20.5 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
5:24 AM – 5:52 PM
Cloud cover
82%
7th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.22 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.4
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 35°C in the first days to 31°C by the end.

A typical May day in Nicoya reaches about 33°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 30°C and 36°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 3°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13525
23525
33525
43525
53525
63525
73525
83424
93424
103424
113424
123424
133424
143424
153324
163324
173324
183324
193324
203224
213224
223224
233224
243224
253224
263224
273224
283124
293124
303124
313124

How May really feels in Nicoya

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 31 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
31
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.

Nicoya weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan33° / 22°61.311.54.6
Feb34° / 23°71.911.73.9
Mar35° / 23°7211.93.1
Apr36° / 24°38712.22.2
May33° / 24°25120.512.52.4
Jun31° / 23°31926.212.62.6
Jul31° / 23°22622.412.53.0
Aug31° / 23°25724.412.32.8
Sep31° / 23°34728.112.12.5
Oct30° / 23°3592811.82.8
Nov30° / 22°14315.611.54.1
Dec31° / 22°213.611.45.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 83%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12971
22872
32773
42773
52773
62674
72575
82575
92575
102377
112179
122179
132080
141882
151882
161684
171486
181387
191288
201288
211189
221090
231090
24991
25991
26991
27991
28892
29793
30793
31793

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Nicoya gets around 251 mm of rain over 20.5 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 66% 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 (%)
139
240
341
442
544
645
747
848
950
1053
1155
1258
1361
1464
1567
1669
1772
1874
1976
2078
2180
2281
2383
2484
2585
2686
2787
2887
2988
3088
3189

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 61% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 98% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1639495
2638515
3537535
4535555
5534565
6433576
7431596
8430597
9328618
10326629
113246310
122236411
132216413
142196415
151176517
161156519
171136620
181126522
191106524
20196426
21186427
22066628
23056530
24046531
25046333
26036334
27026335
28026137
29026038
30016039
31016039

Wind in May

Winds average 7 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
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 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 5:28 AM to 5:23 AM, and sunset from 5:50 PM to 5:56 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.45:285:50
212.45:285:50
312.45:285:50
412.45:275:50
512.45:275:50
612.45:275:50
712.45:265:50
812.45:265:51
912.45:265:51
1012.45:255:51
1112.45:255:51
1212.45:255:51
1312.45:255:51
1412.55:255:52
1512.55:245:52
1612.55:245:52
1712.55:245:52
1812.55:245:52
1912.55:245:53
2012.55:245:53
2112.55:235:53
2212.55:235:53
2312.55:235:54
2412.55:235:54
2512.55:235:54
2612.55:235:54
2712.55:235:55
2812.55:235:55
2912.55:235:55
3012.55:235:55
3112.55:235:56

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.22 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.24 kWh/m² to a high of 6.79 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 5.22 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.9Bright
25.9Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.7Bright
75.7Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.5Bright
115.5Bright
125.4Bright
135.4Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.2Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.0Bright
205.0Bright
214.9Bright
224.9Bright
234.8Bright
244.8Bright
254.8Bright
264.8Bright
274.8Bright
284.8Bright
294.7Bright
304.7Bright
314.7Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Nicoya

In seasonPeak

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

Nicoya's monsoon runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Nicoya?

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

2.4
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
4.4
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Nicoya.

What to pack for Nicoya in May

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

In May, Nicoya sees daytime highs around 33°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 21 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Nicoya 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 32 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 Nicoya 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 Nicoya peaks around March 16 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highMar 16UV 14Dec 16UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Nicoya 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 Nicoya is worst in July — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1619 µg/m³Dec 176 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr19Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul20Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Nicoya?

Nicoya sits at 10.2°N, 85.5°W, 128 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is Tamarindo, 46 km away.

TamarindoCañasLiberiaPuntarenasMonteverdeChacaritaEsparzaLa Fortuna

Topography around Nicoya

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Nicoya has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 375 m around an average of 171 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 924 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,977 m.

The land around Nicoya is covered by trees (64%) and grassland (26%) within 3 km, trees (74%) and grassland (25%) within 16 km, and trees (41%) and water (41%) within 80 km.

3 km
375 m
16 km
924 m
80 km
1,977 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
May weather nearby: Tamarindo 46 km · Cañas 50 km · Liberia 54 km · Puntarenas 70 km · Monteverde 72 km · Chacarita 76 km · Esparza 88 km · La Fortuna 95 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 Nicoya (10.1504°, -85.4509°, elevation 128 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).