Weather in May in Costa Rica
Are you planning a trip a to Costa Rica in May and wondering what kind of weather to expect? This page has all the details you need.
What is the weather like in Costa Rica in May?
In May, Costa Rica experiences a range of weather conditions, with temperatures that range from warm to very warm and heavy precipitation.
Temperatures
The average highest temperatures fluctuate between warm in Orosí at 23°C to very warm in Santa Cruz at 34°C. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 25°C in Santa Cruz and 15°C in Orosí.
Precipitation
In May, precipitation varies across different areas. From heavy rainfall in Playa el Jobo with an average of 177 mm to heavy rainfall in Matapalo with 787 mm.Average sunshine
The city Jacó usually sees around 203 hours of sunlight, indicating many sunny days.For a closer look at May's conditions in Costa Rica, see the map below. For a more detailed look at Costa Rica's yearly weather, check out our Costa Rica climate page.
Where to go in Costa Rica in May
Popular destinations
What is the weather like in May for the 5 most popular destinations in Costa Rica?
Jacó
In May Jacó generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 29°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
San José
In May San José generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 25°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 17°C and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
Tamarindo
In May Tamarindo generally has very high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 32°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 26°C and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
Puerto Viejo
In May Puerto Viejo generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 29°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 25°C and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
Fortuna
In May Fortuna generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 29°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 21°C and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in Costa Rica.
Is May the best time to visit Costa Rica?
In our opinion, May may not be the ideal time to visit Costa Rica due to the typically poor weather in Jacó.
Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in January and February offering mostly perfect weather in Jacó. On the other hand, the months of May, June, July, August, September, October and November tend to have poor weather conditions.
Interested in more climate information?
We have much more information about the climate in Costa Rica.
Interested in the weather conditions in a specific month? Select the month below.
Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to Costa Rica? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in Costa Rica.
Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.