Oaxaca weather in May

In May, Oaxaca sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 73 mm of rain across 9.3 wet days and about 12.8 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 28°C in the first days to 26°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 36 min at the start of May to 12 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Oaxaca's 7th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Oaxaca's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
14°
10th coldest
Rainfall
73 mm
9.3 wet days
Daylight
12 h 48 min
5:59 AM – 6:47 PM
Cloud cover
58%
7th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
6.55 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.5
out of 10

Oaxaca is capital of the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

Density
2,984/km²
people per km²
Founded
1486

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 28°C in the first days to 26°C by the end.

A typical May day in Oaxaca reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.

10°15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12813
22813
32813
42813
52814
62814
72814
82814
92814
102814
112814
122714
132714
142714
152714
162714
172714
182714
192714
202714
212714
222714
232714
242714
252714
262714
272714
282714
292714
302614
312614

Oaxaca weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 3rd-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 30.611.19.0
Feb26° / 10°51.111.48.8
Mar27° / 11°162.911.98.0
Apr28° / 13°29512.46.8
May27° / 14°739.312.86.5
Jun25° / 14°16317135.5
Jul25° / 14°10413.912.96.0
Aug25° / 14°12515.112.65.8
Sep24° / 14°16017.212.15.5
Oct24° / 13°718.711.67.0
Nov24° / 11°10211.28.5
Dec24° / 10°40.8119.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 27% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 47%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16634
26535
36436
46238
56238
66040
75941
85842
95743
105644
115545
125446
135446
145446
155446
165347
175347
185248
195248
205149
215050
224951
234852
244753
254753
264654
274456
284357
294258
304060
313961

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Oaxaca gets around 73 mm of rain over 9.3 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 30% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
123
224
324
424
525
625
726
827
927
1027
1128
1228
1328
1428
1528
1628
1729
1829
1930
2030
2131
2232
2332
2433
2534
2635
2736
2838
2939
3041
3143

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 64% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
183170
282180
381190
479201
578211
677221
775241
874251
972271
1071281
1170291
1268311
1367321
1466331
1564342
1663352
1761372
1860382
1959392
2058402
2157412
2256422
2355432
2454442
2553443
2652453
2751463
2849474
2947494
3045505
3143525

Wind in May

Winds average 6 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 5 km/h on the calmest days to 6 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 36 min at the start of May to 12 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 18 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:06 AM to 5:56 AM, and sunset from 6:42 PM to 6:52 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.66:066:42
212.66:056:43
312.66:056:43
412.66:046:43
512.76:046:43
612.76:036:44
712.76:036:44
812.76:026:44
912.76:026:45
1012.76:026:45
1112.76:016:45
1212.76:016:46
1312.86:006:46
1412.86:006:46
1512.86:006:47
1612.85:596:47
1712.85:596:47
1812.85:596:48
1912.85:586:48
2012.85:586:48
2112.85:586:49
2212.95:586:49
2312.95:576:49
2412.95:576:50
2512.95:576:50
2612.95:576:51
2712.95:576:51
2812.95:576:51
2912.95:566:52
3012.95:566:52
3112.95:566:52

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.55 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.88 kWh/m² to a high of 7.09 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 6.55 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.9Intense
26.9Intense
36.9Intense
46.9Intense
56.8Intense
66.8Intense
76.8Intense
86.8Intense
96.7Intense
106.7Intense
116.7Intense
126.6Intense
136.6Intense
146.6Intense
156.6Intense
166.5Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.4Intense
226.4Intense
236.4Intense
246.3Intense
256.3Intense
266.3Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.0Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Oaxaca

In seasonPeak

None of Oaxaca's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

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

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

Is May a good time to visit Oaxaca?

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

6.5
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
6.7
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Oaxaca for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Oaxaca in May

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

In May, Oaxaca sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 14°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

UV index in Oaxaca in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Oaxaca peaks around April 12 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highApr 12UV 15Dec 15UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb13Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun14Extreme
Jul13Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Oaxaca 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 Oaxaca is worst in May — around 31 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.7× the cleanest month (January, 8 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodMay 1530 µg/m³Jan 118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb11Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May31Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov9Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Oaxaca?

Oaxaca sits at 17.1°N, 96.7°W, 1,571 m above sea level, in Mexico. The nearest listed city is Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, 4.0 km away.

Topography around Oaxaca

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Oaxaca has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 282 m around an average of 1,568 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,802 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,193 m.

The land around Oaxaca is covered by artificial surfaces (79%) within 3 km, trees (35%), grassland (21%) and cropland (20%) within 16 km, and trees (66%) within 80 km.

3 km
282 m
16 km
1,802 m
80 km
3,193 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
May weather nearby: Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán 4.0 km · San Antonio de la Cal 4.0 km · Santa María Atzompa 7.0 km · Ocotlán de Morelos 30 km · Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz 82 km · Heroica Ciudad de Tlaxiaco 104 km · Tuxtepec 131 km · Puerto Escondido 138 km

Mexico travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 / 127 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 54% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$13,889
2025
Happiness
7.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
43%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
24.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.8
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 440
Religion
Catholic 78%no religion 11%other Evangelical Churches 8%Jehovah Witness 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 Oaxaca (17.0602°, -96.7254°, elevation 1,571 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. 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).