Minamisatsuma weather in May

In May, Minamisatsuma sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 207 mm of rain across 11.7 wet days and about 13.6 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 22°C in the first days to 24°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in May, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 12 min at the start of May to 13 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Minamisatsuma's 10th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Minamisatsuma's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
6th warmest
Overnight low
18°
7th coldest
Rainfall
207 mm
11.7 wet days
Daylight
13 h 36 min
5:27 AM – 7:03 PM
Cloud cover
68%
10th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.14 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.4
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 22°C in the first days to 24°C by the end.

A typical May day in Minamisatsuma reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°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)
12116
22216
32217
42217
52217
62217
72217
82217
92217
102217
112318
122318
132318
142318
152318
162318
172318
182318
192318
202318
212319
222319
232419
242419
252419
262419
272419
282419
292419
302420
312420

How May really feels in Minamisatsuma

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.

Minamisatsuma 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 daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan12° / 10412.510.23.0
Feb13° / 11711.510.93.4
Mar16° / 11°17013.611.84.5
Apr19° / 14°18912.112.75.8
May23° / 18°20711.713.66.4
Jun26° / 22°49919.3145.0
Jul29° / 25°30717.513.84.5
Aug30° / 26°16415.313.14.3
Sep28° / 24°20613.412.25.5
Oct24° / 19°113911.27.2
Nov19° / 15°1279.510.46.2
Dec14° / 10°10210.5104.2

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% 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 65%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13961
23862
33763
43862
53862
63862
73862
83763
93664
103763
113664
123664
133664
143664
153664
163664
173664
183664
193664
203565
213565
223466
233466
243268
253268
263268
273169
283169
293070
303070
312971

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Minamisatsuma gets around 207 mm of rain over 11.7 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 43% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
138
238
338
438
538
638
738
838
938
1038
1138
1238
1338
1438
1538
1638
1738
1838
1937
2037
2137
2237
2338
2438
2538
2638
2739
2840
2941
3042
3143

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the humid band about 36% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 23% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1323024121
2303125131
3283126131
4273127142
5253128152
6233129152
7223130152
8203131162
9193131163
10183132163
11173133163
12163133163
13153134173
14143135173
15133136173
16123037183
17112938183
18112838194
19102839194
2092740204
2192641214
2282542214
2372443224
2472243234
2562144245
2651944265
2751845275
2841645296
2941545307
3031444327
3131243338

Wind in May

Winds average 13 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2212light breeze
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2612light breeze
2712light breeze
2812calm
2912calm
3012calm
3112calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 12 min at the start of May to 13 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:40 AM to 5:20 AM, and sunset from 6:52 PM to 7:12 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.25:406:52
213.25:396:53
313.35:386:54
413.35:376:54
513.35:366:55
613.35:356:56
713.45:346:57
813.45:336:57
913.45:336:58
1013.45:326:59
1113.55:316:59
1213.55:307:00
1313.55:297:01
1413.55:297:01
1513.65:287:02
1613.65:277:03
1713.65:277:04
1813.65:267:04
1913.75:257:05
2013.75:257:06
2113.75:247:06
2213.75:247:07
2313.75:237:08
2413.85:237:08
2513.85:227:09
2613.85:227:09
2713.85:217:10
2813.85:217:11
2913.85:217:11
3013.95:207:12
3113.95:207:12

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.14 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.34 kWh/m² to a high of 5.14 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 5.14 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
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.1Bright
235.1Bright
245.1Bright
255.1Bright
265.1Bright
275.1Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Minamisatsuma

In seasonPeak

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

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

Minamisatsuma'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 Minamisatsuma?

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
4.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Minamisatsuma for sightseeing.

What to pack for Minamisatsuma in May

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

In May, Minamisatsuma sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 18°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Minamisatsuma in May

The nearest coast averages about 21°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 15 km away) is warmest in August at about 28°C and coldest in February near 18°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Apr 26 to Dec 26 — about 8.1 months when the water holds above 20°C.

15°20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan19Cool
Feb18Cool
Mar19Cool
Apr19Cool
May21Refreshing
Jun24Refreshing
Jul27Warm
Aug28Tropical
Sep27Warm
Oct25Warm
Nov23Refreshing
Dec21Refreshing

UV index in Minamisatsuma 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 Minamisatsuma peaks around June 23 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 11Jan 1UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar7High
Apr8Very high
May8Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug9Very high
Sep10Extreme
Oct6High
Nov5Moderate
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Minamisatsuma 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 Minamisatsuma is worst in April — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 12 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateApr 1423 µg/m³Oct 1012 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan15Moderate
Feb19Moderate
Mar22Moderate
Apr23Moderate
May21Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul12Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct12Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Minamisatsuma?

Minamisatsuma sits at 31.4°N, 130.3°E, 272 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Kaseda-shirakame, 4.0 km away.

Topography around Minamisatsuma

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Minamisatsuma has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 500 m around an average of 140 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 611 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,382 m.

The land around Minamisatsuma is covered by trees (94%) within 3 km, trees (53%) and water (35%) within 16 km, and water (69%) and trees (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
500 m
16 km
611 m
80 km
1,382 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Kaseda-shirakame 4.0 km · Makurazaki 14 km · Minamikyushu 17 km · Ijūin 28 km · Kagoshima 32 km · Umeki 32 km · Kushikino 36 km · Ichikikushikino 38 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 Minamisatsuma (31.39°, 130.2834°, elevation 272 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).