Zakopane weather in May

In May, Zakopane sees average daytime highs of 15°C and overnight lows near 5°C, with 117 mm of precipitation across 17.3 wet days and about 15.1 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 14°C in the first days to 16°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 18 min at the start of May to 15 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Zakopane's 8th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zakopane's year-round climate.

Daytime high
15°
5th warmest
Overnight low
8th coldest
Precipitation
117 mm
17.3 wet days
Daylight
15 h 06 min
4:04 AM – 7:09 PM
Cloud cover
70%
8th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
4.88 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.7
out of 10

Zakopane is city and urban gmina of Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland.

Air quality
Elevated
PM2.5 19.8 µg/m³ · 2019
Density
324/km²
people per km²
Founded
1578

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 14°C in the first days to 16°C by the end.

A typical May day in Zakopane reaches about 15°C in the afternoon and slips back to 5°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 8°C and 21°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 5°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

10°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1144
2144
3144
4144
5144
6144
7144
8144
9144
10144
11145
12155
13155
14155
15155
16155
17155
18155
19155
20155
21156
22156
23156
24166
25166
26166
27166
28167
29167
30167
31177

How May really feels in Zakopane

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.

Zakopane weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-2° / -8°4810.911.48.40.0
Feb-0° / -8°5111.411.49.80.0
Mar / -4°6112.910.611.50.1
Apr10° / 79144.813.42.0
May15° / 11717.30.715.13.7
Jun18° / 13118.2015.94.7
Jul20° / 10°14418.2015.65.1
Aug20° / 10°11215.2014.25.5
Sep15° / 8612.80.112.44.2
Oct10° / 6911.2310.52.2
Nov / -2°5310.97.18.90.2
Dec-1° / -7°4911.211.280.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 68%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13664
23664
33466
43466
53565
63466
73466
83466
93367
103268
113268
123268
133268
143268
153268
163169
173169
183169
193169
203169
213169
223169
233268
243169
253169
263169
273169
283169
293169
303169
313070

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Zakopane gets around 117 mm of rain and snow over 17.3 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 55% and peaks near 61% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1483
2492
3492
4502
5512
6512
7522
8532
9532
10542
11542
12542
13552
14552
15552
16562
17562
18562
19572
20572
21582
22582
23582
24592
25592
26592
27602
28602
29611
30611
31611

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 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
91000
101000
111000
121000
131000
141000
151000
161000
17991
18991
19991
20991
21991
22991
23991
24982
25982
26982
27973
28973
29964
30955
31946

Wind in May

Winds average 7 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 8 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
18calm
28calm
38calm
48calm
58calm
68calm
78calm
88calm
98calm
108calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 18 min at the start of May to 15 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 84 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 4:27 AM to 3:47 AM, and sunset from 6:47 PM to 7:28 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.34:276:47
214.44:266:49
314.44:246:50
414.54:226:52
514.54:206:53
614.64:196:55
714.74:176:56
814.74:166:58
914.84:146:59
1014.84:127:01
1114.94:117:02
1214.94:097:04
1315.04:087:05
1415.04:067:06
1515.04:057:08
1615.14:047:09
1715.14:027:11
1815.24:017:12
1915.24:007:13
2015.33:587:15
2115.33:577:16
2215.43:567:17
2315.43:557:19
2415.43:547:20
2515.53:537:21
2615.53:527:22
2715.53:517:23
2815.63:507:25
2915.63:497:26
3015.63:487:27
3115.73:477:28

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.88 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.9 kWh/m² to a high of 5.12 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 4.88 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.8Bright
24.8Bright
34.8Bright
44.8Bright
54.9Bright
64.9Bright
74.9Bright
84.9Bright
94.9Bright
104.9Bright
114.9Bright
124.9Bright
134.9Bright
144.9Bright
154.9Bright
164.9Bright
174.9Bright
184.9Bright
194.9Bright
204.9Bright
214.9Bright
224.9Bright
234.9Bright
244.9Bright
254.9Bright
265.0Bright
275.0Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Zakopane

In seasonPeak

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

Zakopane's rainy season runs April–October, 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 Zakopane?

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

3.7
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
0.2
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Zakopane.

What to pack for Zakopane in May

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

In May, Zakopane sees daytime highs around 15°C and nights near 5°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: a warm layer and sun protection. About 17 days see rain.

rain geara warm layersun protection

UV index in Zakopane 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 Zakopane peaks around July 10 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. 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 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 10UV 8Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May6High
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep5Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Zakopane 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 Zakopane is worst in June — around 25 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (December, 13 µg/m³).

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Zakopane's WHO annual average of 19.8 µg/m³.

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateJun 1925 µg/m³Dec 1513 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan16Moderate
Feb17Moderate
Mar22Moderate
Apr24Moderate
May23Moderate
Jun25Moderate
Jul24Moderate
Aug23Moderate
Sep19Moderate
Oct15Moderate
Nov15Moderate
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Zakopane?

Zakopane sits at 49.3°N, 19.9°E, 819 m above sea level, in Poland. The nearest listed city is Nowy Targ, 21 km away.

Dolný KubínRužomberokStará ĽubovňaLevoča

Topography around Zakopane

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Zakopane has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 438 m around an average of 929 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,817 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,365 m.

The land around Zakopane is covered by trees (58%) and grassland (29%) within 3 km, trees (51%) and grassland (33%) within 16 km, and trees (69%) within 80 km.

3 km
438 m
16 km
1,817 m
80 km
2,365 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermoss and lichen
May weather nearby: Nowy Targ 21 km · Liptovský Mikuláš 34 km · Poprad 37 km · Kežmarok 40 km · Dolný Kubín 48 km · Ružomberok 53 km · Stará Ľubovňa 53 km · Levoča 56 km

Poland travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / E
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 52% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$28,420
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
89%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
9.4
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Very high
EF EPI 600
Religion
Roman Catholic 71%refused to answer 21%no religion 7%

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 Zakopane (49.299°, 19.9489°, elevation 819 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).