Early May 1 May
46°F
Typical afternoon high
20% historical wet-day frequency
Sweden · Beach
Swedish Lapland
in May.
Is May a good time?
Cool days.
More overnight stays than April.
May averages 53°F afternoons and 39°F seas, with about 5 rain days. Later May is typically warmer.
- Afternoons
- 53°F
- Sea
- 39°F
- Visitor demand
- 32%of July peak
Historical Övre Norrland regional averages, not a forecast or a measure of queues. Overnight demand compares average stays per day. Covers Kiruna, Abisko and Luleå; conditions vary within the region.
Overall match
4.8/10 · scores & prioritiesWhat matters most?
Weather 50% · Crowds 30% · Cost 20%
#4 of 12 months here · Balanced mix
Weather2.8/10Poor
CrowdsLow seasonvs its own year; overnight stays do not measure queuesFor its size, typical for Europe this month
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 53°F (12°C): a sweater and a light jacket. About 19 hours of daylight. About 5 rain days in a typical May.
Can I swim in May?
The sea averages 39°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 19 hours of daylight.
The sun rises about 03:05 and sets about 22:13 (local time, mid-month). Afternoons reach about 53°F (12°C). Expect rain on about 5 days in a typical May.
Typical afternoon
53°F (12°C)
average daily high, 15 recent Mays
Night low
—
not shown here: our correction of the model data isn't accurate enough for night lows in this region
Sea
39°F (4°C)
very cold; open water near the coast, NOAA satellite record 2011–2025
Daylight
19h 08m
on the 15th, computed from latitude
Early, middle or late?
Early or late May?
Late May is typically warmer. The afternoon high averages 46°F on the 1st, versus 60°F on the 31st. Historical wet-day frequency rises from 20% to 25% between those dates.
Mid May 15 May
53°F
Typical afternoon high
21% historical wet-day frequency
Late May 31 May
60°F
Typical afternoon high
25% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 146° | 246° | |||||
| 346° | 447° | 547° | 648° | 748° | 849° | 950° |
| 1050° | 1151° | 1252° | 1352° | 1453° | 1553° | 1654° |
| 1754° | 1855° | 1955° | 2056° | 2156° | 2256° | 2357° |
| 2457° | 2558° | 2658° | 2758° | 2859° | 2959° | 3059° |
| 3160° |
Afternoon high rain likely (25%+) local school holidays public holiday event
Afternoons warm from about 47°F (8°C) in the first week to 59°F (15°C) in the last. The chance of a wet day runs 19–25%.
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?
Low season. May averages 32% of July's overnight stays per day. More overnight stays than April.
Overnight stays across Övre Norrland 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 above usual. Historical regional hotel revenue (2025 annual level, adjusted by the 2024–2025 national hotel index): €54 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
€54
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 49°F (10°C) and 60°F (15°C); in 10 of them they were within 3°F (1.5°C) of the typical 53°F (12°C). Rain days ranged from 1 to 16; half the years had 4–8.
Rain days in each May
Rain days
5
at least 1 mm, typical year; about 10 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
4 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 | 52°F | 9 |
| 2012 | 51°F | 7 |
| 2013 | 57°F | 5 |
| 2014 | 52°F | 8 |
| 2015 | 51°F | 16 |
| 2016 | 56°F | 5 |
| 2017 | 49°F | 4 |
| 2018 | 60°F | 4 |
| 2019 | 52°F | 11 |
| 2020 | 51°F | 5 |
| 2021 | 51°F | 8 |
| 2022 | 54°F | 5 |
| 2023 | 55°F | 4 |
| 2024 | 57°F | 1 |
| 2025 | 52°F | 8 |
Checked against 64 local weather stations. How we check
Compare dates
April, May
or June?
| Typical conditions | Apr | May | Jun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 42°F | 53°F | 63°F |
| Sea | 34°F | 39°F | 50°F |
| Rain days | 6 | 5 | 8 |
| Overnight demand | 29% | 32% | 51% |
April: Cooler afternoons and cooler sea than May. April guide →
June: Warmer afternoons, warmer sea and more rain days 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.
June 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 29% 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 | 53°F | 42°F |
| Nights | — | — |
| Sea | 39°F | 34°F |
| Rain days | 5 | 6 |
| Visitor season | Low season | Low season |
| Overall / 10 | 4.8 | 3.2 |
| Month rank | #4 | #6 |
Every month, in detail Show detailsHide details
| Month | Overall | Rank | High | Low | Sea | Rain days | Weather | Visitor season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3.0 | #7 | 22°F | — | 34°F | 10 | 1.0 | Low season |
| February | 3.0 | #8 | 25°F | — | 32°F | 8 | 1.0 | Moderate season |
| March | 3.0 | #9 | 33°F | — | 33°F | 5 | 1.0 | Moderate season |
| April | 3.2 | #6 | 42°F | — | 34°F | 6 | 1.2 | Low season |
| May | 4.8 | #4 | 53°F | — | 39°F | 5 | 2.8 | Low season |
| June | 5.8 | #2 | 63°F | — | 50°F | 8 | 4.9 | Moderate season |
| July | 5.4 | #3 | 69°F | — | 60°F | 10 | 6.4 | Peak season |
| August | 6.0 | #1 | 65°F | — | 60°F | 11 | 5.4 | Moderate season |
| September | 4.6 | #5 | 57°F | — | 55°F | 10 | 2.6 | Low season |
| October | 3.0 | #10 | 43°F | — | 47°F | 10 | 1.0 | Low season |
| November | 3.0 | #11 | 33°F | — | 41°F | 10 | 1.0 | Low season |
| December | 3.0 | #12 | 28°F | — | 37°F | 13 | 1.0 | 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.
Elsewhere in Europe
Better May weather than Swedish Lapland
Swedish Lapland's weather ranks 77 of 77 beach regions this month. These beach regions outside Sweden have clearly better weather on your dates, nearest first, each compared with Swedish Lapland.
Southern Finlandabout 410 miles
Fair weather (4.7): 7°F warmer afternoons, 2 more rain days, busier for its season (moderate season)
Estoniaabout 560 miles
Good weather (5.1): 8°F warmer afternoons, 3 more rain days, busier for its season (moderate season), cheaper
Latviaabout 670 miles
Good weather (5.5): 10°F warmer afternoons, 4 more rain days, busier for its season (moderate season), cheaper
North JutlandDenmark · about 700 miles
Fair weather (4.9): 8°F warmer afternoons, 3 more rain days, pricier
Aarhus & central JutlandDenmark · about 760 miles
Fair weather (4.9): 9°F warmer afternoons, 3 more rain days, busier for its season (moderate season), pricier
How we knowSources, regional scope & scoring method Show detailsHide details
It's low season, 32% of the busiest month and 21% below its average month. That means about 10,000 overnight visitors on a typical May night across the region, 83% of them from Sweden itself. Rentals booked through Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor add up to 580 more: 6 for every 100 counted above. Some are the same properties counted twice.
| Climate suitability (HCI:Beach, 0–100) | 49 |
| How our weather was checked | 64 open weather stations in this region, January and July: afternoon highs typically within 1°F (0.5°C), night lows off by more than 4°F (2°C), so not shown. |
| Tourist nights per 1,000 residents per day | 19 |
| Busiest month here | July · 60 |
| Visitors as share of people present | 1.9% |
| Rank among Europe's regions this month | 67th percentile |
| Domestic share of nights | 83% |
| Platform rental nights per 100 counted nights | 6 |
| Visitor share if every platform night were extra | 2.0% |
| Population used | 530,000 |
| Statistical region | SE33 · Övre Norrland |
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.