Varadero weather in May

In May, Varadero sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 69 mm of rain across 9.5 wet days and about 13.1 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 48 min at the start of May to 13 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Varadero's 4th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Varadero's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
6th warmest
Overnight low
25°
7th coldest
Rainfall
69 mm
9.5 wet days
Daylight
13 h 06 min
5:48 AM – 6:55 PM
Cloud cover
40%
4th clearest
Wind
22 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.56 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.0
out of 10

Varadero is resort town in Matanzas province, Cuba.

Density
625/km²
people per km²
Founded
1887

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 27°C through the month.

A typical May day in Varadero reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C warmer than April and about 1°C cooler than June.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12625
22625
32625
42625
52625
62625
72625
82625
92625
102625
112625
122625
132725
142725
152725
162725
172725
182725
192725
202725
212725
222725
232725
242725
252726
262726
272726
282726
292726
302726
312726

How May really feels in Varadero

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 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
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Varadero weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 22°427.910.77.6
Feb24° / 22°295.211.28.2
Mar25° / 23°245.211.88.2
Apr26° / 24°335.112.58.0
May27° / 25°699.513.17.0
Jun28° / 26°7512.413.45.8
Jul29° / 27°5110.713.35.7
Aug29° / 27°7313.412.85.3
Sep28° / 27°10917.712.14.7
Oct27° / 26°11616.811.55.6
Nov26° / 25°6310.410.96.9
Dec25° / 23°377.610.67.5

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 31%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17921
27921
37921
47822
57822
67822
77822
87723
97822
107723
117624
127525
137426
147327
157228
167129
177030
186931
196832
206733
216634
226535
236436
246337
256139
266040
275842
285743
295545
305446
315149

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Varadero gets around 69 mm of rain over 9.5 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 31% and peaks near 42% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
123
223
323
423
523
623
723
823
923
1024
1124
1225
1326
1428
1529
1631
1732
1834
1935
2036
2137
2238
2338
2439
2539
2640
2740
2841
2941
3042
3142

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 71% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 95% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
12926594
22925604
32925604
42824624
52824624
61823653
71723663
81723663
91622683
101622683
111521703
121520713
131420723
140419734
150318754
160317755
170317755
180216766
190215767
200215767
210114778
220113779
2301127611
2401117612
2501107613
260197515
270187417
280077419
290067321
300057124
310047026

Wind in May

Winds average 22 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 23 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
123breezy
223breezy
323breezy
423breezy
523breezy
623breezy
723breezy
823breezy
923breezy
1022breezy
1122breezy
1222breezy
1322breezy
1422breezy
1522breezy
1622breezy
1722breezy
1821breezy
1921breezy
2021breezy
2121breezy
2221breezy
2321breezy
2420breezy
2520breezy
2620breezy
2720breezy
2820light breeze
2920light breeze
3019light breeze
3119light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 48 min at the start of May to 13 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 30 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:57 AM to 5:43 AM, and sunset from 6:48 PM to 7:02 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.85:576:48
212.95:566:48
312.95:556:48
412.95:556:49
512.95:546:49
612.95:536:50
713.05:536:50
813.05:526:51
913.05:526:51
1013.05:516:52
1113.05:506:52
1213.05:506:53
1313.15:496:53
1413.15:496:54
1513.15:486:54
1613.15:486:55
1713.15:476:55
1813.15:476:56
1913.25:476:56
2013.25:466:56
2113.25:466:57
2213.25:456:57
2313.25:456:58
2413.25:456:58
2513.25:456:59
2613.35:446:59
2713.35:447:00
2813.35:447:00
2913.35:447:01
3013.35:437:01
3113.35:437:02

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.56 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.63 kWh/m² to a high of 6.74 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 6.56 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.7Intense
26.7Intense
36.7Intense
46.7Intense
56.7Intense
66.7Intense
76.7Intense
86.7Intense
96.7Intense
106.7Intense
116.7Intense
126.7Intense
136.6Intense
146.6Intense
156.6Intense
166.5Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.4Intense
216.4Intense
226.4Intense
236.3Intense
246.3Intense
256.3Intense
266.3Intense
276.3Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Varadero

In seasonPeak

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

Varadero sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Varadero's rainy season runs May–June, when most of the year's rain falls.

Atlantic hurricane
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Varadero?

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

7.0
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
6.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Varadero for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Varadero in May

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

In May, Varadero sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 25°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes, rain gear and a windbreaker. About 10 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Varadero in May

The nearest coast averages about 27°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 13 km away) is warmest in August at about 29°C and coldest in February near 25°C.

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

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr26Warm
May27Warm
Jun28Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov27Warm
Dec26Warm

UV index in Varadero in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Varadero peaks around June 20 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highExtremeVery highHighJun 20UV 12Dec 17UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan6High
Feb8Very high
Mar10Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct9Very high
Nov6High
Dec6High

Air quality in Varadero 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 Varadero is worst in July — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.5× the cleanest month (November, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1520 µg/m³Nov 236 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar8Good
Apr10Good
May11Good
Jun18Moderate
Jul20Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Varadero?

Varadero sits at 23.2°N, 81.2°W, 8 m above sea level, in Cuba. The nearest listed city is Cárdenas, 14 km away.

Topography around Varadero

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Varadero has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 13 m around an average of 1 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 130 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 365 m.

The land around Varadero is covered by water (89%) within 3 km, water (76%) within 16 km, and water (44%) and trees (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
13 m
16 km
130 m
80 km
365 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Cárdenas 14 km · Limonar 29 km · Matanzas 37 km · Jovellanos 40 km · Pedro Betancourt 48 km · Perico 49 km · Unión de Reyes 50 km · Colón 60 km

Cuba travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B / C / L
110 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 39% of US
price level, 2011
GDP per capita
$9,605
2020
Happiness
5.4 / 10
World Happiness, 2011
Homicide rate
4.5
per 100k, 2019
Road deaths
8.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 515
Religion
Christian 59%none 23%folk religion 18%

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 Varadero (23.1568°, -81.2444°, elevation 8 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).