Wakayama weather in May

In May, Wakayama sees average daytime highs of 22°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 149 mm of rain across 10.7 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 20°C in the first days to 23°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 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Wakayama's 10th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Wakayama's year-round climate.

Daytime high
22°
6th warmest
Overnight low
15°
7th coldest
Rainfall
149 mm
10.7 wet days
Daylight
13 h 48 min
5:02 AM – 6:49 PM
Cloud cover
64%
10th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.56 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.5
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 20°C in the first days to 23°C by the end.

A typical May day in Wakayama 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 24°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)
12013
22014
32114
42114
52114
62114
72114
82114
92115
102115
112115
122215
132215
142215
152215
162215
172215
182216
192216
202216
212316
222316
232316
242316
252317
262317
272317
282317
292317
302417
312417

How May really feels in Wakayama

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.

Wakayama 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
Jan / 8211.41.6101.8
Feb10° / 8510.71.710.72.1
Mar13° / 12512.50.211.73.5
Apr18° / 11°12611012.85.6
May22° / 15°14910.7013.86.5
Jun25° / 20°23214.1014.25.8
Jul29° / 24°19513.5014.15.1
Aug30° / 25°11411.4013.34.7
Sep27° / 22°18213012.25.8
Oct22° / 16°17910.9011.16.7
Nov17° / 11°1008.8010.25.5
Dec12° / 8610.70.89.83.0

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 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 59%. 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
84258
94258
104159
114159
124060
134060
144060
154060
164159
174258
184159
194159
204159
214159
224159
234159
244159
254159
264060
273961
283961
293862
303763
313664

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Wakayama gets around 149 mm of rain over 10.7 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 34% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
133
233
333
434
534
634
735
835
935
1035
1136
1236
1336
1435
1535
1635
1735
1834
1934
2034
2133
2233
2333
2433
2533
2632
2732
2833
2933
3033
3134

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 43% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1622792
2612892
3612892
45929102
55830102
65631103
75432113
85432113
95233114
105133124
115034124
124934124
134835134
144736134
154636135
164537145
174338155
184238155
194039165
203939175
213739185
223640195
233440215
243240225
253041246
262841266
272640276
282440297
292239317
302039338
311938349

Wind in May

Winds average 12 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 10 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812light breeze
912light breeze
1012light breeze
1112light breeze
1212light breeze
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1811calm
1911calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2810calm
2910calm
3010calm
3110calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 24 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 42 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:16 AM to 4:54 AM, and sunset from 6:37 PM to 7:00 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:166:37
213.45:156:38
313.45:146:39
413.45:136:39
513.55:126:40
613.55:116:41
713.55:106:42
813.65:096:43
913.65:086:43
1013.65:076:44
1113.65:066:45
1213.75:056:46
1313.75:056:47
1413.75:046:47
1513.85:036:48
1613.85:026:49
1713.85:026:50
1813.85:016:50
1913.95:006:51
2013.94:596:52
2113.94:596:53
2213.94:586:53
2313.94:586:54
2414.04:576:55
2514.04:576:56
2614.04:566:56
2714.04:566:57
2814.04:556:58
2914.14:556:58
3014.14:546:59
3114.14:547:00

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.56 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.43 kWh/m² to a high of 5.56 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 5.56 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.5Bright
145.5Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.6Bright
185.6Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Wakayama

In seasonPeak

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

Wakayama 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 Wakayama?

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

6.5
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
4.5
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Wakayama for sightseeing.

What to pack for Wakayama in May

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

In May, Wakayama sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 15°C. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 11 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Wakayama 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 at the nearest coast (about 13 km away) is warmest in August at about 27°C and coldest in February near 14°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from May 31 to Nov 23 — about 5.8 months when the water holds above 20°C.

15°20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan16Cool
Feb14Bracing
Mar15Bracing
Apr16Cool
May19Cool
Jun22Refreshing
Jul25Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct24Refreshing
Nov21Refreshing
Dec18Cool

UV index in Wakayama 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 Wakayama peaks around June 23 at about 10 (very high) — 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 — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highModerateJun 23UV 10Dec 21UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug7High
Sep9Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Wakayama 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 Wakayama is worst in April — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 14 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateApr 1625 µg/m³Oct 1914 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan16Moderate
Feb19Moderate
Mar24Moderate
Apr26Moderate
May24Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul22Moderate
Aug24Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov16Moderate
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Wakayama?

Wakayama sits at 34.2°N, 135.2°E, 8 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Minato, 3.0 km away.

Topography around Wakayama

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Wakayama has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 49 m around an average of 5 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 571 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,879 m.

The land around Wakayama is covered by artificial surfaces (81%) within 3 km, water (41%) and trees (36%) within 16 km, and trees (44%) and water (40%) within 80 km.

3 km
49 m
16 km
571 m
80 km
1,879 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Minato 3.0 km · Kainan 10 km · Hannan 13 km · Iwade 14 km · Sennan 16 km · Arida 18 km · Kinokawa 23 km · Itogawa 24 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 Wakayama (34.2333°, 135.1667°, elevation 8 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).