Shonai weather in May

In May, Shonai sees average daytime highs of 19°C and overnight lows near 11°C, with 125 mm of rain across 13.6 wet days and about 14.1 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 17°C in the first days to 21°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 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Shonai's 2nd-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shonai's year-round climate.

Daytime high
19°
5th warmest
Overnight low
11°
8th coldest
Rainfall
125 mm
13.6 wet days
Daylight
14 h 06 min
4:33 AM – 6:40 PM
Cloud cover
66%
2nd clearest
Wind
9 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.36 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.5
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 17°C in the first days to 21°C by the end.

A typical May day in Shonai reaches about 19°C in the afternoon and slips back to 11°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 14°C and 24°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°C warmer than April and about 4°C cooler than June.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1178
2178
3178
4179
5179
6179
7189
8189
91810
101810
111810
121810
131810
141810
151911
161911
171911
181911
191911
201911
212011
222012
232012
242012
252012
262012
272112
282113
292113
302113
312113

How May really feels in Shonai

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.

Shonai weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -2°19026.224.99.60.0
Feb / -2°13521.719.710.50.0
Mar / 14320.313.711.70.5
Apr13° / 11815.12.8133.1
May19° / 11°12513.6014.15.5
Jun23° / 16°14413.5014.75.9
Jul26° / 20°24718.2014.45.3
Aug27° / 21°20017.3013.55.3
Sep24° / 17°17015.8012.35.6
Oct18° / 11°17516.50114.8
Nov11° / 17319.54.59.92.2
Dec / 20625.118.19.30.2

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 12% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 61%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14159
24159
34060
44060
54060
63961
73862
83763
93862
103763
113763
123763
133763
143763
153763
163862
173862
183862
193961
204060
214060
224159
234159
244159
254258
264258
274258
284258
294258
304159
314159

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Shonai gets around 125 mm of rain over 13.6 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 43% and peaks near 47% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
147
247
347
447
547
647
747
847
947
1047
1146
1246
1346
1445
1545
1644
1744
1844
1943
2042
2142
2241
2340
2440
2539
2638
2738
2838
2937
3037
3137

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 83% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19640
29640
39640
49550
59550
69460
79460
89370
99370
109181
119091
129091
1389101
1488111
1587121
1686131
1785141
1883152
1982162
2080182
2179192
2277203
2375223
2474233
2572244
2670264
2768275
2866295
2963316
3060337
3158348

Wind in May

Winds average 9 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 8 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
110calm
210calm
310calm
410calm
510calm
610calm
710calm
810calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 54 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 4:49 AM to 4:23 AM, and sunset from 6:26 PM to 6:53 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.64:496:26
213.64:486:27
313.74:476:28
413.74:466:29
513.74:456:30
613.84:446:31
713.84:426:32
813.94:416:32
913.94:406:33
1013.94:396:34
1114.04:386:35
1214.04:376:36
1314.04:366:37
1414.14:356:38
1514.14:346:39
1614.14:336:40
1714.14:326:41
1814.24:326:42
1914.24:316:43
2014.24:306:44
2114.34:296:44
2214.34:286:45
2314.34:286:46
2414.34:276:47
2514.44:266:48
2614.44:266:49
2714.44:256:49
2814.44:256:50
2914.54:246:51
3014.54:236:52
3114.54:236:53

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.36 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.62 kWh/m² to a high of 5.36 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 5.36 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.2Bright
115.2Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.3Bright
195.4Bright
205.4Bright
215.5Bright
225.5Bright
235.5Bright
245.5Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.7Bright
295.7Bright
305.7Bright
315.7Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Shonai

In seasonPeak

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

Shonai 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 Shonai?

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

5.5
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
2.3
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Shonai for sightseeing.

What to pack for Shonai in May

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

In May, Shonai sees daytime highs around 19°C and nights near 11°C. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 14 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Shonai in May

The nearest coast averages about 14°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 24 km away) is warmest in August at about 26°C and coldest in March near 9°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 25 to Oct 26 — about 4.1 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°20°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan12Bracing
Feb10Bracing
Mar9Bracing
Apr10Bracing
May14Bracing
Jun19Cool
Jul23Refreshing
Aug26Warm
Sep25Warm
Oct21Refreshing
Nov18Cool
Dec15Bracing

UV index in Shonai 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 Shonai peaks around August 17 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowAug 17UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul7High
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Shonai 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 Shonai is worst in April — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1721 µg/m³Dec 159 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul13Moderate
Aug11Good
Sep10Good
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Shonai?

Shonai sits at 38.8°N, 139.9°E, 7 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Sakata, 9.0 km away.

Topography around Shonai

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Shonai has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 14 m around an average of 8 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 776 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,205 m.

The land around Shonai is covered by cropland (77%) within 3 km, cropland (37%) and trees (36%) within 16 km, and trees (55%) and water (35%) within 80 km.

3 km
14 m
16 km
776 m
80 km
2,205 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Sakata 9.0 km · Tsuruoka 16 km · Shinjō 36 km · Nikaho 47 km · Obanazawa 51 km · Yachi 59 km · Murayama 61 km · Yurihonjō 62 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 Shonai (38.8485°, 139.9031°, elevation 7 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).