Tamarindo weather in May

In May, Tamarindo sees average daytime highs of 32°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 243 mm of rain across 22.9 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 33°C in the first days to 30°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% 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 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Tamarindo's 7th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Tamarindo's year-round climate.

Daytime high
32°
5th warmest
Overnight low
25°
12th coldest
Rainfall
243 mm
22.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
5:25 AM – 5:54 PM
Cloud cover
81%
7th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.19 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.8
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 33°C in the first days to 30°C by the end.

A typical May day in Tamarindo reaches about 32°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C cooler than April and about 1°C warmer than June.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13325
23325
33325
43325
53325
63325
73325
83325
93325
103225
113225
123225
133225
143225
153225
163225
173225
183125
193125
203125
213125
223125
233125
243125
253125
263025
273025
283025
293025
303025
313025

How May really feels in Tamarindo

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.

Tamarindo weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 24°20.511.55.3
Feb33° / 24°30.511.74.8
Mar33° / 24°51.411.94.2
Apr34° / 25°408.412.23.3
May32° / 25°24322.912.52.8
Jun30° / 25°29826.512.62.8
Jul30° / 24°20622.812.53.2
Aug30° / 24°28425.812.33.0
Sep30° / 24°34028.912.12.7
Oct29° / 24°37127.711.83.1
Nov30° / 24°13014.511.54.5
Dec31° / 24°142.611.45.5

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 9% 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 (%)
13268
23070
33070
42872
52872
62773
72674
82674
92575
102377
112377
122179
132080
141882
151783
161684
171486
181486
191288
201189
211090
221090
23991
24991
25991
26892
27892
28793
29694
30694
31694

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Tamarindo gets around 243 mm of rain over 22.9 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 73% and peaks near 92% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%100%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
152
253
354
455
556
657
758
859
961
1062
1164
1266
1368
1470
1572
1675
1777
1879
1980
2082
2184
2285
2386
2487
2588
2689
2790
2891
2991
3092
3192

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 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
11256113
21246213
31226413
41216414
51196614
60186814
70176914
80157015
90147016
100137017
110126919
120116920
130106723
14096625
15086527
16076429
17066232
18056134
19046036
20045838
21035839
22035641
23035542
24025444
25025345
26015346
27015247
28015148
29015049
30015049
31015050

Wind in May

Winds average 8 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

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 5:30 AM to 5:24 AM, and sunset from 5:51 PM to 5:57 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.45:305:51
212.45:295:51
312.45:295:52
412.45:295:52
512.45:285:52
612.45:285:52
712.45:285:52
812.45:275:52
912.45:275:52
1012.45:275:53
1112.45:275:53
1212.45:265:53
1312.55:265:53
1412.55:265:53
1512.55:265:54
1612.55:255:54
1712.55:255:54
1812.55:255:54
1912.55:255:54
2012.55:255:55
2112.55:255:55
2212.55:255:55
2312.55:255:55
2412.55:245:56
2512.55:245:56
2612.55:245:56
2712.55:245:56
2812.55:245:57
2912.55:245:57
3012.55:245:57
3112.65:245:57

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.19 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.24 kWh/m² to a high of 6.77 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 5.19 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.9Bright
25.9Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.7Bright
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
264.7Bright
274.7Bright
284.7Bright
294.7Bright
304.7Bright
314.7Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Tamarindo

In seasonPeak

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

Tamarindo'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 Tamarindo?

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

2.8
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
4.4
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Tamarindo.

What to pack for Tamarindo in May

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

In May, Tamarindo sees daytime highs around 32°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 23 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Tamarindo 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 offshore is warmest in May at about 29°C and coldest in February 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
Jan28Warm
Feb28Warm
Mar28Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Tropical
Nov28Warm
Dec28Warm

UV index in Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo peaks around March 19 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 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 19UV 13Dec 15UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Extreme
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo?

Tamarindo sits at 10.3°N, 85.8°W, 0 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is Nicoya, 46 km away.

NicoyaLiberiaCañasSan JoséSan Juan del SurMonteverdePuntarenasChacarita

Topography around Tamarindo

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Tamarindo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 154 m around an average of 19 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 491 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,872 m.

The land around Tamarindo is covered by water (43%) and trees (41%) within 3 km, water (53%) and trees (36%) within 16 km, and water (49%) and trees (34%) within 80 km.

3 km
154 m
16 km
491 m
80 km
1,872 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
May weather nearby: Nicoya 46 km · Liberia 58 km · Cañas 83 km · San José 106 km · San Juan del Sur 106 km · Monteverde 113 km · Puntarenas 116 km · Chacarita 121 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 Tamarindo (10.2991°, -85.8411°, 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).