Arles weather in May

In May, Arles sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 58 mm of rain across 7.3 wet days and about 14.5 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 22°C in the first days to 26°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 15 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Arles's 10th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Arles's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
5th warmest
Overnight low
13°
8th coldest
Rainfall
58 mm
7.3 wet days
Daylight
14 h 30 min
5:22 AM – 7:53 PM
Cloud cover
51%
10th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
6.43 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.3
out of 10
Air quality
Good
PM10 22.3 µg/m³ · 2019

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 22°C in the first days to 26°C by the end.

A typical May day in Arles reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 4°C warmer than April and about 5°C cooler than June.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12211
22211
32212
42212
52212
62212
72312
82312
92312
102313
112313
122313
132413
142413
152413
162413
172413
182414
192514
202514
212514
222514
232514
242514
252614
262615
272615
282615
292615
302615
312615

How May really feels in Arles

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.

Arles 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 daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan11° / 587.10.69.13.2
Feb13° / 405.10.310.24.0
Mar17° / 425.90.111.66.1
Apr20° / 658.7013.26.6
May24° / 13°587.3014.57.3
Jun29° / 17°334.7015.26.6
Jul32° / 20°213.7014.95.1
Aug31° / 19°344.1013.85.3
Sep26° / 16°906.5012.37.3
Oct21° / 12°918.5010.86.8
Nov15° / 939.50.19.54.8
Dec12° / 527.60.28.83.4

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 44%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
25050
35050
44951
55050
65050
75050
85050
95050
105149
115248
125347
135347
145545
155545
165644
175842
185941
196040
206139
216238
226238
236238
246238
256238
266238
276238
286139
296139
306139
316139

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Arles gets around 58 mm of rain over 7.3 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 24% and peaks near 32% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
132
232
331
431
530
630
729
828
927
1027
1126
1226
1325
1425
1524
1624
1723
1822
1922
2021
2120
2220
2320
2419
2519
2619
2719
2819
2919
3019
3119

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 82% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19370
29280
39280
49190
590100
689110
789110
888120
987130
1087130
1186140
1286140
1386140
1485150
1585150
1683161
1782171
1882171
1981181
2081181
2179192
2279192
2377203
2476213
2574224
2672235
2772235
2870246
2968257
3066268
3166268

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
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 15 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 66 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:41 AM to 5:10 AM, and sunset from 7:36 PM to 8:08 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.95:417:36
214.05:407:37
314.05:397:38
414.05:377:39
514.15:367:41
614.15:347:42
714.25:337:43
814.25:327:44
914.25:307:45
1014.35:297:46
1114.35:287:48
1214.45:277:49
1314.45:267:50
1414.45:247:51
1514.55:237:52
1614.55:227:53
1714.65:217:54
1814.65:207:55
1914.65:197:57
2014.75:187:58
2114.75:177:59
2214.75:168:00
2314.85:158:01
2414.85:158:02
2514.85:148:03
2614.85:138:04
2714.95:128:05
2814.95:118:06
2914.95:118:06
3015.05:108:07
3115.05:108:08

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.43 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.55 kWh/m² to a high of 7.2 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 6.43 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.9Bright
35.9Bright
45.9Bright
56.0Bright
66.0Intense
76.0Intense
86.1Intense
96.1Intense
106.2Intense
116.2Intense
126.3Intense
136.3Intense
146.3Intense
156.4Intense
166.4Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.6Intense
206.6Intense
216.6Intense
226.7Intense
236.7Intense
246.7Intense
256.8Intense
266.8Intense
276.8Intense
286.8Intense
296.8Intense
306.8Intense
316.8Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Arles?

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

7.3
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
6.1
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Arles in May

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

In May, Arles sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 13°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 7 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothes

Sea temperature near Arles in May

The nearest coast averages about 16°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 34 km away) is warmest in August at about 22°C and coldest in February near 12°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 26 to Sep 23 — about 3 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan13Bracing
Feb12Bracing
Mar13Bracing
Apr14Bracing
May16Cool
Jun19Cool
Jul21Refreshing
Aug22Refreshing
Sep20Refreshing
Oct19Cool
Nov16Cool
Dec14Bracing

UV index in Arles in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Arles peaks around July 15 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 15UV 9Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May6High
Jun7Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7High
Sep5High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Arles?

Arles sits at 43.7°N, 4.6°E, 24 m above sea level, in France. The nearest listed city is Nîmes, 28 km away.

Topography around Arles

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Arles has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 39 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 279 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,877 m.

The land around Arles is covered by artificial surfaces (32%), grassland (26%) and trees (21%) within 3 km, cropland (31%), grassland (27%) and trees (21%) within 16 km, and trees (41%) and water (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
39 m
16 km
279 m
80 km
1,877 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
May weather nearby: Nîmes 28 km · Miramas 32 km · Avignon 33 km · Istres 34 km · Le Pontet 37 km · Fos-sur-Mer 37 km · Cavaillon 37 km · Salon-de-Provence 38 km

France travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / E
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 77% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$48,986
2025
Happiness
6.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.3
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
5.1
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 539
Religion
Roman Catholic 47%none 33%Muslim 4%Protestant 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 Arles (43.6768°, 4.6303°, elevation 24 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).