Estelí weather in May

In May, Estelí sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 231 mm of rain across 17.8 wet days and about 12.6 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 31°C in the first days to 29°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 11% of the time in May, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Estelí's 9th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Estelí's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
21°
12th coldest
Rainfall
231 mm
17.8 wet days
Daylight
12 h 36 min
5:24 AM – 6:00 PM
Cloud cover
75%
9th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
5.59 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.9
out of 10

Estelí is large urban settlement and municipal seat in Estelí Department, Nicaragua..

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 31°C in the first days to 29°C by the end.

A typical May day in Estelí reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13121
23121
33121
43121
53121
63121
73121
83121
93121
103121
113121
123021
133021
143021
153021
163021
173021
183021
193021
203021
212921
222921
232921
242921
252921
262921
272921
282921
292921
302921
312921

Estelí weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 3rd-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 18°30.711.38.2
Feb29° / 18°30.511.67.4
Mar30° / 19°61.411.96.2
Apr31° / 20°365.412.34.8
May30° / 21°23117.812.63.9
Jun28° / 20°1872112.84.3
Jul28° / 20°8314.712.75.2
Aug29° / 20°15018.912.44.4
Sep28° / 20°22723.712.13.9
Oct27° / 20°24822.911.74.4
Nov27° / 19°558.711.46.6
Dec27° / 18°61.611.28.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 11% 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 76%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14258
24060
34060
43961
53862
63862
73565
83466
93268
103169
112971
122674
132476
142377
152179
162080
171882
181783
191783
201585
211486
221486
231486
241486
251486
261387
271387
281387
291387
301387
311387

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Estelí gets around 231 mm of rain over 17.8 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 58% and peaks near 78% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
134
235
336
437
538
638
739
840
942
1043
1145
1248
1350
1453
1556
1658
1761
1864
1966
2068
2170
2272
2374
2475
2576
2677
2778
2878
2978
3078
3178

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the muggy band about 57% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 65% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
121546343
211446353
311346373
411246383
511145403
611045413
711044433
81943443
91942463
101840473
111839493
121737514
131735534
141732555
151630576
161628587
171525618
181523638
191521649
2014196610
2114186611
2214166811
2313156912
2413147012
2512137113
2602127313
2702117413
2801107613
2901107613
300197614
310197614

Wind in May

Winds average 8 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of May to 12 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:29 AM to 5:22 AM, and sunset from 5:56 PM to 6:04 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.55:295:56
212.55:285:57
312.55:285:57
412.55:285:57
512.55:275:57
612.55:275:57
712.55:265:58
812.55:265:58
912.55:265:58
1012.55:255:58
1112.65:255:59
1212.65:255:59
1312.65:245:59
1412.65:245:59
1512.65:245:59
1612.65:246:00
1712.65:236:00
1812.65:236:00
1912.65:236:01
2012.65:236:01
2112.65:236:01
2212.75:226:01
2312.75:226:02
2412.75:226:02
2512.75:226:02
2612.75:226:03
2712.75:226:03
2812.75:226:03
2912.75:226:03
3012.75:226:04
3112.75:226:04

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.59 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.68 kWh/m² to a high of 6.44 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 5.59 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.2Intense
26.2Intense
36.1Intense
46.1Intense
56.1Intense
66.0Intense
76.0Intense
86.0Bright
96.0Bright
105.9Bright
115.9Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.6Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.4Bright
205.4Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.3Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.2Bright
305.2Bright
315.2Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Estelí

In seasonPeak

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

Estelí's rainy season runs May–June, 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 Estelí?

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

3.9
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
5.4
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Estelí.

What to pack for Estelí in May

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

In May, Estelí sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 18 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Estelí in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Estelí peaks around March 24 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 14 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 highMar 24UV 14Dec 14UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun13Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov10Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Estelí 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 Estelí is worst in July — around 24 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.9× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1623 µg/m³Jan 176 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar9Good
Apr21Moderate
May23Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul24Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct12Good
Nov9Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Estelí?

Estelí sits at 13.1°N, 86.4°W, 833 m above sea level, in Nicaragua. The nearest listed city is Jinotega, 38 km away.

JinotegaSomotoMatagalpaSomotilloOcotalEl ParaísoLa Paz CentroCiudad Choluteca

Topography around Estelí

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Estelí has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 247 m around an average of 860 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,177 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,071 m.

The land around Estelí is covered by artificial surfaces (38%) and grassland (31%) within 3 km, grassland (49%) and trees (34%) within 16 km, and trees (53%) and grassland (39%) within 80 km.

3 km
247 m
16 km
1,177 m
80 km
2,071 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Jinotega 38 km · Somoto 50 km · Matagalpa 51 km · Somotillo 60 km · Ocotal 61 km · El Paraíso 89 km · La Paz Centro 91 km · Ciudad Choluteca 92 km

Nicaragua travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 34% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$3,173
2025
Happiness
6.3 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
11.3
per 100k, 2021
Road deaths
16.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 512
Religion
Roman Catholic 45%Protestant 39%none 14%other 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 Estelí (13.0929°, -86.3559°, elevation 833 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).