Negril weather in May

In May, Negril sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 90 mm of rain across 16.9 wet days and about 12.8 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 42 min at the start of May to 13 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Negril's 7th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Negril's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
5th warmest
Overnight low
26°
7th coldest
Rainfall
90 mm
16.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 54 min
5:44 AM – 6:35 PM
Cloud cover
54%
7th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.6 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.9
out of 10

Negril is city in Jamaica.

Founded
1494

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month.

A typical May day in Negril reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12926
22926
32926
42926
52926
62926
72926
82926
92926
102926
112926
122926
132926
142926
152926
162926
172926
182926
192926
202926
212926
222926
232926
242926
252926
262926
272926
282926
292926
302926
312926

How May really feels in Negril

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 18 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
18
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Negril weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 24°143.8117.9
Feb27° / 24°164.111.47.8
Mar27° / 24°236.311.97.5
Apr28° / 25°329.612.46.5
May29° / 26°9016.912.84.9
Jun29° / 27°7216.413.14.4
Jul30° / 27°7019.2134.1
Aug30° / 27°8919.712.64.0
Sep29° / 27°11619.812.14.0
Oct29° / 26°11319.611.64.4
Nov28° / 26°508.411.16.3
Dec28° / 25°224.610.97.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 23% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 39%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17822
27723
37723
47723
57624
67624
77525
87525
97327
107228
117129
126832
136733
146535
156337
166139
175941
185842
195545
205446
215347
225248
235050
244852
254852
264753
274654
284654
294654
304456
314357

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Negril gets around 90 mm of rain over 16.9 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 53% and peaks near 58% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
143
244
345
446
547
648
748
849
949
1050
1150
1251
1352
1452
1553
1654
1754
1855
1956
2057
2157
2258
2358
2458
2558
2658
2758
2857
2957
3056
3156

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the oppressive band about 87% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
16913
26913
35923
45923
55923
64933
74933
84933
94933
104924
114924
124915
134915
144906
153907
163907
173898
183889
1928810
2028612
2128513
2228414
2328315
2418316
2518118
2618019
2717920
2807921
2907723
3007624
3107426

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 10 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
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 42 min at the start of May to 13 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 18 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:51 AM to 5:41 AM, and sunset from 6:30 PM to 6:41 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.75:516:30
212.75:506:30
312.75:506:31
412.75:496:31
512.75:496:31
612.75:486:32
712.75:486:32
812.85:476:32
912.85:476:33
1012.85:466:33
1112.85:466:34
1212.85:456:34
1312.85:456:34
1412.85:456:35
1512.85:446:35
1612.95:446:35
1712.95:446:36
1812.95:436:36
1912.95:436:36
2012.95:436:37
2112.95:426:37
2212.95:426:38
2312.95:426:38
2412.95:426:38
2513.05:416:39
2613.05:416:39
2713.05:416:39
2813.05:416:40
2913.05:416:40
3013.05:416:41
3113.05:416:41

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.6 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.6 kWh/m² to a high of 6.88 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 6.6 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.9Intense
26.9Intense
36.9Intense
46.9Intense
56.9Intense
66.8Intense
76.8Intense
86.8Intense
96.8Intense
106.8Intense
116.8Intense
126.7Intense
136.7Intense
146.7Intense
156.6Intense
166.6Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.4Intense
226.4Intense
236.4Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.4Intense
276.4Intense
286.4Intense
296.4Intense
306.4Intense
316.4Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Negril

In seasonPeak

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

Negril sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

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

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

Is May a good time to visit Negril?

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

4.9
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
6.1
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Negril for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Negril in May

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

In May, Negril sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 17 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Negril in May

The nearest coast averages about 28°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 September at about 30°C and coldest in February near 27°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr28Warm
May28Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct30Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Negril in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Negril peaks around April 16 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 7 (very high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highApr 16UV 13Dec 16UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb10Very high
Mar12Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov8Very high
Dec7High

Air quality in Negril 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 Negril is worst in June — around 36 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 3.1× the cleanest month (December, 12 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateGoodJun 2336 µg/m³Dec 2212 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar15Moderate
Apr17Moderate
May23Moderate
Jun36Poor
Jul35Poor
Aug29Moderate
Sep21Moderate
Oct17Moderate
Nov13Moderate
Dec12Good
Location & terrain

Where is Negril?

Negril sits at 18.3°N, 78.3°W, 0 m above sea level, in Jamaica. The nearest listed city is Savanna-la-Mar, 23 km away.

Savanna-la-MarMontego BayBarrett TownFalmouthMandevilleMay PenOcho RiosOld Harbour

Topography around Negril

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Negril has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 154 m around an average of 31 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 279 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 803 m.

The land around Negril is covered by trees (58%) and water (32%) within 3 km, water (67%) and trees (25%) within 16 km, and water (68%) and trees (26%) within 80 km.

3 km
154 m
16 km
279 m
80 km
803 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Savanna-la-Mar 23 km · Montego Bay 51 km · Barrett Town 64 km · Falmouth 77 km · Mandeville 92 km · May Pen 121 km · Ocho Rios 132 km · Old Harbour 136 km

Jamaica travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B
110 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 60% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$8,003
2025
Happiness
6.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
49.4
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
15.1
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 65%none 21%other 7%Roman Catholic 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 Negril (18.2684°, -78.3481°, elevation 0 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).