Esmeraldas weather in May

In May, Esmeraldas sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 149 mm of rain across 20.2 wet days and about 12 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 1% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 hours at the start of May to 12 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Esmeraldas's 7th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Esmeraldas's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
24°
12th coldest
Rainfall
149 mm
20.2 wet days
Daylight
12 hours
6:14 AM – 6:16 PM
Cloud cover
82%
7th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
4.3 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.7
out of 10

Esmeraldas is city in Ecuador, capital of the Esmeraldas Province.

Density
7,680/km²
people per km²
Founded
1526

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 28°C through the month.

A typical May day in Esmeraldas reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 29°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)
12824
22824
32824
42824
52824
62824
72824
82824
92824
102824
112824
122824
132824
142824
152824
162824
172824
182824
192824
202724
212724
222724
232724
242724
252724
262724
272724
282724
292724
302724
312724

Esmeraldas weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 2nd-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 24°25624.2124.3
Feb27° / 24°24122124.1
Mar28° / 24°20321.4124.5
Apr28° / 24°20420.3124.6
May28° / 24°14920.2124.7
Jun27° / 24°10916.412.15.1
Jul27° / 23°9816.2125.3
Aug27° / 23°7614.4125.6
Sep27° / 23°6713.3125.6
Oct27° / 23°6211.8125.8
Nov27° / 23°7610.8126.0
Dec27° / 24°13816.211.95.4

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 1% 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 89%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11585
21585
31486
41486
51387
61387
71387
81387
91189
101189
111189
121189
131189
141189
151189
161090
171090
181090
191090
201090
211090
221090
231090
241090
251090
261090
271090
281090
291090
301090
311090

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Esmeraldas gets around 149 mm of rain over 20.2 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 65% and peaks near 70% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
168
269
369
469
569
670
770
870
969
1069
1169
1268
1368
1467
1567
1666
1765
1864
1963
2063
2162
2261
2360
2460
2559
2659
2759
2858
2958
3058
3157

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 88% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
108812
208713
308713
408713
508614
608614
708515
808515
908515
1008416
1108416
1208416
1308515
1408515
1508515
1608614
1708713
1808812
1918712
2018811
2118910
221909
231918
241927
251936
261945
272935
282944
292953
302953
312953

Wind in May

Winds average 13 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 11 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
111calm
211calm
311calm
412calm
512calm
612calm
712calm
812calm
912calm
1012light breeze
1112light breeze
1212light breeze
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light 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
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 hours at the start of May to 12 h 06 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 6:15 AM to 6:14 AM, and sunset from 6:17 PM to 6:18 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.06:156:17
212.06:156:17
312.06:156:17
412.06:146:17
512.06:146:16
612.06:146:16
712.06:146:16
812.06:146:16
912.06:146:16
1012.06:146:16
1112.06:146:16
1212.06:146:16
1312.06:146:16
1412.06:146:16
1512.06:146:16
1612.06:146:16
1712.06:146:16
1812.06:146:16
1912.06:146:16
2012.06:146:16
2112.06:146:16
2212.06:146:16
2312.06:146:17
2412.06:146:17
2512.06:146:17
2612.06:146:17
2712.06:146:17
2812.06:146:17
2912.16:146:17
3012.16:146:17
3112.16:146:18

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.3 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.92 kWh/m² to a high of 4.78 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 4.3 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.5Bright
24.5Bright
34.4Bright
44.4Bright
54.4Bright
64.4Bright
74.4Bright
84.4Bright
94.4Bright
104.3Bright
114.3Bright
124.3Bright
134.3Bright
144.3Bright
154.3Bright
164.3Bright
174.3Bright
184.3Bright
194.3Bright
204.3Bright
214.3Bright
224.3Bright
234.2Bright
244.2Bright
254.2Bright
264.2Bright
274.2Bright
284.2Bright
294.2Bright
304.2Bright
314.1Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Esmeraldas

In seasonPeak

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

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

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

Is May a good time to visit Esmeraldas?

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
4.9
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Esmeraldas for sightseeing.

What to pack for Esmeraldas in May

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

In May, Esmeraldas sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. About 20 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Esmeraldas 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 19 km away) is warmest in May at about 27°C and coldest in January near 26°C.

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

24°26°28°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr27Warm
May27Warm
Jun27Warm
Jul27Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep27Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov26Warm
Dec26Warm

UV index in Esmeraldas 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 Esmeraldas peaks around March 12 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near July 19 at about 11 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 12UV 15Jul 19UV 11
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Esmeraldas 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 Esmeraldas is worst in March — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (July, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateMar 1618 µg/m³Jul 199 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar18Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May12Good
Jun10Good
Jul9Good
Aug10Good
Sep11Good
Oct12Moderate
Nov16Moderate
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Esmeraldas?

Esmeraldas sits at 1.0°N, 79.7°W, 18 m above sea level, in Ecuador. The nearest listed city is Rosa Zarate, 73 km away.

TumacoSanto Domingo de los ColoradosMindoAtuntaquiOtavaloPomasqui

Topography around Esmeraldas

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Esmeraldas has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 261 m around an average of 57 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 628 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 762 m.

The land around Esmeraldas is covered by trees (33%), artificial surfaces (24%) and grassland (23%) within 3 km, trees (45%) and water (44%) within 16 km, and trees (52%) and water (42%) within 80 km.

3 km
261 m
16 km
628 m
80 km
762 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Rosa Zarate 73 km · San Lorenzo de Esmeraldas 98 km · Tumaco 133 km · Santo Domingo de los Colorados 145 km · Mindo 149 km · Atuntaqui 174 km · Otavalo 174 km · Pomasqui 175 km

Ecuador travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 43% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$7,125
2025
Happiness
6.1 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
70%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
45.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
20.1
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 466
Religion
Roman Catholic 68%Protestant 19%none 8%other 2%

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 Esmeraldas (0.9592°, -79.654°, elevation 18 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).