Weather in the Azores in May
Averages, what the month actually feels like, and what is on while you are here.
May averages
| Measurement | Ponta Delgada, south coast | Ribeira Grande, north coast | Mount Pico summitModel grid cell at 1,758 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average high | 18 °C | 19 °C | 11 °C |
| Average low | 15 °C | 15 °C | 4 °C |
| Daylight | 14.3 h | 14.3 h | 13.9 h |
| Sea temperature | 18 °C | – | – |
Temperature and daylight, averaged over the ten years from 2016 to 2025 and recomputed from the Open-Meteo archive rather than typed in by hand. The model works in cells roughly ten kilometres across, so each column describes an area rather than one thermometer. Checked against IPMA's Ponta Delgada normal, the temperatures land within about a degree and a half. Sea temperature averages the years 2022 to 2025. The marine record is shorter than the air record, so it rests on fewer years.
What May feels like
May is the driest of the spring months and reliably pleasant. Mornings on the south coast can start under a low sheet of cloud that burns off around lunchtime.
What to pack
Summer clothes, a light jacket for the evening, and proper shoes if the mountains are on the list.
What to do in May
Everything is open and nothing is full. The trilhos, the coastal paths and the crater rims are all in good condition, and the Espírito Santo feasts begin in the villages.
Worth knowing before you book
The morning cloud sheet can sit on the higher ground for hours. Drive round to the other side of the island and it is often gone.
Quick answers
- How warm is it in the Azores in May?
- In Ponta Delgada an average May day reaches 18 °C and falls to 15 °C overnight. The summit of Mount Pico averages 11 °C in the same month, so the mountain needs its own layer.
- Can you swim in the sea in May?
- The sea averages 18 °C in May. The Azores sit in open ocean with no shallow shelf to warm the water, so it stays close to that figure all month.
- How long are the days in May?
- About 14.3 hours between sunrise and sunset, which sets how much of a long trilho you can fit in before dark.