Maracaibo weather in May

In May, Maracaibo sees average daytime highs of 34°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 151 mm of rain across 18.8 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 34°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 24 min at the start of May to 12 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Maracaibo's 12th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Maracaibo's year-round climate.

Daytime high
34°
8th warmest
Overnight low
26°
9th coldest
Rainfall
151 mm
18.8 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
5:58 AM – 6:27 PM
Cloud cover
88%
12th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.13 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.3
out of 10

Maracaibo is capital city of the Zulia state, Venezuela.

Density
1,258/km²
people per km²
Founded
1529

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 34°C through the month.

A typical May day in Maracaibo reaches about 34°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 31°C and 37°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C cooler than April and on par with June.

20°25°30°35°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13426
23426
33426
43426
53426
63426
73426
83426
93426
103426
113426
123426
133426
143426
153426
163426
173426
183426
193426
203426
213426
223426
233426
243426
253426
263426
273426
283426
293426
303426
313426

How May really feels in Maracaibo

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
31 feel dangerously hot (≥ 39°C)
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.

Maracaibo weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 8th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan34° / 25°61.411.43.5
Feb35° / 25°30.811.63.2
Mar35° / 25°173.611.92.8
Apr35° / 26°589.812.22.4
May34° / 26°15118.812.52.3
Jun34° / 26°10013.812.62.4
Jul35° / 27°6711.612.62.3
Aug34° / 26°11917.312.42.3
Sep33° / 26°16421.512.12.2
Oct32° / 25°19625.511.82.4
Nov32° / 25°1351911.52.9
Dec34° / 25°305.911.43.5

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 4% of the time in May, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 7% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 89%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
1991
2991
3991
4991
5991
6991
7892
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
131090
141090
151090
161090
171090
181090
191090
201090
211189
221288
231288
241387
251387
261585
271783
281783
291882
301981
311981

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Maracaibo gets around 151 mm of rain over 18.8 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 66% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
151
251
352
452
553
653
754
854
955
1055
1156
1256
1356
1457
1558
1658
1759
1860
1961
2062
2163
2264
2365
2466
2566
2666
2766
2866
2965
3064
3163

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 66% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
184151
284151
384151
474053
574053
663955
763856
853857
953758
1053659
1153560
1243462
1343363
1443264
1543165
1633067
1732968
1832869
1922771
2022672
2122573
2222474
2322474
2412376
2512277
2612277
2712277
2812277
2912376
3012376
3112475

Wind in May

Winds average 8 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
118calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 24 min at the start of May to 12 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:03 AM to 5:57 AM, and sunset from 6:25 PM to 6:31 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.46:036:25
212.46:026:25
312.46:026:25
412.46:016:25
512.46:016:25
612.46:016:25
712.46:006:26
812.46:006:26
912.46:006:26
1012.45:596:26
1112.55:596:26
1212.55:596:26
1312.55:596:27
1412.55:586:27
1512.55:586:27
1612.55:586:27
1712.55:586:28
1812.55:586:28
1912.55:586:28
2012.55:576:28
2112.55:576:28
2212.55:576:29
2312.55:576:29
2412.55:576:29
2512.55:576:29
2612.55:576:30
2712.65:576:30
2812.65:576:30
2912.65:576:30
3012.65:576:31
3112.65:576:31

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.13 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.77 kWh/m² to a high of 6.19 kWh/m² in March across the year — May's 5.13 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.2Bright
305.2Bright
315.2Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Maracaibo

In seasonPeak

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

Maracaibo's rainy season runs August–November, 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 Maracaibo?

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

2.3
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
4.6
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Maracaibo.

What to pack for Maracaibo in May

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

In May, Maracaibo sees daytime highs around 34°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 19 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Maracaibo 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 26 km away) is warmest in September 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
Jan27Warm
Feb26Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr27Warm
May28Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul28Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct30Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Maracaibo in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Maracaibo peaks around March 17 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highMar 17UV 13Dec 13UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug12Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Maracaibo 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 Maracaibo is worst in May — around 29 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.7× the cleanest month (December, 11 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodMay 2229 µg/m³Dec 2311 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb15Moderate
Mar20Moderate
Apr25Moderate
May29Moderate
Jun28Moderate
Jul24Moderate
Aug20Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct16Moderate
Nov14Moderate
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Maracaibo?

Maracaibo sits at 10.6°N, 71.6°W, in Venezuela. The nearest listed city is Los Puertos de Altagracia, 13 km away.

Topography around Maracaibo

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Maracaibo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 54 m around an average of 14 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 92 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 759 m.

The land around Maracaibo is covered by artificial surfaces (66%) and water (31%) within 3 km, water (38%) and artificial surfaces (32%) within 16 km, and grassland (36%) and water (36%) within 80 km.

3 km
54 m
16 km
92 m
80 km
759 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
May weather nearby: Los Puertos de Altagracia 13 km · Santa Rita 16 km · Santa Cruz de Mara 19 km · Chiquinquirá 22 km · La Concepción 25 km · Concepción 27 km · Cabimas 32 km · San Rafael 38 km

Venezuela travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 3
Reconsider Travel
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 0% of US
price level, 2011
GDP per capita
$3,495
2025
Happiness
5.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
12.6
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
39
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
English
Moderate
EF EPI 520
Religion
Roman Catholic 48%Protestant 32%none 14%believer 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 Maracaibo (10.6423°, -71.6109°), 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. 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).