Potenza weather in May

In May, Potenza sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 10°C, with 53 mm of rain across 9.4 wet days and about 14.2 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 18°C in the first days to 22°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% 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 Potenza's 5th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Potenza's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
5th warmest
Overnight low
10°
8th coldest
Rainfall
53 mm
9.4 wet days
Daylight
14 h 18 min
4:45 AM – 7:01 PM
Cloud cover
50%
5th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
6.2 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.5
out of 10
Air quality
Good
PM10 16.7 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 18°C in the first days to 22°C by the end.

A typical May day in Potenza reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 10°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 15°C and 25°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)
1189
2189
3189
4189
5189
6199
7199
8199
91910
101910
111910
121910
132010
142010
152010
162010
172010
182011
192011
202011
212111
222111
232111
242111
252111
262111
272112
282212
292212
302212
312212

How May really feels in Potenza

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.

Potenza weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 649.839.41.4
Feb / 6210.5410.41.7
Mar12° / 7411.22.211.73.1
Apr15° / 7311.60.513.14.5
May20° / 10°539.4014.26.5
Jun25° / 14°416.9014.97.7
Jul28° / 17°295.2014.67.7
Aug28° / 17°285.3013.67.4
Sep23° / 14°517.9012.37.3
Oct19° / 10°617.90.110.96.5
Nov14° / 689.60.59.73.9
Dec / 7210.42.69.11.9

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% 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 40%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15149
25248
35347
45545
55545
65644
75743
85743
95842
105842
115842
125842
135941
146040
156040
166040
176040
186040
196040
206139
216139
226337
236337
246337
256436
266436
276436
286535
296535
306634
316634

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Potenza gets around 53 mm of rain over 9.4 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 30% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
137
237
336
435
534
633
733
832
931
1030
1129
1229
1328
1428
1528
1628
1728
1828
1929
2029
2129
2229
2329
2429
2529
2629
2729
2829
2929
3028
3128

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 94% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1991
2991
3991
4991
5982
6982
7982
8982
9982
10973
11973
12973
13973
14964
15964
16955
17955
18946
19937
20937
21928
22919
239010
249010
258911
268812
278713
288614
298614
308515
318416

Wind in May

Winds average 9 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 8 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
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

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 5:03 AM to 4:34 AM, and sunset from 6:45 PM to 7:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.75:036:45
213.75:016:46
313.85:006:47
413.84:596:48
513.94:586:49
613.94:566:51
713.94:556:52
814.04:546:53
914.04:536:54
1014.14:526:55
1114.14:516:56
1214.14:496:57
1314.24:486:58
1414.24:476:59
1514.24:467:00
1614.34:457:01
1714.34:447:02
1814.34:437:03
1914.34:437:04
2014.44:427:05
2114.44:417:05
2214.44:407:06
2314.54:397:07
2414.54:397:08
2514.54:387:09
2614.54:377:10
2714.64:377:11
2814.64:367:12
2914.64:357:12
3014.64:357:13
3114.74:347:14

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.2 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.65 kWh/m² to a high of 6.96 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 6.2 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.9Bright
65.9Bright
76.0Bright
86.0Bright
96.0Intense
106.0Intense
116.0Intense
126.1Intense
136.1Intense
146.1Intense
156.1Intense
166.2Intense
176.2Intense
186.2Intense
196.2Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.3Intense
236.3Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.4Intense
276.5Intense
286.5Intense
296.5Intense
306.5Intense
316.6Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Potenza?

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

6.5
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
3.4
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Potenza for sightseeing.

What to pack for Potenza in May

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

In May, Potenza sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 10°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

sun protectionrain gear

UV index in Potenza 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 Potenza peaks around July 17 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 1 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 17UV 10Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Potenza 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 Potenza is worst in April — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateApr 1417 µg/m³Dec 1112 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan14Moderate
Feb16Moderate
Mar16Moderate
Apr17Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul13Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct13Moderate
Nov13Moderate
Dec12Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Potenza?

Potenza sits at 40.6°N, 15.8°E, 819 m above sea level, in Italy. The nearest listed city is Gravina in Puglia, 55 km away.

AltamuraMateraCanosa di PugliaCerignolaBattipagliaCorato

Topography around Potenza

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Potenza has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 334 m around an average of 760 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,309 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,981 m.

The land around Potenza is covered by trees (47%), artificial surfaces (29%) and grassland (20%) within 3 km, trees (53%) and grassland (27%) within 16 km, and trees (50%) and cropland (30%) within 80 km.

3 km
334 m
16 km
1,309 m
80 km
1,981 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Gravina in Puglia 55 km · Eboli 63 km · Altamura 66 km · Matera 67 km · Canosa di Puglia 68 km · Cerignola 70 km · Battipaglia 70 km · Corato 76 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 Potenza (40.6418°, 15.8079°, elevation 819 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. 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).