Tainan weather in May

In May, Tainan sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 299 mm of rain across 18.7 wet days and about 13.1 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 4th-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 21% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 48 min at the start of May to 13 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Tainan's 9th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Tainan's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
5th warmest
Overnight low
25°
8th coldest
Rainfall
299 mm
18.7 wet days
Daylight
13 h 06 min
5:22 AM – 6:28 PM
Cloud cover
69%
9th clearest
Wind
7 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
5.28 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.0
out of 10

Tainan is city in southern Taiwan.

Density
847/km²
people per km²
Founded
1624

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

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 Tainan reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 5°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 2°C warmer than April and about 1°C cooler than June.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12924
22924
32924
42924
53024
63024
73024
83024
93024
103024
113024
123024
133025
143025
153025
163025
173025
183025
193025
203025
213025
223025
233025
243025
253025
263025
273025
283025
293025
303025
313025

How May really feels in Tainan

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.

Tainan weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan22° / 16°497.210.77.4
Feb23° / 17°447.811.27.3
Mar25° / 19°589.211.87.0
Apr28° / 22°12011.812.55.8
May30° / 25°29918.713.14.0
Jun31° / 26°39319.713.43.2
Jul32° / 27°30519.113.33.2
Aug31° / 26°40121.112.83.2
Sep31° / 26°18413.612.14.1
Oct29° / 24°546.411.55.9
Nov27° / 21°415.710.97.3
Dec24° / 18°476.410.67.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% 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 64%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14357
24357
34258
44159
54159
64258
74258
84258
94357
104258
114258
124258
134159
144060
153961
163961
173763
183763
193565
203466
213268
223169
232971
242971
252872
262773
272674
282575
292575
302575
312476

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Tainan gets around 299 mm of rain over 18.7 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 59% and peaks near 69% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
147
248
348
449
549
650
750
850
951
1051
1152
1253
1355
1456
1557
1659
1760
1862
1963
2065
2166
2267
2368
2469
2569
2669
2769
2868
2968
3068
3168

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the oppressive band about 51% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
13196612
22186713
32186614
41176616
51166518
61156420
71146322
80136324
90126226
100116128
110105931
12095833
13085735
14075637
15065539
16055441
17045343
18035245
19035047
20024849
21024751
22024553
23024355
24024157
25023860
26023662
27023464
28023266
29023068
30022870
31022771

Wind in May

Winds average 7 km/h in May, the calmest month.

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
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 48 min at the start of May to 13 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 30 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:31 AM to 5:18 AM, and sunset from 6:22 PM to 6:35 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.85:316:22
212.95:306:22
312.95:306:22
412.95:296:23
512.95:286:23
612.95:286:24
713.05:276:24
813.05:276:25
913.05:266:25
1013.05:256:26
1113.05:256:26
1213.05:246:27
1313.15:246:27
1413.15:236:28
1513.15:236:28
1613.15:226:28
1713.15:226:29
1813.15:216:29
1913.15:216:30
2013.25:216:30
2113.25:206:31
2213.25:206:31
2313.25:206:32
2413.25:196:32
2513.25:196:33
2613.25:196:33
2713.35:186:34
2813.35:186:34
2913.35:186:35
3013.35:186:35
3113.35:186:35

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 3.27 kWh/m² to a high of 5.43 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 5.28 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.4Bright
125.4Bright
135.4Bright
145.4Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.3Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.1Bright
245.1Bright
255.1Bright
265.1Bright
275.1Bright
285.1Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Tainan

In seasonPeak

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

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

Tainan's monsoon runs May–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 Tainan?

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

4.0
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
5.5
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Tainan for sightseeing.

What to pack for Tainan in May

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

In May, Tainan sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 19 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Tainan in May

The nearest coast averages about 28°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 16 km away) is warmest in July at about 29°C and coldest in January near 24°C.

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

22°24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan24Refreshing
Feb24Refreshing
Mar24Warm
Apr26Warm
May28Warm
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct28Warm
Nov26Warm
Dec25Warm

UV index in Tainan in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Tainan peaks around June 17 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 6 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highExtremeVery highHighJun 17UV 12Dec 22UV 6
UV index (midday)Level
Jan6High
Feb8Very high
Mar10Very high
Apr9Very high
May9Very high
Jun12Extreme
Jul10Very high
Aug12Extreme
Sep11Extreme
Oct8Very high
Nov7Very high
Dec6High

Air quality in Tainan 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 Tainan is worst in March — around 48 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 1.8× the cleanest month (July, 27 µg/m³).

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorModeratePoorMar 1848 µg/m³Jul 1828 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan41Poor
Feb44Poor
Mar48Poor
Apr46Poor
May38Poor
Jun30Moderate
Jul27Moderate
Aug29Moderate
Sep38Poor
Oct40Poor
Nov40Poor
Dec36Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Tainan?

Tainan sits at 23.0°N, 120.2°E, 26 m above sea level, in Taiwan. The nearest listed city is Yongkang, 6.0 km away.

YujingXinyingKaohsiungFengshanBudaiTaibaoChiayi City

Topography around Tainan

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Tainan has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 40 m around an average of 20 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 136 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,645 m.

The land around Tainan is covered by artificial surfaces (86%) within 3 km, water (30%) and artificial surfaces (27%) within 16 km, and water (46%) and trees (37%) within 80 km.

3 km
40 m
16 km
136 m
80 km
3,645 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Yongkang 6.0 km · Yujing 29 km · Xinying 37 km · Kaohsiung 43 km · Fengshan 43 km · Budai 43 km · Taibao 54 km · Chiayi City 59 km

Taiwan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B
110 / 220 V · 60 Hz
Happiness
6.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Religion
Buddhist 35%Taoist 33%none or unspecified 18%folk religion approximately 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 Tainan (22.9908°, 120.2133°, elevation 26 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).