Biarritz weather in May

In May, Biarritz sees average daytime highs of 19°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 96 mm of rain across 13.1 wet days and about 14.5 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 17°C in the first days to 20°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% 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 Biarritz's 7th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Biarritz's year-round climate.

Daytime high
19°
6th warmest
Overnight low
13°
7th coldest
Rainfall
96 mm
13.1 wet days
Daylight
14 h 30 min
5:47 AM – 8:17 PM
Cloud cover
63%
7th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.65 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.6
out of 10

Biarritz is human settlement in France.

Air quality
Good
PM2.5 6.5 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 17°C in the first days to 20°C by the end.

A typical May day in Biarritz reaches about 19°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 14°C and 24°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 3°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11711
21711
31712
41812
51812
61812
71812
81812
91812
101812
111812
121813
131813
141913
151913
161913
171913
181913
191913
201913
211913
221913
231914
242014
252014
262014
272014
282014
292014
302014
312014

Biarritz weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan12° / 12314.19.12.7
Feb12° / 10612.710.22.9
Mar14° / 9812.811.64.0
Apr16° / 10°10614.213.24.4
May19° / 13°9613.114.55.6
Jun21° / 16°7610.715.26.4
Jul23° / 18°6410.314.97.0
Aug24° / 18°6510.213.87.2
Sep22° / 16°8811.412.36.5
Oct19° / 14°11412.810.85.7
Nov15° / 10°16214.99.53.9
Dec12° / 13414.18.83.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 59%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13763
23763
33664
43763
53763
63763
73862
83862
93862
103862
113862
123961
133961
144060
154060
164258
174357
184357
194357
204456
214456
224555
234555
244555
254555
264555
274555
284555
294555
304555
314555

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Biarritz gets around 96 mm of rain over 13.1 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 43% and peaks near 50% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
150
249
349
449
548
648
747
846
946
1045
1144
1244
1343
1443
1542
1642
1741
1841
1940
2040
2139
2239
2339
2439
2539
2639
2739
2839
2940
3040
3141

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 62% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1831700
2821800
3811900
4792100
5772210
6762310
7752410
8742510
9732610
10712720
11702820
12702820
13682930
14673030
15663130
16643240
17623350
18623350
19603460
20573580
21563590
225436100
235237110
244938130
254739140
264440150
274241170
284041181
293942191
303842201
313642211

Wind in May

Winds average 12 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112light breeze
212light breeze
312light breeze
412calm
512calm
612calm
712calm
812calm
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

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 6:07 AM to 5:35 AM, and sunset from 8:00 PM to 8:32 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.96:078:00
213.96:058:01
314.06:048:03
414.06:028:04
514.16:018:05
614.16:008:06
714.15:588:07
814.25:578:08
914.25:568:10
1014.35:548:11
1114.35:538:12
1214.45:528:13
1314.45:518:14
1414.45:508:15
1514.55:498:16
1614.55:478:17
1714.55:468:19
1814.65:458:20
1914.65:448:21
2014.65:438:22
2114.75:428:23
2214.75:428:24
2314.75:418:25
2414.85:408:26
2514.85:398:27
2614.85:388:28
2714.95:388:29
2814.95:378:30
2914.95:368:31
3014.95:368:31
3115.05:358:32

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.65 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.38 kWh/m² to a high of 6.08 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.65 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.4Bright
85.4Bright
95.4Bright
105.5Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.5Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
275.9Bright
285.9Bright
295.9Bright
305.9Bright
315.9Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Biarritz?

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

5.6
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
2.2
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Biarritz for sightseeing.

What to pack for Biarritz in May

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

In May, Biarritz sees daytime highs around 19°C and nights near 13°C. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Biarritz 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 17 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 Jul 1 to Sep 24 — about 2.8 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan13Bracing
Feb12Bracing
Mar12Bracing
Apr14Bracing
May16Cool
Jun19Cool
Jul21Refreshing
Aug22Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct18Cool
Nov16Cool
Dec14Bracing

UV index in Biarritz 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 Biarritz peaks around July 16 at about 8 (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 16UV 8Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May6High
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep5High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Biarritz?

Biarritz sits at 43.5°N, 1.6°W, 39 m above sea level, in France. The nearest listed city is Anglet, 3.0 km away.

Topography around Biarritz

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Biarritz has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 91 m around an average of 28 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 231 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,044 m.

The land around Biarritz is covered by water (43%) and artificial surfaces (30%) within 3 km, water (47%) and trees (30%) within 16 km, and trees (46%) and water (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
91 m
16 km
231 m
80 km
2,044 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Anglet 3.0 km · Bayonne 7.0 km · Hondarribia 23 km · Irun 25 km · Errenteria 34 km · Pasaia 35 km · San Sebastian 39 km · Hernani 41 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 Biarritz (43.4806°, -1.5568°, elevation 39 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).