Early May 1 May
43°F
Typical afternoon high
37% historical wet-day frequency
Norway · Mountains
Northern Norway
in May.
Is May a good time?
Cool days.
More overnight stays than April.
May averages 50°F afternoons and 43°F seas, with about 11 rain days. Later May is typically warmer.
- Afternoons
- 50°F
- Sea
- 43°F
- Visitor demand
- 38%of July peak
Historical Nord-Norge regional averages, not a forecast or a measure of queues. Overnight demand compares average stays per day. Covers Tromsø, Lofoten, North Cape and Senja; conditions vary within the region.
Overall match
6.1/10 · scores & prioritiesThis weather score measures sightseeing comfort. Snow and ski conditions need a separate check.
What matters most?
Weather 50% · Crowds 30% · Cost 20%
#1 of 12 months here · Balanced mix
Weather5.0/10Good
CrowdsModerate seasonvs its own year; overnight stays do not measure queuesFor its size, typical for Europe this month
CostExpensivefor Europe
Overall combines weather, overnight demand and cost. It does not include sea temperature.
Plan your May
What to expect.
What should I pack?
Afternoons around 50°F (10°C): a sweater and a light jacket; nights around 38°F (3°C): a warm coat. Bring rain gear: about 11 days with at least 1 mm of rain. About 21 hours of daylight.
Can I swim in May?
The sea averages 43°F. Our swimming guide: very cold: wetsuit weather. Your comfort will vary. This is open water near the coast, not a beach-specific reading.
Monthly coastal averages from NOAA, 2011–2025. Sea temperature is separate from the weather and Overall scores.
A typical day: temperatures & daylightAfternoons, nights, sea temperature & daylight Show detailsHide details
About 21 hours of daylight.
The sun rises about 02:11 and sets about 22:59 (local time, mid-month). Mornings start around 38°F (3°C); afternoons reach about 50°F (10°C). Expect rain on about 11 days in a typical May.
Typical afternoon
50°F (10°C)
average daily high, 15 recent Mays
Night low
38°F (3°C)
average daily minimum
Sea
43°F (6°C)
very cold; open water near the coast, NOAA satellite record 2011–2025
Daylight
20h 48m
on the 15th, computed from latitude
Early, middle or late?
Early or late May?
Late May is typically warmer. The afternoon high averages 43°F on the 1st, versus 56°F on the 31st.
Mid May 15 May
50°F
Typical afternoon high
38% historical wet-day frequency
Late May 31 May
56°F
Typical afternoon high
39% historical wet-day frequency
Historical daily averages from 2011–2025, smoothed over two weeks. A seasonal pattern, not a forecast. This does not establish which week has the lowest prices or fewest visitors.
Daily calendar & holiday datesMay 2027 · historical weather & dated holidays Show calendarHide calendar
May 2027 calendar
Weather shows historical patterns, not a forecast. Holidays and events use the dates shown for 2027.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 143° | 244° | |||||
| 344° | 445° | 545° | 645° | 746° | 846° | 947° |
| 1047° | 1148° | 1249° | 1349° | 1449° | 1550° | 1651° |
| 1751° | 1851° | 1952° | 2052° | 2153° | 2253° | 2354° |
| 2454° | 2554° | 2655° | 2755° | 2855° | 2956° | 3056° |
| 3156° |
Afternoon high rain likely (25%+) local school holidays public holiday event
School-holiday dates for May 2027 aren't available in our data yet. A day without a school marker doesn't mean schools are open.
Afternoons warm from about 45°F (7°C) in the first week to 55°F (13°C) in the last. The chance of a wet day runs 35–39%.
Elsewhere in May 2027, the share of people living where schools are out on a typical day: Germany 13%, Greece 29%. (School holidays: OpenHolidays, ODbL.)
Crowds and cost
Visitor season
Will it be busy?
Moderate season. May averages 38% of July's overnight stays per day. More overnight stays than April.
Overnight stays across Nord-Norge do not measure queues, day visitors or congestion at individual sights. For its size, typical for Europe this month.
Hotel price season
Will it be cheaper?
Well below usual. Historical regional hotel revenue (2024–2025 monthly average): €103 per occupied room-night. An average, not a booking quote.
Fewer overnight stays do not automatically mean cheaper rooms. Check actual quotes for your trip.
Historical hotel average
€103
2024–2025 monthly average; hotel revenue per occupied room-night; not a current booking quote. −15% vs this region's usual month.
Norway as a whole
Well above EU average
2024 restaurants and hotels price level: 140 where the EU average is 100. A relative index, not a room rate.
The historical regional amount comes from Statistics Norway (SSB), table 14168: hotel accommodation revenue per occupied room; the country price level is national. Hotel averages are not live booking quotes.
Year-to-year variation
How much does May vary?
Across the recorded years
In the 15 years from 2011 to 2025, the month's afternoons averaged between 45°F (7°C) and 56°F (13°C); in 8 of them they were within 3°F (1.5°C) of the typical 50°F (10°C). Rain days ranged from 6 to 17; half the years had 10–13.
Rain days in each May
Rain days
11
at least 1 mm, typical year; about 16 in a wet year
Mostly sunny days
3 of 31
cloud cover under 30%
Years with a 95°F+ day
0 of 15
no May in the last 15 years had a day at or above 95°F (35°C)
Good weather days
7 of 31
rated very good or better
See every recorded MayHistorical monthly averages, year by year Show detailsHide details
| Year | Afternoon high | Rain days |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 51°F | 11 |
| 2012 | 47°F | 16 |
| 2013 | 56°F | 7 |
| 2014 | 49°F | 8 |
| 2015 | 50°F | 13 |
| 2016 | 54°F | 12 |
| 2017 | 45°F | 10 |
| 2018 | 55°F | 10 |
| 2019 | 49°F | 10 |
| 2020 | 46°F | 13 |
| 2021 | 48°F | 6 |
| 2022 | 49°F | 16 |
| 2023 | 50°F | 17 |
| 2024 | 55°F | 10 |
| 2025 | 50°F | 12 |
Checked against 85 local weather stations. How we check
Compare dates
April, May
or June?
| Typical conditions | Apr | May | Jun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 40°F | 50°F | 59°F |
| Sea | 40°F | 43°F | 48°F |
| Rain days | 12 | 11 | 12 |
| Overnight demand | 31% | 38% | 77% |
April: Cooler afternoons and cooler sea than May. Less overnight demand. April guide →
June: Warmer afternoons and warmer sea than May. More overnight demand. June guide →
Overnight demand measures accommodation stays, not queues. Sea temperatures are monthly coastal averages.
Compare any of the 12 monthsChoose another month and compare it with May Show comparisonHide comparison
Yellow marks the top three months on the Balanced mix. May stays as your reference.
July to August have a Weather score at least 1.0 point higher than May, but more overnight stays.
Your comparison
May or April?
Overnight stays are 31% of the busiest month.
Historical regional hotel revenue (2024–2025 monthly average): €100 per occupied room-night. An average, not a booking quote.
Read the April guide →| Typical conditions | May | April |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 50°F | 40°F |
| Nights | 38°F | 30°F |
| Sea | 43°F | 40°F |
| Rain days | 11 | 12 |
| Visitor season | Moderate season | Low season |
| Overall / 10 | 6.1 | 5.8 |
| Month rank | #1 | #3 |
Every month, in detail Show detailsHide details
| Month | Overall | Rank | High | Low | Sea | Rain days | Weather | Visitor season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4.5 | #10 | 24°F | 18°F | 42°F | 15 | 2.5 | Low season |
| February | 4.4 | #11 | 27°F | 20°F | 41°F | 13 | 2.5 | Moderate season |
| March | 4.6 | #9 | 33°F | 23°F | 40°F | 15 | 2.8 | Moderate season |
| April | 5.8 | #3 | 40°F | 30°F | 40°F | 12 | 3.9 | Low season |
| May | 6.1 | #1 | 50°F | 38°F | 43°F | 11 | 5.0 | Moderate season |
| June | 5.3 | #6 | 59°F | 46°F | 48°F | 12 | 5.8 | Busy season |
| July | 5.4 | #5 | 65°F | 51°F | 52°F | 11 | 7.0 | Peak season |
| August | 5.7 | #4 | 62°F | 50°F | 54°F | 13 | 6.4 | Busy season |
| September | 5.8 | #2 | 55°F | 45°F | 52°F | 14 | 5.1 | Moderate season |
| October | 5.3 | #7 | 42°F | 35°F | 49°F | 16 | 3.5 | Moderate season |
| November | 4.8 | #8 | 33°F | 27°F | 47°F | 15 | 2.8 | Moderate season |
| December | 4.3 | #12 | 27°F | 22°F | 44°F | 15 | 2.4 | Moderate season |
Near here
Nearby places in May
Nearby regions, nearest first. Distances are centre to centre, as the crow flies; they are not road distances or journey times.
Elsewhere in Europe
Better May weather than Northern Norway
Northern Norway's weather ranks 28 of 28 mountain regions this month. These mountain regions outside Norway have clearly better weather on your dates, nearest first, each compared with Northern Norway.
Central Slovakiaabout 1380 miles
Very good weather (7.9): 17°F warmer afternoons, cheaper
Freiburg & the southern Black ForestGermany · about 1490 miles
Very good weather (7.6): 17°F warmer afternoons, busier for its season (busy season), cheaper
StyriaGraz · Austria · about 1500 miles
Very good weather (7.7): 17°F warmer afternoons, 2 more rain days, cheaper
SalzburgAustria · about 1500 miles
Good weather (6.4): 15°F warmer afternoons, 5 more rain days, cheaper
TyrolInnsbruck · Austria · about 1520 miles
Good weather (6.1): 15°F warmer afternoons, 4 more rain days, cheaper
How we knowSources, regional scope & scoring method Show detailsHide details
It's moderate season, 38% of the busiest month and 23% below its average month. That means about 11,000 overnight visitors on a typical May night across the region, 62% of them from Norway itself. Rentals booked through Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor add up to 1,800 more: 16 for every 100 counted above. Some are the same properties counted twice.
| Climate suitability (HCI:Urban, 0–100) | 60 |
| How our weather was checked | 85 open weather stations in this region, January and July: afternoon highs typically within 3°F (1.6°C), night lows within 1°F (0.6°C). |
| Tourist nights per 1,000 residents per day | 23 |
| Busiest month here | July · 61 |
| Visitors as share of people present | 2.3% |
| Rank among Europe's regions this month | 72nd percentile |
| Domestic share of nights | 62% |
| Platform rental nights per 100 counted nights | 16 |
| Visitor share if every platform night were extra | 2.6% |
| Population used | 489,000 |
| Statistical region | NO07 · Nord-Norge |
Crowds: Eurostat nights spent at tourist accommodation, by month and NUTS 2 region, 2024–2025 average. Overnight visitors per night is the month's nights divided by its days; the per-1,000 figure is Eurostat's, against each year's population. Platform rentals: Eurostat nights booked via Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor, 2024–2025 average, shown separately because some properties are in both counts. Weather: Holiday Climate Index computed from ERA5 reanalysis with daily highs, night lows and rain days corrected from open national weather-service station records, 2011–2025, population-weighted to the region; day-by-day figures are the same data averaged by date. Heat and rain odds are counted across those years. Sunrise and sunset: NOAA solar equations, local time. Prices: Eurostat price level index and HICP, national; the first figure is regional (Statistics Norway (SSB), table 14168: hotel accommodation revenue per occupied room). Full method · this region's data.