Matera weather in May

In May, Matera sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 42 mm of rain across 8.1 wet days and about 14.2 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 25°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 42 min at the start of May to 14 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Matera's 5th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Matera's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
5th warmest
Overnight low
13°
8th coldest
Rainfall
42 mm
8.1 wet days
Daylight
14 h 18 min
4:42 AM – 6:58 PM
Cloud cover
46%
5th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
6.43 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.3
out of 10
Air quality
Excellent
PM10 13.2 µg/m³ · 2010

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 21°C in the first days to 25°C by the end.

A typical May day in Matera reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 18°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 5°C warmer than April and about 5°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12111
22111
32111
42111
52111
62212
72212
82212
92212
102212
112212
122312
132312
142313
152313
162313
172313
182313
192313
202413
212413
222414
232414
242414
252414
262514
272514
282514
292514
302515
312515

Matera weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan11° / 5280.99.42.9
Feb12° / 5491.210.43.2
Mar15° / 589.30.411.74.6
Apr18° / 579.60.113.15.9
May23° / 13°428.1014.27.3
Jun28° / 17°356.3014.96.8
Jul31° / 20°224.7014.65.7
Aug31° / 20°235013.65.6
Sep26° / 16°467.1012.37.3
Oct22° / 12°527.7010.97.1
Nov16° / 658.30.19.75.4
Dec12° / 578.70.99.13.4

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 34%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15941
26040
36040
46139
56337
66337
76436
86436
96436
106535
116535
126535
136634
146535
156535
166535
176634
186634
196634
206733
216733
226733
236832
246832
256832
266931
276931
287030
297030
307030
317030

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Matera gets around 42 mm of rain over 8.1 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 27% and peaks near 32% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
132
231
331
430
530
629
728
828
927
1027
1126
1225
1325
1425
1525
1625
1725
1825
1925
2025
2125
2225
2325
2425
2525
2625
2725
2825
2926
3026
3126

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 77% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
190100
289110
388120
487130
586140
685150
784160
883170
982180
1082180
1181190
1280191
1379201
1479201
1579201
1678211
1778211
1876222
1976222
2075232
2174233
2274233
2373234
2472244
2571245
2669256
2769256
2867267
2965278
3064288
3162299

Wind in May

Winds average 9 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 42 min at the start of May to 14 h 42 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 4:59 AM to 4:31 AM, and sunset from 6:42 PM to 7:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.74:596:42
213.84:586:43
313.84:576:44
413.84:566:45
513.94:546:46
613.94:536:47
713.94:526:48
814.04:516:49
914.04:506:50
1014.14:486:52
1114.14:476:53
1214.14:466:54
1314.24:456:55
1414.24:446:56
1514.24:436:57
1614.34:426:58
1714.34:416:59
1814.34:406:59
1914.44:397:00
2014.44:387:01
2114.44:387:02
2214.44:377:03
2314.54:367:04
2414.54:357:05
2514.54:357:06
2614.54:347:07
2714.64:337:08
2814.64:337:09
2914.64:327:09
3014.64:327:10
3114.74:317:11

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 1.74 kWh/m² to a high of 7.14 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 6.43 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.0Intense
26.0Intense
36.1Intense
46.1Intense
56.1Intense
66.2Intense
76.2Intense
86.2Intense
96.2Intense
106.3Intense
116.3Intense
126.3Intense
136.3Intense
146.3Intense
156.4Intense
166.4Intense
176.4Intense
186.4Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.5Intense
226.5Intense
236.6Intense
246.6Intense
256.6Intense
266.7Intense
276.7Intense
286.7Intense
296.8Intense
306.8Intense
316.8Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Matera?

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
5.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Matera in May

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

In May, Matera sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 13°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near Matera in May

The nearest coast averages about 18°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 40 km away) is warmest in August at about 26°C and coldest in February near 14°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 30 to Nov 1 — about 5.1 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan14Bracing
Feb14Bracing
Mar14Bracing
Apr15Cool
May18Cool
Jun22Refreshing
Jul25Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep25Warm
Oct22Refreshing
Nov19Cool
Dec16Cool

UV index in Matera 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 Matera peaks around July 17 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 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 17UV 10Dec 20UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Matera 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 Matera is worst in April — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.6× the cleanest month (December, 10 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateModerateGoodApr 1416 µg/m³Dec 1310 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Good
Feb14Moderate
Mar15Moderate
Apr16Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul12Good
Aug13Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct12Good
Nov11Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Matera?

Matera sits at 40.7°N, 16.6°E, 401 m above sea level, in Italy. The nearest listed city is Ginosa, 16 km away.

Topography around Matera

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Matera has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 334 m around an average of 339 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 478 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,866 m.

The land around Matera is covered by grassland (32%), cropland (28%) and artificial surfaces (24%) within 3 km, cropland (62%) within 16 km, and trees (30%), cropland (25%) and water (23%) within 80 km.

3 km
334 m
16 km
478 m
80 km
1,866 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Ginosa 16 km · Altamura 18 km · Santeramo in Colle 19 km · Gravina in Puglia 23 km · Gioia del Colle 31 km · Acquaviva delle Fonti 33 km · Palagiano 38 km · Casamassima 42 km

Italy travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F / L
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 69% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$43,309
2025
Happiness
6.6 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
97%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.6
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
5.3
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 513
Religion
Christian 81%unaffiliated 13%Muslim 5%other 1%

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 Matera (40.666°, 16.6046°, elevation 401 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).