Merthyr Tydfil weather in May

In May, Merthyr Tydfil sees average daytime highs of 14°C and overnight lows near 7°C, with 90 mm of rain across 14.2 wet days and about 15.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 13°C in the first days to 16°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 36 min at the start of May to 16 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Merthyr Tydfil's 3rd-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Merthyr Tydfil's year-round climate.

Daytime high
14°
5th warmest
Overnight low
7th coldest
Rainfall
90 mm
14.2 wet days
Daylight
15 h 24 min
4:28 AM – 7:52 PM
Cloud cover
72%
3rd clearest
Wind
14 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.12 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.7
out of 10

Merthyr Tydfil is town in Wales.

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 13°C in the first days to 16°C by the end.

A typical May day in Merthyr Tydfil reaches about 14°C in the afternoon and slips back to 7°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 11°C and 19°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 3°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1136
2136
3136
4136
5136
6136
7136
8146
9146
10147
11147
12147
13147
14147
15147
16147
17147
18157
19157
20158
21158
22158
23158
24158
25158
26158
27168
28168
29169
30169
31169

How May really feels in Merthyr Tydfil

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.

Merthyr Tydfil weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 11215.31.78.10.6
Feb / 87121.89.60.7
Mar / 8013.31.311.51.5
Apr11° / 8113.20.513.62.6
May14° / 9014.2015.43.7
Jun17° / 10°8712.9016.34.8
Jul19° / 12°8914.30165.3
Aug18° / 12°9513.5014.45.3
Sep16° / 10°8311.7012.44.7
Oct13° / 12014.30.110.43.1
Nov / 11415.20.68.61.7
Dec / 12114.21.57.60.8

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% 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 73%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13070
23070
33070
42971
52971
62971
72971
82971
92971
102872
112773
122773
132674
142674
152674
162674
172575
182575
192674
202575
212575
222575
232575
242674
252674
262674
272773
282773
292773
302773
312971

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Merthyr Tydfil gets around 90 mm of rain over 14.2 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 47% and peaks near 48% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
147
247
347
447
547
647
747
847
947
1047
1147
1247
1348
1448
1548
1647
1747
1847
1946
2046
2146
2246
2346
2446
2546
2646
2746
2846
2946
3046
3146

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 97% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8991
9982
10982
11982
12982
13982
14982
15982
16982
17973
18973
19973
20973
21973
22973
23973
24964
25964
26964
27964
28964
29955
30955
31955

Wind in May

Winds average 14 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 36 min at the start of May to 16 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 84 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 4:54 AM to 4:10 AM, and sunset from 7:27 PM to 8:12 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.64:547:27
214.64:527:29
314.74:507:31
414.74:487:32
514.84:467:34
614.84:457:36
714.94:437:37
815.04:417:39
915.04:397:41
1015.14:387:42
1115.14:367:44
1215.24:347:45
1315.24:337:47
1415.34:317:49
1515.34:297:50
1615.44:287:52
1715.44:267:53
1815.54:257:55
1915.54:247:56
2015.64:227:58
2115.64:217:59
2215.74:208:00
2315.74:188:02
2415.84:178:03
2515.84:168:05
2615.94:158:06
2715.94:148:07
2815.94:138:09
2916.04:128:10
3016.04:118:11
3116.04:108:12

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.12 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.64 kWh/m² to a high of 5.39 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.12 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.8Bright
24.8Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.9Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.1Bright
235.1Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.2Bright
305.2Bright
315.2Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Merthyr Tydfil?

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
0.1
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Merthyr Tydfil.

What to pack for Merthyr Tydfil in May

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

In May, Merthyr Tydfil sees daytime highs around 14°C and nights near 7°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: a warm layer and sun protection. About 14 days see rain.

rain geara warm layersun protection

Sea temperature near Merthyr Tydfil in May

The nearest coast averages about 11°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 37 km away) is warmest in August at about 18°C and coldest in February near 8°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

5°10°15°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan8Bracing
Feb8Bracing
Mar8Bracing
Apr9Bracing
May11Bracing
Jun14Bracing
Jul16Cool
Aug18Cool
Sep17Cool
Oct15Cool
Nov12Bracing
Dec10Bracing

UV index in Merthyr Tydfil 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 Merthyr Tydfil peaks around August 13 at about 6 (high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. 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 6 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateLowAug 13UV 6Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb1Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr4Moderate
May6High
Jun6High
Jul6High
Aug7High
Sep4Moderate
Oct2Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Merthyr Tydfil?

Merthyr Tydfil sits at 51.7°N, 3.4°W, 186 m above sea level, in United Kingdom. The nearest listed city is Aberdare, 6.0 km away.

Topography around Merthyr Tydfil

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Merthyr Tydfil has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 328 m around an average of 280 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 818 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 864 m.

The land around Merthyr Tydfil is covered by trees (41%), grassland (33%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 3 km, grassland (58%) and trees (34%) within 16 km, and grassland (53%) within 80 km.

3 km
328 m
16 km
818 m
80 km
864 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Aberdare 6.0 km · Rhondda 11 km · Ebbw Vale 12 km · Gelligaer 13 km · Blackwood 15 km · Tonypandy 15 km · Pontypridd 16 km · Caerphilly 22 km

United Kingdom travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type D / G / M
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 89% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$57,602
2025
Happiness
6.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.1
per 100k, 2021
Road deaths
3.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Christian 60%none 26%Muslim 4%other 2%

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 Merthyr Tydfil (51.7479°, -3.3778°, elevation 186 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. 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).