Puerto Plata weather in May

In May, Puerto Plata sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 84 mm of rain across 15.9 wet days and about 12.9 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 42 min at the start of May to 13 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Puerto Plata's 12th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Puerto Plata's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
6th warmest
Overnight low
23°
7th coldest
Rainfall
84 mm
15.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 54 min
6:11 AM – 7:07 PM
Cloud cover
58%
12th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.5 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.7
out of 10

Puerto Plata is City in Dominican Republic.

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 29°C through the month.

A typical May day in Puerto Plata reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C warmer than April and about 1°C cooler than June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12923
22923
32923
42923
52923
62923
72923
82923
92923
102923
112923
122923
132923
142923
152923
162923
172923
182923
192923
202923
213024
223024
233024
243024
253024
263024
273024
283024
293024
303024
313024

How May really feels in Puerto Plata

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 19 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
19
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.

Puerto Plata weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 21°6111.110.96.8
Feb27° / 21°448.811.37.0
Mar28° / 21°6210.511.96.7
Apr28° / 22°6212.212.45.9
May29° / 23°8415.912.94.7
Jun30° / 24°421013.24.7
Jul31° / 25°359.713.14.9
Aug31° / 25°4610.712.74.6
Sep31° / 25°7615.612.14.0
Oct30° / 24°831611.54.4
Nov28° / 23°8715.511.15.3
Dec27° / 22°6311.910.86.5

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in May, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 47%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17228
27228
37030
47030
57030
66832
76733
86535
96436
106238
116139
125941
135644
145545
155347
165050
174951
184753
194555
204357
214258
224159
234060
244060
254060
264060
274159
284159
294258
304258
314357

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Puerto Plata gets around 84 mm of rain over 15.9 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 51% and peaks near 54% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
145
246
346
447
547
648
748
849
949
1050
1150
1251
1351
1451
1551
1652
1752
1852
1952
2052
2153
2253
2353
2453
2554
2654
2753
2853
2952
3051
3150

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 80% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1332650
2232660
3231670
4231670
5230680
6230680
7229690
8228700
9227710
10126730
11125731
12124741
13122761
14021781
15019801
16018811
17016822
18014842
19012862
20011872
21010873
2208893
2307903
2406904
2506904
2605914
2704915
2803925
2903925
3002935
3102935

Wind in May

Winds average 13 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 42 min at the start of May to 13 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 24 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:19 AM to 6:07 AM, and sunset from 7:01 PM to 7:13 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.76:197:01
212.76:187:02
312.76:177:02
412.86:177:02
512.86:167:03
612.86:167:03
712.86:157:04
812.86:157:04
912.86:147:04
1012.96:147:05
1112.96:137:05
1212.96:137:05
1312.96:127:06
1412.96:127:06
1512.96:117:07
1612.96:117:07
1712.96:117:07
1813.06:107:08
1913.06:107:08
2013.06:107:09
2113.06:097:09
2213.06:097:09
2313.06:097:10
2413.06:087:10
2513.06:087:11
2613.16:087:11
2713.16:087:11
2813.16:087:12
2913.16:077:12
3013.16:077:13
3113.16:077:13

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.5 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.15 kWh/m² to a high of 6.9 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 6.5 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.6Intense
26.6Intense
36.6Intense
46.6Intense
56.6Intense
66.6Intense
76.6Intense
86.6Intense
96.6Intense
106.6Intense
116.5Intense
126.5Intense
136.5Intense
146.5Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.5Intense
226.5Intense
236.5Intense
246.5Intense
256.5Intense
266.5Intense
276.5Intense
286.5Intense
296.6Intense
306.6Intense
316.6Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Puerto Plata

In seasonPeak

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

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

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

Is May a good time to visit Puerto Plata?

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

4.7
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
6.2
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Puerto Plata in May

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

In May, Puerto Plata sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 16 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Puerto Plata 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 offshore is warmest in September at about 29°C and coldest in February near 26°C.

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

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar26Warm
Apr26Warm
May27Warm
Jun28Warm
Jul28Tropical
Aug28Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec27Warm

UV index in Puerto Plata 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 Puerto Plata peaks around March 22 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 7 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highHighMar 22UV 12Dec 15UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb10Very high
Mar12Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct10Very high
Nov7Very high
Dec7High

Air quality in Puerto Plata 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 Puerto Plata is worst in June — around 30 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (February, 16 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateJun 2030 µg/m³Feb 2016 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan17Moderate
Feb16Moderate
Mar16Moderate
Apr18Moderate
May23Moderate
Jun30Moderate
Jul28Moderate
Aug25Moderate
Sep26Moderate
Oct27Moderate
Nov20Moderate
Dec17Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Puerto Plata?

Puerto Plata sits at 19.8°N, 70.7°W, 34 m above sea level, in Dominican Republic. The nearest listed city is Monte Llano, 11 km away.

CabareteVilla BisonóTamborilSantiago de los CaballerosEsperanza

Topography around Puerto Plata

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Puerto Plata has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 468 m around an average of 45 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 787 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,369 m.

The land around Puerto Plata is covered by water (41%), artificial surfaces (30%) and trees (26%) within 3 km, water (46%) and trees (38%) within 16 km, and trees (43%) and water (36%) within 80 km.

3 km
468 m
16 km
787 m
80 km
2,369 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Monte Llano 11 km · Río Grande 16 km · Sosua 18 km · Cabarete 30 km · Villa Bisonó 32 km · Tamboril 35 km · Santiago de los Caballeros 38 km · Esperanza 39 km

Dominican Republic travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B / C
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 39% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$11,059
2025
Happiness
6.1 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
45%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
10.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
64.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 503

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 Puerto Plata (19.7934°, -70.6884°, elevation 34 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).