Kumamoto weather in May

In May, Kumamoto sees average daytime highs of 22°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 178 mm of rain across 12 wet days and about 13.7 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 24°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Kumamoto's 10th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kumamoto's year-round climate.

Daytime high
22°
6th warmest
Overnight low
15°
8th coldest
Rainfall
178 mm
12 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:23 AM – 7:04 PM
Cloud cover
66%
10th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
5.15 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.4
out of 10

Kumamoto is city in Kumamoto prefecture, Japan.

Density
1,897/km²
people per km²
Founded
1889

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 24°C by the end.

A typical May day in Kumamoto reaches about 22°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 4°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12113
22114
32114
42114
52114
62114
72214
82214
92215
102215
112215
122215
132215
142215
152215
162315
172315
182316
192316
202316
212316
222316
232316
242316
252316
262317
272417
282417
292417
302417
312417

How May really feels in Kumamoto

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.

Kumamoto weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 7910.61.810.11.8
Feb10° / 9610.21.210.82.3
Mar14° / 14213.10.211.83.8
Apr18° / 11°15412.1012.85.5
May22° / 15°17812013.76.4
Jun25° / 20°40317014.15.4
Jul29° / 23°30116.3013.94.8
Aug30° / 24°13513013.24.7
Sep27° / 21°15611.8012.26.1
Oct23° / 15°988.3011.27.1
Nov17° / 10°938.8010.35.6
Dec11° / 84100.99.92.9

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 62%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14357
24357
34258
44258
54159
64159
74060
83961
93862
103961
113961
123862
133961
143862
153862
163862
173763
183763
193763
203763
213763
223763
233664
243664
253565
263664
273565
283565
293466
303367
313367

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Kumamoto gets around 178 mm of rain over 12 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 38% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
139
239
339
439
540
640
740
840
940
1040
1140
1239
1339
1438
1538
1638
1737
1837
1937
2037
2137
2236
2336
2436
2536
2636
2736
2837
2937
3037
3138

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 37% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 7% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
159251330
257261430
357261430
454271540
553281540
650291650
749301650
848311650
947311650
1045321660
1144331660
1243341660
1342351760
1441361770
1539371770
1638381770
1736391870
1835401870
1933401970
2032412070
2130412170
2229412380
2327412480
2425412580
2524412790
2622402890
27204030100
28193932110
29173833120
30163635130
31143536141

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.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
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 18 min at the start of May to 14 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:36 AM to 5:15 AM, and sunset from 6:53 PM to 7:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.35:366:53
213.35:356:54
313.35:346:54
413.45:336:55
513.45:326:56
613.45:316:57
713.55:306:57
813.55:296:58
913.55:286:59
1013.55:287:00
1113.65:277:00
1213.65:267:01
1313.65:257:02
1413.65:247:02
1513.75:247:03
1613.75:237:04
1713.75:227:05
1813.75:227:05
1913.85:217:06
2013.85:207:07
2113.85:207:08
2213.85:197:08
2313.85:197:09
2413.95:187:10
2513.95:187:10
2613.95:177:11
2713.95:177:12
2813.95:167:12
2913.95:167:13
3014.05:167:13
3114.05:157:14

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.15 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.31 kWh/m² to a high of 5.15 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 5.15 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.1Bright
25.1Bright
35.1Bright
45.1Bright
55.1Bright
65.1Bright
75.1Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.1Bright
285.1Bright
295.1Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Kumamoto

In seasonPeak

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

Kumamoto sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Kumamoto's rainy season runs June–July, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Kumamoto?

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

6.4
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
4.6
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Kumamoto for sightseeing.

What to pack for Kumamoto in May

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

In May, Kumamoto sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 15°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Kumamoto 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 27°C and coldest in February near 13°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 27 to Nov 13 — about 5.6 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan14Bracing
Feb13Bracing
Mar14Bracing
Apr16Cool
May19Cool
Jun22Refreshing
Jul25Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct23Refreshing
Nov20Cool
Dec17Cool

UV index in Kumamoto in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kumamoto peaks around June 22 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 3 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highModerateJun 22UV 10Dec 21UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar6High
Apr8Very high
May8Very high
Jun10Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug9Very high
Sep10Very high
Oct7High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Kumamoto 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 Kumamoto is worst in March — around 25 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (July, 13 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateMar 2325 µg/m³Jul 2114 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan18Moderate
Feb20Moderate
Mar25Moderate
Apr25Moderate
May23Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul13Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov16Moderate
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Kumamoto?

Kumamoto sits at 32.8°N, 130.7°E, 9 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Kotō, 6.0 km away.

Topography around Kumamoto

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Kumamoto has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 441 m around an average of 51 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 674 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,765 m.

The land around Kumamoto is covered by artificial surfaces (60%) and trees (34%) within 3 km, trees (31%), artificial surfaces (26%) and cropland (25%) within 16 km, and trees (66%) within 80 km.

3 km
441 m
16 km
674 m
80 km
1,765 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Kotō 6.0 km · Uekimachi-mōno 10 km · Shimada 11 km · Okino 12 km · Kōshi 12 km · Uto 14 km · Mifune 16 km · Matsubase 17 km

Japan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B
100 V · 50 / 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 65% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$35,951
2025
Happiness
6.1 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
99%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.2
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
3.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 446
Religion
Shintoism 49%Buddhism 46%other 4%Christianity 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 Kumamoto (32.8059°, 130.6918°, elevation 9 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).