Roseau weather in May

In May, Roseau sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 44 mm of rain across 10.2 wet days and about 12.7 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 8th-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 45% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Roseau's 9th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Roseau's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
7th warmest
Overnight low
25°
6th coldest
Rainfall
44 mm
10.2 wet days
Daylight
12 h 42 min
5:41 AM – 6:23 PM
Cloud cover
52%
9th clearest
Wind
26 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.59 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.7
out of 10

Roseau is capital of Dominica.

Density
3,069/km²
people per km²

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 Roseau reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12625
22625
32625
42625
52625
62625
72625
82725
92725
102725
112725
122725
132725
142725
152725
162726
172726
182726
192726
202726
212726
222726
232726
242726
252726
262726
272726
282726
292726
302726
312726

Roseau weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 7th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 24°321211.27.1
Feb25° / 24°19711.57.8
Mar25° / 24°196.911.97.8
Apr26° / 25°298.312.37.2
May27° / 25°4410.212.76.7
Jun27° / 26°4710.512.96.4
Jul27° / 26°7616.412.85.8
Aug28° / 26°9918.412.55.4
Sep28° / 26°11317.112.15.3
Oct28° / 26°11819.111.75.2
Nov27° / 26°10117.111.35.7
Dec26° / 25°4814.211.16.4

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 39%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16832
26733
36733
46535
56535
66436
76436
86337
96238
106139
116139
126040
136040
146040
155941
165941
176040
186040
196040
206040
216040
225941
235941
246040
256040
266040
275941
285941
295941
305842
315842

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Roseau gets around 44 mm of rain over 10.2 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 32% and peaks near 34% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
132
232
333
433
534
634
734
834
934
1033
1133
1233
1332
1432
1531
1631
1730
1830
1930
2030
2130
2231
2331
2431
2532
2632
2732
2833
2933
3033
3133

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 94% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
19910
28920
38920
47930
57921
66931
76931
85941
95941
104942
114942
123952
133952
143943
152953
162953
172953
182944
192944
202944
211954
221945
231945
241945
251945
261945
271945
281936
291936
301936
311936

Wind in May

Winds average 26 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 26 km/h on the calmest days to 27 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
126breezy
226breezy
326breezy
426breezy
526breezy
626breezy
726breezy
826breezy
926breezy
1026breezy
1126breezy
1226breezy
1326breezy
1426breezy
1526breezy
1626breezy
1726breezy
1826breezy
1926breezy
2026breezy
2126breezy
2226breezy
2326breezy
2426breezy
2526breezy
2626breezy
2727breezy
2827breezy
2927breezy
3027breezy
3127breezy

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 18 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:47 AM to 5:38 AM, and sunset from 6:19 PM to 6:28 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.55:476:19
212.65:466:19
312.65:466:19
412.65:456:20
512.65:456:20
612.65:446:20
712.65:446:20
812.65:436:21
912.65:436:21
1012.65:436:21
1112.75:426:22
1212.75:426:22
1312.75:416:22
1412.75:416:22
1512.75:416:23
1612.75:416:23
1712.75:406:23
1812.75:406:24
1912.75:406:24
2012.75:396:24
2112.85:396:25
2212.85:396:25
2312.85:396:25
2412.85:396:26
2512.85:396:26
2612.85:386:26
2712.85:386:27
2812.85:386:27
2912.85:386:27
3012.85:386:28
3112.85:386:28

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.59 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.81 kWh/m² to a high of 6.7 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 6.59 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.7Intense
26.7Intense
36.7Intense
46.6Intense
56.6Intense
66.6Intense
76.6Intense
86.6Intense
96.6Intense
106.6Intense
116.6Intense
126.6Intense
136.6Intense
146.6Intense
156.6Intense
166.6Intense
176.6Intense
186.6Intense
196.6Intense
206.6Intense
216.6Intense
226.6Intense
236.6Intense
246.6Intense
256.6Intense
266.6Intense
276.6Intense
286.6Intense
296.6Intense
306.6Intense
316.6Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Roseau

In seasonPeak

None of Roseau's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

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

Roseau's rainy season runs July–November, when most of the year's rain falls.

Roseau sees seasonal dust haze (June–July), heaviest in June.

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

Is May a good time to visit Roseau?

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

6.7
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
6.7
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Roseau for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Roseau in May

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

In May, Roseau 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 Roseau in May

The nearest coast averages about 28°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 September at about 29°C and coldest in February 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
Mar27Warm
Apr27Warm
May28Warm
Jun28Warm
Jul28Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Roseau 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 Roseau peaks around March 21 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highMar 21UV 13Dec 13UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan9Very high
Feb11Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov8Very high
Dec8Very high

Air quality in Roseau 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 Roseau is worst in June — around 28 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.1× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodGoodModerateGoodJun 2028 µg/m³Dec 239 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar11Good
Apr15Moderate
May18Moderate
Jun28Moderate
Jul26Moderate
Aug21Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct18Moderate
Nov12Moderate
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Roseau?

Roseau sits at 15.3°N, 61.4°W, 11 m above sea level, in Dominica. The nearest listed city is Sainte-Marie, 72 km away.

Topography around Roseau

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Roseau has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 417 m around an average of 66 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,383 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,389 m.

The land around Roseau is covered by water (55%) and trees (38%) within 3 km, water (58%) and trees (41%) within 16 km, and water (89%) within 80 km.

3 km
417 m
16 km
1,383 m
80 km
1,389 m
treesartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Sainte-Marie 72 km · La Trinité 78 km · Saint-Joseph 80 km · Le Robert 84 km · Fort-de-France 85 km · Capesterre-Belle-Eau 85 km · Basse-Terre 86 km · Le Lamentin 87 km

Dominica travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type D / G
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 48% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$10,989
2025
Homicide rate
27.1
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
10.9
per 100k/yr, 2016
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
Religion
Roman Catholic 53%Protestant 30%none 9%other 4%

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 Roseau (15.3017°, -61.3881°, elevation 11 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).