Rome weather in May
In May, Rome sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 58 mm of rain across 8.4 wet days and about 14.3 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 45% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Rome's 5th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Rome's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 23°
- 5th warmest
- Overnight low
- 13°
- 8th coldest
- Rainfall
- 58 mm
- 8.4 wet days
- Daylight
- 14 h 24 min
- 4:55 AM – 7:17 PM
- Cloud cover
- 46%
- 5th clearest
- Wind
- 8 km/h
- 8th windiest
- Solar energy
- 6.34 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 7.3
- out of 10
Rome is capital and largest city of Italy.
- Density
- 1,801/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- ~752 BCE
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in May
Highs climb over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 25°C by the end.
A typical May day in Rome 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 19°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 4°C warmer than April and about 5°C cooler than June.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Avg low (°C) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 | 11 |
| 2 | 21 | 11 |
| 3 | 21 | 11 |
| 4 | 21 | 11 |
| 5 | 21 | 12 |
| 6 | 22 | 12 |
| 7 | 22 | 12 |
| 8 | 22 | 12 |
| 9 | 22 | 12 |
| 10 | 22 | 12 |
| 11 | 22 | 12 |
| 12 | 23 | 12 |
| 13 | 23 | 13 |
| 14 | 23 | 13 |
| 15 | 23 | 13 |
| 16 | 23 | 13 |
| 17 | 23 | 13 |
| 18 | 23 | 13 |
| 19 | 23 | 13 |
| 20 | 24 | 13 |
| 21 | 24 | 13 |
| 22 | 24 | 14 |
| 23 | 24 | 14 |
| 24 | 24 | 14 |
| 25 | 24 | 14 |
| 26 | 25 | 14 |
| 27 | 25 | 14 |
| 28 | 25 | 14 |
| 29 | 25 | 14 |
| 30 | 25 | 15 |
| 31 | 25 | 15 |
How May really feels in Rome
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.
May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Rome 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.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12° / 4° | 63 | 8.6 | 9.3 | 3.2 |
| Feb | 13° / 4° | 71 | 9.2 | 10.3 | 3.6 |
| Mar | 16° / 6° | 74 | 9.1 | 11.7 | 5.1 |
| Apr | 19° / 9° | 77 | 10.6 | 13.1 | 6.0 |
| May | 23° / 13° | 58 | 8.4 | 14.3 | 7.3 |
| Jun | 28° / 17° | 34 | 5.5 | 15 | 7.1 |
| Jul | 31° / 19° | 23 | 4 | 14.7 | 5.8 |
| Aug | 31° / 20° | 22 | 4.3 | 13.7 | 5.5 |
| Sep | 26° / 16° | 84 | 8.8 | 12.3 | 7.0 |
| Oct | 22° / 13° | 116 | 10.4 | 10.9 | 6.7 |
| Nov | 16° / 8° | 128 | 12.2 | 9.6 | 4.9 |
| Dec | 12° / 5° | 94 | 10.6 | 9 | 3.4 |
Cloud cover in May
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% 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 35%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 56 | 57 | 58 | 58 | 59 | 61 | 61 | 62 | 62 | 63 | 63 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 65 | 65 | 66 | 66 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 68 | 68 | 69 | 69 | 69 | 69 | 69 | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| Cloudier (%) | 44 | 43 | 42 | 42 | 41 | 39 | 39 | 38 | 38 | 37 | 37 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 35 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 56 | 44 |
| 2 | 57 | 43 |
| 3 | 58 | 42 |
| 4 | 58 | 42 |
| 5 | 59 | 41 |
| 6 | 61 | 39 |
| 7 | 61 | 39 |
| 8 | 62 | 38 |
| 9 | 62 | 38 |
| 10 | 63 | 37 |
| 11 | 63 | 37 |
| 12 | 64 | 36 |
| 13 | 64 | 36 |
| 14 | 64 | 36 |
| 15 | 65 | 35 |
| 16 | 65 | 35 |
| 17 | 66 | 34 |
| 18 | 66 | 34 |
| 19 | 67 | 33 |
| 20 | 67 | 33 |
| 21 | 67 | 33 |
| 22 | 68 | 32 |
| 23 | 68 | 32 |
| 24 | 69 | 31 |
| 25 | 69 | 31 |
| 26 | 69 | 31 |
| 27 | 69 | 31 |
| 28 | 69 | 31 |
| 29 | 70 | 30 |
| 30 | 70 | 30 |
| 31 | 70 | 30 |
Chance of precipitation in May
Rome gets around 58 mm of rain over 8.4 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 27% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 36 | 36 | 36 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 36 |
| 2 | 36 |
| 3 | 36 |
| 4 | 35 |
| 5 | 34 |
| 6 | 34 |
| 7 | 33 |
| 8 | 32 |
| 9 | 31 |
| 10 | 30 |
| 11 | 29 |
| 12 | 28 |
| 13 | 28 |
| 14 | 27 |
| 15 | 26 |
| 16 | 26 |
| 17 | 25 |
| 18 | 25 |
| 19 | 24 |
| 20 | 24 |
| 21 | 24 |
| 22 | 23 |
| 23 | 23 |
| 24 | 23 |
| 25 | 23 |
| 26 | 23 |
| 27 | 23 |
| 28 | 22 |
| 29 | 22 |
| 30 | 22 |
| 31 | 22 |
Humidity in May
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 55% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 79 | 76 | 74 | 72 | 70 | 68 | 65 | 64 | 63 | 61 | 60 | 59 | 58 | 57 | 57 | 55 | 54 | 53 | 52 | 51 | 50 | 49 | 47 | 46 | 44 | 42 | 40 | 38 | 36 | 34 | 32 |
| Comfortable (%) | 21 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 31 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 38 | 39 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 44 |
| Humid (%) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 23 |
| Muggy (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 79 | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 76 | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | 74 | 25 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | 72 | 27 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | 70 | 29 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | 68 | 31 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | 65 | 33 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | 64 | 34 | 2 | 0 |
| 9 | 63 | 35 | 2 | 0 |
| 10 | 61 | 36 | 3 | 0 |
| 11 | 60 | 37 | 3 | 0 |
| 12 | 59 | 38 | 3 | 0 |
| 13 | 58 | 38 | 4 | 0 |
| 14 | 57 | 39 | 4 | 0 |
| 15 | 57 | 39 | 4 | 0 |
| 16 | 55 | 40 | 5 | 0 |
| 17 | 54 | 41 | 5 | 0 |
| 18 | 53 | 41 | 6 | 0 |
| 19 | 52 | 41 | 7 | 0 |
| 20 | 51 | 42 | 7 | 0 |
| 21 | 50 | 42 | 8 | 0 |
| 22 | 49 | 42 | 9 | 0 |
| 23 | 47 | 42 | 10 | 0 |
| 24 | 46 | 42 | 11 | 0 |
| 25 | 44 | 43 | 13 | 0 |
| 26 | 42 | 43 | 14 | 0 |
| 27 | 40 | 43 | 16 | 1 |
| 28 | 38 | 44 | 17 | 1 |
| 29 | 36 | 44 | 19 | 1 |
| 30 | 34 | 44 | 21 | 1 |
| 31 | 32 | 44 | 23 | 1 |
Wind in May
Winds average 8 km/h in May.
Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | calm |
| 2 | 8 | calm |
| 3 | 8 | calm |
| 4 | 8 | calm |
| 5 | 8 | calm |
| 6 | 8 | calm |
| 7 | 8 | calm |
| 8 | 8 | calm |
| 9 | 8 | calm |
| 10 | 8 | calm |
| 11 | 8 | calm |
| 12 | 8 | calm |
| 13 | 8 | calm |
| 14 | 8 | calm |
| 15 | 8 | calm |
| 16 | 8 | calm |
| 17 | 8 | calm |
| 18 | 8 | calm |
| 19 | 8 | calm |
| 20 | 8 | calm |
| 21 | 8 | calm |
| 22 | 8 | calm |
| 23 | 8 | calm |
| 24 | 8 | calm |
| 25 | 8 | calm |
| 26 | 8 | calm |
| 27 | 8 | calm |
| 28 | 8 | calm |
| 29 | 7 | calm |
| 30 | 7 | calm |
| 31 | 7 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in May
Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 48 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 5:13 AM to 4:44 AM, and sunset from 7:01 PM to 7:31 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 13.8 | 13.8 | 13.9 | 13.9 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 14.1 | 14.1 | 14.1 | 14.2 | 14.2 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 14.4 | 14.4 | 14.4 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.7 | 14.7 | 14.7 | 14.7 | 14.8 | 14.8 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:13 | 5:12 | 5:11 | 5:09 | 5:08 | 5:07 | 5:06 | 5:04 | 5:03 | 5:02 | 5:01 | 5:00 | 4:59 | 4:57 | 4:56 | 4:55 | 4:54 | 4:53 | 4:53 | 4:52 | 4:51 | 4:50 | 4:49 | 4:48 | 4:48 | 4:47 | 4:46 | 4:45 | 4:45 | 4:44 | 4:44 |
| Sunset (PM) | 7:01 | 7:02 | 7:03 | 7:04 | 7:05 | 7:06 | 7:07 | 7:09 | 7:10 | 7:11 | 7:12 | 7:13 | 7:14 | 7:15 | 7:16 | 7:17 | 7:18 | 7:19 | 7:20 | 7:21 | 7:22 | 7:23 | 7:24 | 7:25 | 7:26 | 7:27 | 7:28 | 7:28 | 7:29 | 7:30 | 7:31 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13.8 | 5:13 | 7:01 |
| 2 | 13.8 | 5:12 | 7:02 |
| 3 | 13.9 | 5:11 | 7:03 |
| 4 | 13.9 | 5:09 | 7:04 |
| 5 | 14.0 | 5:08 | 7:05 |
| 6 | 14.0 | 5:07 | 7:06 |
| 7 | 14.0 | 5:06 | 7:07 |
| 8 | 14.1 | 5:04 | 7:09 |
| 9 | 14.1 | 5:03 | 7:10 |
| 10 | 14.1 | 5:02 | 7:11 |
| 11 | 14.2 | 5:01 | 7:12 |
| 12 | 14.2 | 5:00 | 7:13 |
| 13 | 14.3 | 4:59 | 7:14 |
| 14 | 14.3 | 4:57 | 7:15 |
| 15 | 14.3 | 4:56 | 7:16 |
| 16 | 14.4 | 4:55 | 7:17 |
| 17 | 14.4 | 4:54 | 7:18 |
| 18 | 14.4 | 4:53 | 7:19 |
| 19 | 14.5 | 4:53 | 7:20 |
| 20 | 14.5 | 4:52 | 7:21 |
| 21 | 14.5 | 4:51 | 7:22 |
| 22 | 14.6 | 4:50 | 7:23 |
| 23 | 14.6 | 4:49 | 7:24 |
| 24 | 14.6 | 4:48 | 7:25 |
| 25 | 14.6 | 4:48 | 7:26 |
| 26 | 14.7 | 4:47 | 7:27 |
| 27 | 14.7 | 4:46 | 7:28 |
| 28 | 14.7 | 4:45 | 7:28 |
| 29 | 14.7 | 4:45 | 7:29 |
| 30 | 14.8 | 4:44 | 7:30 |
| 31 | 14.8 | 4:44 | 7:31 |
Solar energy in May
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.34 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.63 kWh/m² to a high of 7.08 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 6.34 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 6.7 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 2 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 3 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 4 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 5 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 6 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 7 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 8 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 9 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 10 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 11 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 12 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 13 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 14 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 15 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 16 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 17 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 18 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 19 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 20 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 21 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 22 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 23 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 24 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 25 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 26 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 27 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 28 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 29 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 30 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 31 | 6.7 | Intense |
Hazard calendar for Rome
None of Rome's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.
Rome's rainy season runs September–April, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is May a good time to visit Rome?
Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
May is one of the better times to visit Rome for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Rome in May
From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In May, Rome 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.
Sea temperature near Rome 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 32 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 31 to Nov 1 — about 5.1 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 22 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 21 | 19 | 16 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing | Cool | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Bracing |
| Feb | 14 | Bracing |
| Mar | 14 | Bracing |
| Apr | 15 | Cool |
| May | 18 | Cool |
| Jun | 22 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 25 | Warm |
| Aug | 26 | Warm |
| Sep | 24 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 21 | Refreshing |
| Nov | 19 | Cool |
| Dec | 16 | Cool |
UV index in Rome in May
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 Rome peaks around July 15 at about 9 (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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Level | Low | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate | Low | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1 | Low |
| Feb | 3 | Moderate |
| Mar | 5 | Moderate |
| Apr | 4 | Moderate |
| May | 7 | High |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 10 | Very high |
| Aug | 8 | Very high |
| Sep | 5 | High |
| Oct | 3 | Moderate |
| Nov | 2 | Low |
| Dec | 1 | Low |
Air quality in Rome in May
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Rome 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Moderate | Good | Moderate | Good | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Moderate |
| Feb | 15 | Moderate |
| Mar | 17 | Moderate |
| Apr | 17 | Moderate |
| May | 15 | Moderate |
| Jun | 14 | Moderate |
| Jul | 12 | Good |
| Aug | 13 | Moderate |
| Sep | 11 | Good |
| Oct | 12 | Moderate |
| Nov | 12 | Good |
| Dec | 13 | Moderate |
Where is Rome?
Rome sits at 41.9°N, 12.5°E, 20 m above sea level, in Italy. The nearest listed city is Esquilino, 1.0 km away.
Topography around Rome
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Rome.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Rome has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 83 m around an average of 43 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 295 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,441 m.
The land around Rome is covered by artificial surfaces (73%) and trees (22%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (32%), trees (29%) and cropland (21%) within 16 km, and trees (46%) and water (25%) within 80 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
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 Rome (41.8919°, 12.5113°, elevation 20 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).