San Nicolas weather in May

In May, San Nicolas sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 27°C, with 184 mm of rain across 16.3 wet days and about 12.8 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 36 min at the start of May to 13 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is San Nicolas's 8th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see San Nicolas's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
1st warmest
Overnight low
27°
12th coldest
Rainfall
184 mm
16.3 wet days
Daylight
12 h 54 min
5:28 AM – 6:19 PM
Cloud cover
60%
8th clearest
Wind
10 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
6.12 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.3
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month.

A typical May day in San Nicolas reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 27°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

25°28°30°33°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13027
23027
33027
43027
53027
63027
73027
83027
93027
103027
113027
123027
133027
143027
153027
163027
173027
183027
193027
203027
213027
223027
233027
243027
253027
263027
273027
283027
293027
303027
313027

How May really feels in San Nicolas

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 31 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
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

San Nicolas weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 1st-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 23°111.6118.2
Feb27° / 23°121.211.48.4
Mar28° / 25°81.411.97.6
Apr30° / 26°253.212.46.4
May30° / 27°18416.312.84.3
Jun30° / 27°31723.613.13.3
Jul29° / 27°45126.6133.2
Aug29° / 26°51025.612.63.4
Sep29° / 26°34520.912.13.9
Oct29° / 26°1319.411.65.4
Nov29° / 25°705.511.16.3
Dec28° / 24°374.710.97.4

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 52%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27525
37426
47228
57030
66832
76634
86436
96337
106040
115842
125644
135248
145050
154852
164555
174258
184159
193862
203763
213466
223268
233169
243070
252971
262872
272872
282773
292773
302872
312773

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

San Nicolas gets around 184 mm of rain over 16.3 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 52% and peaks near 75% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
121
222
324
426
528
630
732
834
937
1039
1142
1244
1347
1449
1552
1655
1757
1859
1962
2064
2165
2267
2369
2470
2571
2672
2773
2874
2974
3075
3175

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the miserable band about 87% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
122672
212574
312475
412376
512277
612178
711980
811881
911782
1011683
1111584
1211485
1311386
1411287
1511188
1611089
171990
181891
190892
200793
210694
220694
230694
240595
250595
260595
270595
280496
290496
300496
310496

Wind in May

Winds average 10 km/h in May, the calmest month.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 10 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
110calm
210calm
310calm
410calm
510calm
610calm
710calm
810calm
910calm
1010calm
1110calm
1210calm
1310calm
1410calm
1510calm
1610calm
1710calm
1810calm
1910calm
2011calm
2111calm
2211calm
2311calm
2411calm
2511calm
2611calm
2711calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 36 min at the start of May to 13 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 24 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:35 AM to 5:25 AM, and sunset from 6:14 PM to 6:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.65:356:14
212.75:356:15
312.75:346:15
412.75:346:15
512.75:336:16
612.75:336:16
712.75:326:16
812.75:326:17
912.85:316:17
1012.85:316:17
1112.85:306:18
1212.85:306:18
1312.85:296:18
1412.85:296:19
1512.85:296:19
1612.95:286:19
1712.95:286:20
1812.95:286:20
1912.95:276:21
2012.95:276:21
2112.95:276:21
2212.95:276:22
2312.95:266:22
2412.95:266:22
2512.95:266:23
2613.05:266:23
2713.05:266:24
2813.05:256:24
2913.05:256:24
3013.05:256:25
3113.05:256:25

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.12 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.08 kWh/m² to a high of 6.79 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 6.12 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.7Intense
26.7Intense
36.7Intense
46.7Intense
56.6Intense
66.6Intense
76.5Intense
86.5Intense
96.5Intense
106.4Intense
116.3Intense
126.3Intense
136.2Intense
146.2Intense
156.1Intense
166.1Intense
176.0Intense
186.0Bright
195.9Bright
205.9Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.7Bright
265.7Bright
275.7Bright
285.7Bright
295.7Bright
305.7Bright
315.7Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for San Nicolas

In seasonPeak

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

San Nicolas sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

San Nicolas's monsoon runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

Pacific typhoon
Monsoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit San Nicolas?

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

4.3
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
6.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit San Nicolas for sightseeing.

What to pack for San Nicolas in May

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

In May, San Nicolas sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 16 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near San Nicolas in May

The nearest coast averages about 30°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 23 km away) is warmest in June at about 30°C and coldest in February near 26°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

24°26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr28Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov28Tropical
Dec27Warm

UV index in San Nicolas 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 San Nicolas peaks around August 15 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 8 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery highExtremeVery highAug 15UV 13Dec 15UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan8Very high
Feb10Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct10Very high
Nov8Very high
Dec7Very high

Air quality in San Nicolas 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 San Nicolas is worst in April — around 28 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (December, 13 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateApr 1427 µg/m³Dec 1013 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan15Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar20Moderate
Apr28Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul13Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov13Moderate
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is San Nicolas?

San Nicolas sits at 18.2°N, 120.6°E, 14 m above sea level, in Philippines. The nearest listed city is Laoag, 3.0 km away.

AparriTabuk

Topography around San Nicolas

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around San Nicolas has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 95 m around an average of 16 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 441 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,335 m.

The land around San Nicolas is covered by cropland (43%) and trees (30%) within 3 km, trees (41%), cropland (27%) and water (24%) within 16 km, and trees (51%) and water (39%) within 80 km.

3 km
95 m
16 km
441 m
80 km
2,335 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Laoag 3.0 km · Batac City 13 km · Bangued 63 km · Bantay 69 km · Vigan 70 km · Sanchez-Mira 80 km · Aparri 112 km · Tabuk 121 km

Philippines travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / B / C
230 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 33% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$4,171
2025
Happiness
6.2 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
48%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
4.3
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
High
EF EPI 569
Religion
Roman Catholic 79%other 8%Muslim 6%other Christian 4%

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 San Nicolas (18.1725°, 120.5953°, elevation 14 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).