Shirahama weather in May

In May, Shirahama sees average daytime highs of 21°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 177 mm of rain across 11 wet days and about 13.7 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 19°C in the first days to 22°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in May, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Shirahama's 10th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shirahama's year-round climate.

Daytime high
21°
6th warmest
Overnight low
17°
7th coldest
Rainfall
177 mm
11 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:03 AM – 6:47 PM
Cloud cover
64%
10th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.6 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 19°C in the first days to 22°C by the end.

A typical May day in Shirahama reaches about 21°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°C and 22°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 4°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11915
21915
31915
41916
52016
62016
72016
82016
92016
102016
112016
122017
132017
142017
152117
162117
172117
182117
192117
202117
212118
222118
232118
242118
252218
262218
272218
282218
292219
302219
312219

How May really feels in Shirahama

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.

Shirahama weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan10° / 9511.60.5102.3
Feb11° / 10411.10.510.72.4
Mar13° / 15112.3011.73.7
Apr17° / 13°15811.1012.85.4
May21° / 17°17711013.76.2
Jun24° / 21°29315.4014.25.6
Jul27° / 24°24614.40145.7
Aug28° / 25°14613.3013.35.6
Sep26° / 23°21513.3012.26.1
Oct22° / 18°21711.2011.26.6
Nov17° / 14°1278.8010.35.8
Dec13° / 9710.10.19.83.6

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 13% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 60%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14753
24753
34555
44555
54456
64357
74258
84159
94060
104060
114060
123961
133961
143961
153961
163961
173961
183961
193961
203961
214060
223961
233961
243961
253862
263862
273862
283763
293763
303664
313565

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Shirahama gets around 177 mm of rain over 11 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 35% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
134
234
335
435
535
635
736
836
936
1036
1136
1236
1336
1436
1535
1635
1735
1834
1934
2034
2134
2233
2333
2433
2533
2633
2733
2833
2934
3034
3135

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the comfortable band about 35% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 10% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
148311840
246311940
344322050
442322150
540332160
638332260
737342360
835342370
934352470
1033362480
1132362480
1230372480
1329382580
1428392580
1527392680
1625392780
1724392890
1823392990
1921393090
20203932100
21193833100
22173834110
23163735110
24153637120
25133538130
26123440140
27113341150
28103142161
2993043171
3092844191
3182744211

Wind in May

Winds average 16 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
117light breeze
217light breeze
317light breeze
417light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1316light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:16 AM to 4:54 AM, and sunset from 6:36 PM to 6:58 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.35:166:36
213.45:156:36
313.45:146:37
413.45:136:38
513.45:126:39
613.55:116:39
713.55:106:40
813.55:096:41
913.65:086:42
1013.65:076:42
1113.65:076:43
1213.65:066:44
1313.75:056:45
1413.75:046:46
1513.75:036:46
1613.75:036:47
1713.85:026:48
1813.85:016:49
1913.85:016:49
2013.85:006:50
2113.94:596:51
2213.94:596:51
2313.94:586:52
2413.94:586:53
2513.94:576:54
2614.04:576:54
2714.04:566:55
2814.04:566:56
2914.04:556:56
3014.04:556:57
3114.14:546:58

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.6 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.44 kWh/m² to a high of 5.6 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 5.6 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.6Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.6Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.7Bright
225.7Bright
235.7Bright
245.7Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Shirahama

In seasonPeak

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

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

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

Is May a good time to visit Shirahama?

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

6.2
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
3.6
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Shirahama for sightseeing.

What to pack for Shirahama in May

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

In May, Shirahama sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 17°C. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 11 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Shirahama 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 offshore is warmest in August at about 28°C and coldest in February near 17°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 4 to Dec 22 — about 7.7 months when the water holds above 20°C.

15°20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan18Cool
Feb17Cool
Mar18Cool
Apr19Cool
May21Refreshing
Jun23Refreshing
Jul26Warm
Aug28Warm
Sep27Warm
Oct25Warm
Nov23Refreshing
Dec20Refreshing

UV index in Shirahama in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Shirahama peaks around July 11 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highModerateJul 11UV 11Dec 22UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7Very high
May9Very high
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug9Very high
Sep10Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Shirahama 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 Shirahama is worst in April — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (December, 10 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodApr 1319 µg/m³Dec 1310 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr19Moderate
May17Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul10Good
Aug10Good
Sep10Good
Oct10Good
Nov11Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Shirahama?

Shirahama sits at 33.7°N, 135.3°E, 13 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Tanabe, 6.0 km away.

Topography around Shirahama

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Shirahama has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 148 m around an average of 22 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 789 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,877 m.

The land around Shirahama is covered by water (57%) and trees (26%) within 3 km, water (53%) and trees (41%) within 16 km, and water (54%) and trees (43%) within 80 km.

3 km
148 m
16 km
789 m
80 km
1,877 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Tanabe 6.0 km · Asso 6.0 km · Gobō 28 km · Itogawa 39 km · Kushimoto 46 km · Arida 49 km · Kainan 54 km · Shingū 59 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 Shirahama (33.6833°, 135.35°, elevation 13 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).