Monte Carlo weather in May

In May, Monte Carlo sees average daytime highs of 17°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 52 mm of rain across 9.2 wet days and about 14.5 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 16°C in the first days to 19°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 15 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Monte Carlo's 10th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Monte Carlo's year-round climate.

Daytime high
17°
6th warmest
Overnight low
14°
7th coldest
Rainfall
52 mm
9.2 wet days
Daylight
14 h 30 min
5:11 AM – 7:42 PM
Cloud cover
53%
10th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.11 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.7
out of 10

Monte Carlo is ward in the Principality of Monaco.

Density
56,889/km²
people per km²
Founded
1866

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 16°C in the first days to 19°C by the end.

A typical May day in Monte Carlo reaches about 17°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 15°C and 20°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 4°C warmer than April and about 4°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11513
21613
31613
41613
51613
61613
71613
81613
91614
101714
111714
121714
131714
141714
151714
161714
171715
181715
191815
201815
211815
221815
231815
241815
251815
261916
271916
281916
291916
301916
311916

Monte Carlo weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan10° / 688.12.19.12.4
Feb10° / 577.4210.22.4
Mar12° / 627.21.411.63.4
Apr14° / 11°749.50.513.24.1
May17° / 14°529.2014.55.7
Jun21° / 18°407.5015.27.2
Jul24° / 21°215.4014.98.1
Aug24° / 21°215.1013.88.2
Sep21° / 18°657.3012.37.1
Oct17° / 15°1028.90.110.85.8
Nov14° / 11°12910.10.79.54.0
Dec11° / 878.61.88.82.8

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 43%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15248
25248
35248
45248
55347
65347
75347
85446
95446
105446
115446
125446
135644
145644
155644
165743
175743
185842
195941
206040
216040
226139
236139
246238
256238
266238
276238
286238
296238
306238
316139

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Monte Carlo gets around 52 mm of rain over 9.2 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 35% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
135
234
334
433
533
633
732
832
932
1031
1131
1231
1331
1431
1531
1630
1730
1830
1929
2029
2129
2229
2328
2428
2528
2628
2728
2828
2928
3028
3128

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 56% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1891100
2881200
3861400
4841600
5821800
6802000
7782200
8762400
9732700
10702910
11683110
12663310
13643510
14613720
15593920
16574030
17544240
18534340
19504560
20474670
21454780
224347100
234148110
243849130
253649150
263350170
273150190
282850211
292651221
302451241
312350262

Wind in May

Winds average 10 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 11 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
111calm
211calm
311calm
411calm
511calm
611calm
711calm
811calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2010calm
2110calm
2210calm
2310calm
2410calm
2510calm
2610calm
2710calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 15 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 66 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:30 AM to 4:58 AM, and sunset from 7:25 PM to 7:57 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.95:307:25
214.05:297:26
314.05:277:27
414.05:267:28
514.15:247:30
614.15:237:31
714.25:227:32
814.25:207:33
914.35:197:34
1014.35:187:35
1114.35:177:37
1214.45:157:38
1314.45:147:39
1414.45:137:40
1514.55:127:41
1614.55:117:42
1714.65:107:43
1814.65:097:44
1914.65:087:46
2014.75:077:47
2114.75:067:48
2214.75:057:49
2314.85:047:50
2414.85:037:51
2514.85:027:52
2614.95:027:53
2714.95:017:54
2814.95:007:55
2914.94:597:55
3015.04:597:56
3115.04:587:57

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.11 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.54 kWh/m² to a high of 6.67 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 6.11 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.7Bright
35.7Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.8Bright
75.8Bright
85.9Bright
95.9Bright
105.9Bright
116.0Bright
126.0Intense
136.0Intense
146.1Intense
156.1Intense
166.1Intense
176.1Intense
186.2Intense
196.2Intense
206.2Intense
216.2Intense
226.3Intense
236.3Intense
246.3Intense
256.3Intense
266.3Intense
276.3Intense
286.3Intense
296.4Intense
306.4Intense
316.4Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Monte Carlo?

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

5.7
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
1.5
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Monte Carlo for sightseeing.

What to pack for Monte Carlo in May

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

In May, Monte Carlo sees daytime highs around 17°C and nights near 14°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

sun protectionrain gear

Sea temperature near Monte Carlo in May

The nearest coast averages about 18°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 25°C and coldest in February near 13°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 7 to Oct 13 — about 4.2 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan14Bracing
Feb13Bracing
Mar14Bracing
Apr15Bracing
May18Cool
Jun21Refreshing
Jul24Refreshing
Aug25Warm
Sep22Refreshing
Oct20Cool
Nov17Cool
Dec15Cool

UV index in Monte Carlo in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Monte Carlo peaks around July 14 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 1 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 14UV 9Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr7Very high
May6High
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7High
Sep5Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Monte Carlo 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 Monte Carlo is worst in March — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodMar 1816 µg/m³Nov 2110 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb14Moderate
Mar16Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul13Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct12Moderate
Nov10Good
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Monte Carlo?

Monte Carlo sits at 43.7°N, 7.4°E, 45 m above sea level, in Monaco. The nearest listed city is Monaco, 1.0 km away.

Monaco

Topography around Monte Carlo

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Monte Carlo has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 999 m around an average of 198 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,368 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,195 m.

The land around Monte Carlo is covered by water (45%) and trees (26%) within 3 km, water (50%) and trees (36%) within 16 km, and trees (48%) and water (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
999 m
16 km
1,368 m
80 km
3,195 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Monaco 1.0 km · Menton 7.0 km · Saint-Roch 11 km · Nice 14 km · Ventimiglia 16 km · Plaine du Var 19 km · Les Moulins 19 km · Saint-Laurent-du-Var 20 km

Monaco travel facts

Power plugs
Type C / E
230 V · 50 Hz
GDP per capita
$288,002
2024
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
3.1
per 100k, 2001
Road deaths
0
per 100k/yr, 2013
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Roman Catholic 90%other 10%

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 Monte Carlo (43.7398°, 7.4273°, elevation 45 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. 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).