Zürich (Kreis 3) weather in May

In May, Zürich (Kreis 3) sees average daytime highs of 18°C and overnight lows near 9°C, with 144 mm of precipitation across 16 wet days and about 14.8 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 17°C in the first days to 20°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 12 min at the start of May to 15 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Zürich (Kreis 3)'s 7th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zürich (Kreis 3)'s year-round climate.

Daytime high
18°
5th warmest
Overnight low
8th coldest
Precipitation
144 mm
16 wet days
Daylight
14 h 54 min
4:56 AM – 7:49 PM
Cloud cover
64%
7th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.28 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.0
out of 10

Zürich (Kreis 3) is district in Zurich, Switzerland.

Density
5,320/km²
people per km²

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 17°C in the first days to 20°C by the end.

A typical May day in Zürich (Kreis 3) reaches about 18°C in the afternoon and slips back to 9°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 12°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 4°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1177
2177
3177
4178
5178
6178
7178
8178
9178
10178
11188
12188
13188
14189
15189
16189
17189
18189
19189
20199
21199
22199
231910
241910
251910
261910
272010
282010
292010
302011
312011

How May really feels in Zürich (Kreis 3)

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.

Zürich (Kreis 3) 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 / -1°9212.97.68.70.0
Feb / -1°8511.77.49.90.3
Mar10° / 9914.25.811.62.2
Apr14° / 10613.92.713.33.7
May18° / 144160.314.85.0
Jun22° / 13°14315.5015.75.7
Jul24° / 15°14615.4015.36.2
Aug23° / 15°14714.4014.16.3
Sep19° / 11°12312.4012.45.6
Oct14° / 10312.70.610.63.8
Nov / 106133.99.11.3
Dec / 106147.18.30.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 61%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13466
23466
33466
43466
53466
63466
73466
83466
93565
103664
113664
123763
133763
143862
153961
163961
174060
184159
194159
204258
214258
224258
234456
244456
254456
264456
274456
284357
294357
304357
314258

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Zürich (Kreis 3) gets around 144 mm of rain and snow over 16 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 52% and peaks near 55% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1533
2532
3542
4552
5552
6552
7552
8552
9552
10552
11552
12552
13551
14541
15541
16531
17531
18521
19511
20501
21491
22490
23480
24480
25470
26470
27480
28480
29490
30500
31500

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 96% 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
14991
15991
16991
17982
18982
19973
20964
21964
22955
23946
24937
25928
26919
279010
288812
298713
308614
318515

Wind in May

Winds average 6 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 6 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
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 12 min at the start of May to 15 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 72 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:18 AM to 4:41 AM, and sunset from 7:28 PM to 8:06 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.25:187:28
214.25:167:30
314.35:157:31
414.35:137:33
514.45:117:34
614.45:107:35
714.55:087:37
814.55:077:38
914.65:057:39
1014.65:047:41
1114.75:037:42
1214.75:017:43
1314.75:007:45
1414.84:587:46
1514.84:577:47
1614.94:567:49
1714.94:557:50
1815.04:537:51
1915.04:527:52
2015.04:517:54
2115.14:507:55
2215.14:497:56
2315.24:487:57
2415.24:477:58
2515.24:467:59
2615.34:458:01
2715.34:448:02
2815.34:438:03
2915.44:428:04
3015.44:428:05
3115.44:418:06

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.28 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.05 kWh/m² to a high of 5.63 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.28 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
35.0Bright
45.0Bright
55.0Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
85.0Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.3Bright
195.4Bright
205.4Bright
215.4Bright
225.4Bright
235.5Bright
245.5Bright
255.5Bright
265.5Bright
275.5Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Zürich (Kreis 3)?

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

5.0
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
1.8
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Zürich (Kreis 3) for sightseeing.

What to pack for Zürich (Kreis 3) in May

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

In May, Zürich (Kreis 3) sees daytime highs around 18°C and nights near 9°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 16 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

UV index in Zürich (Kreis 3) in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Zürich (Kreis 3) peaks around July 15 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 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 15UV 8Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun7Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep4Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Zürich (Kreis 3)?

Zürich (Kreis 3) sits at 47.4°N, 8.5°E, 507 m above sea level, in Switzerland. The nearest listed city is Zürich (Kreis 3) / Sihlfeld, 2.0 km away.

Topography around Zürich (Kreis 3)

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Zürich (Kreis 3).

Within 3 km, the terrain around Zürich (Kreis 3) has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 464 m around an average of 515 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 570 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,322 m.

The land around Zürich (Kreis 3) is covered by trees (54%) and artificial surfaces (33%) within 3 km, trees (42%) within 16 km, and trees (45%) and grassland (33%) within 80 km.

3 km
464 m
16 km
570 m
80 km
3,322 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainsnow and icewater
May weather nearby: Zürich (Kreis 3) / Sihlfeld 2.0 km · Zürich (Kreis 9) / Albisrieden 2.0 km · Zürich (Kreis 4) / Aussersihl 3.0 km · Zürich (Kreis 2) 3.0 km · Zürich (Kreis 2) / Wollishofen 3.0 km · Zürich (Kreis 9) 3.0 km · Zurich 4.0 km · Zürich (Kreis 9) / Altstetten 4.0 km

Switzerland travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / J
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 112% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$114,769
2025
Happiness
7.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
97%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.6
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
2.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
High
EF EPI 564
Religion
Roman Catholic 34%none 29%Protestant 23%other Christian 6%

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 Zürich (Kreis 3) (47.3578°, 8.503°, elevation 507 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).