Early May 1 May
58°F
Typical afternoon high
26% historical wet-day frequency
Sweden · City
Gothenburg & West Sweden
in May.
Is May a good time?
Mild days.
More overnight stays than April.
May averages 64°F afternoons and 53°F seas, with about 9 rain days. Later May is typically warmer.
- Afternoons
- 64°F
- Sea
- 53°F
- Visitor demand
- 40%of July peak
Historical Västsverige regional averages, not a forecast or a measure of queues. Overnight demand compares average stays per day. Covers Gothenburg; conditions vary within the region.
Overall match
7.2/10 · scores & prioritiesWhat matters most?
Weather 50% · Crowds 30% · Cost 20%
#4 of 12 months here · Balanced mix
Weather7.6/10Very good
CrowdsModerate seasonvs its own year; overnight stays do not measure queues
CostPriceyfor 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 64°F (18°C): light layers; nights around 43°F (6°C): a warm coat. Bring rain gear: about 9 days with at least 1 mm of rain. About 17 hours of daylight.
Can I swim in May?
The sea averages 53°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 17 hours of daylight.
The sun rises about 04:45 and sets about 21:24 (local time, mid-month). Mornings start around 43°F (6°C); afternoons reach about 64°F (18°C). Expect rain on about 9 days in a typical May.
Typical afternoon
64°F (18°C)
average daily high, 15 recent Mays
Night low
43°F (6°C)
average daily minimum
Sea
53°F (11°C)
very cold; open water near the coast, NOAA satellite record 2011–2025
Daylight
16h 39m
on the 15th, computed from latitude
Early, middle or late?
Early or late May?
Late May is typically warmer. The afternoon high averages 58°F on the 1st, versus 68°F on the 31st. Historical wet-day frequency rises from 26% to 32% between those dates.
Mid May 15 May
64°F
Typical afternoon high
34% historical wet-day frequency
Late May 31 May
68°F
Typical afternoon high
32% 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.
Public holidays · 2027: 1 May Labour Day; 6 May Ascension Day; 16 May Whit Sunday.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 158° | 258° | |||||
| 359° | 459° | 559° | 660° | 760° | 860° | 961° |
| 1061° | 1162° | 1262° | 1363° | 1464° | 1564° | 1665° |
| 1765° | 1865° | 1965° | 2065° | 2166° | 2266° | 2366° |
| 2467° | 2567° | 2667° | 2767° | 2868° | 2968° | 3068° |
| 3168° |
Afternoon high rain likely (25%+) local school holidays public holiday event
Afternoons warm from about 59°F (15°C) in the first week to 68°F (20°C) in the last. The chance of a wet day runs 26–35%.
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. Public holidays: 1 May Labour Day; 6 May Ascension Day; 16 May Whit Sunday. 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 40% of July's overnight stays per day. More overnight stays than April.
Overnight stays across Västsverige do not measure queues, day visitors or congestion at individual sights.
Hotel price season
Will it be cheaper?
Well above usual. Historical regional hotel revenue (2025 annual level, adjusted by the 2024–2025 national hotel index): €53 per guest-night. A seasonal estimate, not a booking quote.
Fewer overnight stays do not automatically mean cheaper rooms. Check actual quotes for your trip.
Historical hotel average
€53
2025 annual level, adjusted by the 2024–2025 national hotel index; hotel revenue per guest-night; not a current booking quote. +11% vs this region's usual month.
Sweden as a whole
Above EU average
2024 restaurants and hotels price level: 117 where the EU average is 100. A relative index, not a room rate.
The historical regional amount comes from Tillväxtverket, Inkvarteringsstatistik 2025, table 1.1: accommodation revenue per guest-night (yearly, moved by the national hotel price swing); 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 57°F (14°C) and 73°F (23°C); in 9 of them they were within 3°F (1.5°C) of the typical 64°F (18°C). Rain days ranged from 4 to 19; half the years had 7–13.
Rain days in each May
Rain days
9
at least 1 mm, typical year; about 16 in a wet year
Mostly sunny days
6 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
20 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 | 62°F | 13 |
| 2012 | 64°F | 9 |
| 2013 | 64°F | 9 |
| 2014 | 63°F | 10 |
| 2015 | 57°F | 17 |
| 2016 | 66°F | 7 |
| 2017 | 64°F | 8 |
| 2018 | 73°F | 4 |
| 2019 | 60°F | 13 |
| 2020 | 60°F | 7 |
| 2021 | 60°F | 19 |
| 2022 | 62°F | 10 |
| 2023 | 66°F | 4 |
| 2024 | 71°F | 9 |
| 2025 | 61°F | 7 |
Checked against 26 local weather stations. How we check
Compare dates
April, May
or June?
| Typical conditions | Apr | May | Jun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 54°F | 64°F | 70°F |
| Sea | 44°F | 53°F | 60°F |
| Rain days | 6 | 9 | 10 |
| Overnight demand | 27% | 40% | 50% |
April: Cooler afternoons, cooler sea and fewer rain days 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 has a Weather score at least 1.0 point higher than May, but more overnight stays.
Your comparison
May or April?
Overnight stays are 27% of the busiest month.
Historical regional hotel revenue (2025 annual level, adjusted by the 2024–2025 national hotel index): €46 per guest-night. A seasonal estimate, not a booking quote.
Read the April guide →| Typical conditions | May | April |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 64°F | 54°F |
| Nights | 43°F | 35°F |
| Sea | 53°F | 44°F |
| Rain days | 9 | 6 |
| Visitor season | Moderate season | Low season |
| Overall / 10 | 7.2 | 7.1 |
| Month rank | #4 | #5 |
Every month, in detail Show detailsHide details
| Month | Overall | Rank | High | Low | Sea | Rain days | Weather | Visitor season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4.6 | #12 | 37°F | 27°F | 39°F | 12 | 3.6 | Low season |
| February | 4.9 | #10 | 38°F | 26°F | 37°F | 9 | 3.9 | Low season |
| March | 6.1 | #8 | 45°F | 29°F | 39°F | 9 | 5.1 | Low season |
| April | 7.1 | #5 | 54°F | 35°F | 44°F | 6 | 6.4 | Low season |
| May | 7.2 | #4 | 64°F | 43°F | 53°F | 9 | 7.6 | Moderate season |
| June | 7.5 | #1 | 70°F | 50°F | 60°F | 10 | 8.5 | Moderate season |
| July | 6.5 | #6 | 72°F | 54°F | 64°F | 13 | 8.6 | Peak season |
| August | 7.2 | #3 | 70°F | 53°F | 65°F | 13 | 8.5 | Busy season |
| September | 7.3 | #2 | 64°F | 48°F | 61°F | 11 | 7.3 | Low season |
| October | 6.3 | #7 | 54°F | 42°F | 54°F | 14 | 5.3 | Low season |
| November | 5.3 | #9 | 45°F | 36°F | 49°F | 12 | 4.3 | Low season |
| December | 4.7 | #11 | 40°F | 31°F | 43°F | 14 | 3.7 | Low 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.
Småland & the islandsSweden · about 110 miles
Balanced Overall 7.6 · Very good weather, 63°F (17°C) · Low season · Cost pricey
North JutlandDenmark · about 140 miles
Balanced Overall 5.3 · Fair weather, 62°F (16°C) · Moderate season · Cost expensive
Skåne & southern Swedenabout 150 miles
Balanced Overall 6.0 · Good weather, 64°F (18°C) · Moderate season · Cost pricey
CopenhagenDenmark · about 170 miles
Balanced Overall 6.4 · Very good weather, 64°F (18°C) · Busy season · Cost expensive
Oslo & aroundNorway · about 170 miles
Balanced Overall 6.7 · Very good weather, 63°F (17°C) · Busy season · Cost expensive
Elsewhere in Europe
Better May weather than Gothenburg & West Sweden
Gothenburg & West Sweden's weather ranks 38 of 41 city regions this month. These city regions outside Sweden have clearly better weather on your dates, nearest first, each compared with Gothenburg & West Sweden.
BerlinGermany · about 390 miles
Very good weather (8.6): 5°F warmer afternoons, 2 fewer rain days
ViennaAustria · about 700 miles
Very good weather (8.6): 6°F warmer afternoons
BratislavaSlovakia · about 700 miles
Very good weather (8.7): 7°F warmer afternoons, busier for its season (busy season), cheaper
BudapestHungary · about 780 miles
Excellent weather (9.0): 9°F warmer afternoons, cheaper
ZagrebCroatia · about 860 miles
Very good weather (8.7): 9°F warmer afternoons, 4 more rain days, busier for its season (peak season), cheaper
How we knowSources, regional scope & scoring method Show detailsHide details
It's moderate season, 40% of the busiest month and 8% above its average month.The figures cover the whole Västsverige region, suburbs included. That means about 41,000 overnight visitors on a typical May night across the region, 77% of them from Sweden itself. Rentals booked through Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor add up to 3,700 more: 9 for every 100 counted above. Some are the same properties counted twice.
| Climate suitability (HCI:Urban, 0–100) | 73 |
| How our weather was checked | 26 open weather stations in this region, January and July: afternoon highs typically within 1°F (0.1°C), night lows within 2°F (1.3°C). |
| Tourist nights per 1,000 residents per day | 20 |
| Busiest month here | July · 49 |
| Visitors as share of people present | 1.9% |
| Rank among Europe's regions this month | 68th percentile |
| Domestic share of nights | 77% |
| Platform rental nights per 100 counted nights | 9 |
| Visitor share if every platform night were extra | 2.1% |
| Population used | 2.1 million |
| Statistical region | SE23 · Västsverige |
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 (Tillväxtverket, Inkvarteringsstatistik 2025, table 1.1: accommodation revenue per guest-night (yearly, moved by the national hotel price swing)). Full method · this region's data.