Rethymno weather in May

In May, Rethymno sees average daytime highs of 22°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 23 mm of rain across 3.7 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 20°C in the first days to 23°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 68% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Rethymno's 5th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Rethymno's year-round climate.

Daytime high
22°
6th warmest
Overnight low
15°
7th coldest
Rainfall
23 mm
3.7 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
5:23 AM – 7:14 PM
Cloud cover
29%
5th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
7.16 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.2
out of 10

Rethymno is city in Crete, Greece.

Density
82/km²
people per km²

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 20°C in the first days to 23°C by the end.

A typical May day in Rethymno reaches about 22°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 18°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 4°C warmer than April and about 4°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11913
22014
32014
42014
52014
62014
72014
82114
92115
102115
112115
122115
132115
142215
152215
162215
172216
182216
192216
202216
212216
222316
232316
242316
252316
262317
272317
282317
292317
302417
312417

Rethymno 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 daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan13° / 9714.10.59.93.2
Feb13° / 8712.30.610.73.3
Mar14° / 629.50.211.74.4
Apr17° / 12°346012.96.5
May22° / 15°233.7013.88.2
Jun26° / 19°61.3014.39.1
Jul27° / 22°30.6014.19.0
Aug28° / 22°30.7013.38.9
Sep26° / 20°172.8012.28.7
Oct22° / 16°486.4011.17.6
Nov18° / 13°699.6010.15.8
Dec14° / 10°10113.70.19.73.8

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 68% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 18%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17921
27921
38020
48020
58020
68020
78119
88119
98119
108119
118218
128218
138218
148218
158218
168119
178119
188119
198119
208119
218119
228119
238218
248218
258218
268218
278317
288317
298416
308515
318515

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Rethymno gets around 23 mm of rain over 3.7 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 11% and peaks near 13% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
113
213
313
412
512
612
712
812
912
1011
1111
1211
1311
1411
1511
1611
1711
1811
1911
2011
2111
2212
2312
2412
2512
2612
2711
2811
2911
3010
3110

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 86% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19730
29730
39640
49640
59550
69550
79460
89370
99370
109280
119280
129190
1390100
1490100
1589110
1688120
1787130
1886131
1985141
2084151
2183161
2282171
2381181
2480191
2578202
2676222
2775232
2874242
2973252
3071272
3170282

Wind in May

Winds average 7 km/h in May, the calmest month.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:37 AM to 5:14 AM, and sunset from 7:02 PM to 7:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:377:02
213.45:367:02
313.55:357:03
413.55:347:04
513.55:337:05
613.65:327:06
713.65:317:07
813.65:307:07
913.75:297:08
1013.75:287:09
1113.75:277:10
1213.75:267:11
1313.85:257:12
1413.85:247:12
1513.85:237:13
1613.95:237:14
1713.95:227:15
1813.95:217:16
1913.95:207:16
2014.05:207:17
2114.05:197:18
2214.05:187:19
2314.05:187:19
2414.05:177:20
2514.15:177:21
2614.15:167:22
2714.15:167:22
2814.15:157:23
2914.25:157:24
3014.25:147:24
3114.25:147:25

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.16 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.22 kWh/m² to a high of 7.92 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 7.16 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.8Intense
26.9Intense
36.9Intense
46.9Intense
56.9Intense
67.0Intense
77.0Intense
87.0Intense
97.0Intense
107.0Intense
117.1Intense
127.1Intense
137.1Intense
147.1Intense
157.1Intense
167.2Intense
177.2Intense
187.2Intense
197.2Intense
207.3Intense
217.3Intense
227.3Intense
237.3Intense
247.3Intense
257.4Intense
267.4Intense
277.4Intense
287.5Intense
297.5Intense
307.5Intense
317.5Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Rethymno

In seasonPeak

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

Rethymno's rainy season runs October–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rethymno sees seasonal dust haze (May), heaviest in May.

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

Is May a good time to visit Rethymno?

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

8.2
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
5.4
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Rethymno for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Rethymno in May

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

In May, Rethymno sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 15°C. Pack sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

sun protection

Sea temperature near Rethymno in May

The nearest coast averages about 19°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 August at about 26°C and coldest in February near 16°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 25 to Nov 24 — about 6 months when the water holds above 20°C.

15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan16Cool
Feb16Cool
Mar16Cool
Apr17Cool
May19Cool
Jun22Refreshing
Jul25Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep25Warm
Oct23Refreshing
Nov21Refreshing
Dec18Cool

UV index in Rethymno in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Rethymno peaks around July 13 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 11 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateVery highHighModerateJul 13UV 10Jan 11UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar6High
Apr8Very high
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Rethymno 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 Rethymno is worst in April — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (September, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1215 µg/m³Sep 218 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb14Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May12Good
Jun9Good
Jul9Good
Aug10Good
Sep8Good
Oct8Good
Nov11Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Rethymno?

Rethymno sits at 35.4°N, 24.5°E, 14 m above sea level, in Greece. The nearest listed city is Chania, 44 km away.

ChaniaHeraklionFiraOiaParosNaxosMykonosSparta

Topography around Rethymno

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Rethymno has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 329 m around an average of 64 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 842 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,432 m.

The land around Rethymno is covered by water (44%) and trees (29%) within 3 km, water (47%), trees (25%) and grassland (21%) within 16 km, and water (66%) within 80 km.

3 km
329 m
16 km
842 m
80 km
2,432 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Chania 44 km · Heraklion 60 km · Fira 145 km · Oia 146 km · Paros 200 km · Naxos 209 km · Mykonos 243 km · Sparta 265 km

Greece travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 60% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$26,948
2025
Happiness
5.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
97%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
8.3
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
High
EF EPI 592
Religion
other 3%Muslim 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 Rethymno (35.3655°, 24.4823°, elevation 14 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).