Carcassonne weather in May

In May, Carcassonne sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 11°C, with 78 mm of precipitation across 11.3 wet days and about 14.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 18°C in the first days to 21°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% 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 14 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Carcassonne's 8th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Carcassonne's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
5th warmest
Overnight low
11°
8th coldest
Precipitation
78 mm
11.3 wet days
Daylight
14 h 30 min
5:33 AM – 8:01 PM
Cloud cover
64%
8th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
5.66 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.0
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 18°C in the first days to 21°C by the end.

A typical May day in Carcassonne reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 11°C overnight — a 9°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 4°C warmer than April and about 4°C cooler than June.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1189
2189
3189
4189
5189
61810
71810
81810
91810
101910
111910
121910
131910
141910
151911
162011
172011
182011
192011
202011
212011
222011
232112
242112
252112
262112
272112
282112
292112
302212
312212

How May really feels in Carcassonne

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.

Carcassonne weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 8111.72.29.21.6
Feb10° / 6410.32.110.22.1
Mar13° / 6910.41.211.63.8
Apr16° / 8211.80.213.24.7
May20° / 11°7811.30.114.46.0
Jun24° / 14°537.6015.17.2
Jul26° / 16°377014.97.3
Aug27° / 16°417.5013.87.2
Sep23° / 13°537.7012.37.2
Oct18° / 10°679.4010.85.9
Nov13° / 8311.10.59.53.3
Dec10° / 7711.11.18.92.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% 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 62%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13466
23367
33367
43367
53367
63367
73367
83367
93466
103466
113565
123664
133664
143763
153961
163961
174060
184060
194159
204159
214258
224258
234258
244258
254258
264258
274159
284159
294159
304159
314159

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Carcassonne gets around 78 mm of rain and snow over 11.3 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 36% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
142
243
343
442
542
642
742
841
941
1040
1140
1239
1338
1438
1537
1636
1735
1835
1934
2033
2132
2232
2331
2431
2531
2631
2731
2831
2931
3031
3132

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 80% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19550
29460
39370
49280
59190
690100
790100
889110
988120
1087130
1187130
1286140
1385150
1485150
1584160
1683170
1781181
1880191
1979201
2078211
2176231
2274242
2373252
2470273
2569283
2667294
2766304
2864315
2963325
3062326
3161327

Wind in May

Winds average 14 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
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light 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
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 14 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 60 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:52 AM to 5:20 AM, and sunset from 7:44 PM to 8:16 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.95:527:44
213.95:507:45
314.05:497:46
414.05:477:48
514.05:467:49
614.15:457:50
714.15:437:51
814.25:427:52
914.25:417:53
1014.35:397:54
1114.35:387:56
1214.35:377:57
1314.45:367:58
1414.45:357:59
1514.45:348:00
1614.55:338:01
1714.55:328:02
1814.55:318:03
1914.65:308:04
2014.65:298:05
2114.65:288:06
2214.75:278:07
2314.75:268:08
2414.75:258:09
2514.85:248:10
2614.85:238:11
2714.85:238:12
2814.95:228:13
2914.95:218:14
3014.95:218:15
3114.95:208:16

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.66 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.34 kWh/m² to a high of 6.31 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 5.66 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
135.6Bright
145.6Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.7Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.9Bright
235.9Bright
245.9Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
275.9Bright
285.9Bright
295.9Bright
306.0Bright
316.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Carcassonne?

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

6.0
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
2.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Carcassonne for sightseeing.

What to pack for Carcassonne in May

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

In May, Carcassonne sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 11°C. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 11 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Carcassonne 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 64 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 30 to Sep 19 — about 2.7 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan12Bracing
Feb12Bracing
Mar12Bracing
Apr14Bracing
May16Cool
Jun19Cool
Jul21Refreshing
Aug22Refreshing
Sep20Refreshing
Oct18Cool
Nov16Cool
Dec14Bracing

UV index in Carcassonne in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Carcassonne peaks around July 16 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 16UV 9Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep5High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Carcassonne 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 Carcassonne is worst in March — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodMar 2015 µg/m³Jul 2110 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan14Moderate
Feb13Moderate
Mar15Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May12Good
Jun12Good
Jul10Good
Aug10Good
Sep10Good
Oct11Good
Nov11Good
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Carcassonne?

Carcassonne sits at 43.2°N, 2.3°E, 113 m above sea level, in France. The nearest listed city is Castres, 44 km away.

Topography around Carcassonne

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Carcassonne has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 130 m around an average of 119 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 579 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,862 m.

The land around Carcassonne is covered by artificial surfaces (35%) and trees (25%) within 3 km, trees (43%) within 16 km, and trees (49%) and cropland (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
130 m
16 km
579 m
80 km
2,862 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Castres 44 km · Narbonne 53 km · Pamiers 61 km · Béziers 71 km · Perpignan 73 km · Albi 81 km · Balma 81 km · Toulouse 85 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 Carcassonne (43.2165°, 2.3486°, elevation 113 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).