Edinburgh weather in May (Lothian, United Kingdom)

Planning a trip to Edinburgh in May? Wondering if it's the right time to visit? Browse this page for a comprehensive overview of the weather conditions for that month.

In May, Edinburgh generally has moderate temperatures and moderate rainfall. Daytime temperatures hover around 15°C, while nights can cool down to about 7°C.

Edinburgh in May usually receives moderate rainfall, averaging around 66 mm for the month. Typically around 16 days of rainfall is expected.

The city usually sees around 193 hours of sunlight, indicating many sunny days.

Should you favor a climate that's both dry and comfortably warm July and August typically offer the most agreeable circumstances. On the other hand, January, February, March, November and December tend to be characterized by conditions that may not be as optimal.

For an in-depth look at the yearly conditions, visit our specialized Edinburgh climate page with graphs.

 

Edinburgh, monthly averages in May

Min Temperature 7°C  

Max Temperature 15°C  

Water Temperature 8°C *  

Chance of Rain 52%  

Precipitation 66 mm  

Rainy days 16 days  

Humidity 76% *  

Windspeed 14 km/h *  

Sunshine 193 hours *  

Percentage Sunshine 36% *  

* Data from: Edinburgh, Scotland (9 KM, 5 Miles).

Where to go in the United Kingdom in May

Find out more about the weather in the United Kingdom in May and which places have the best weather conditions in this month.

Weather conditions Weather

Temperatures

Precipitation

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Legend perfect weather pleasant tolerable unpleasant poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C and 29°C and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm a month).

So, what should you wear in Edinburgh in May?

Plan on layering your clothes. Some days or part of the day it will be nice and warm and some moments it can be a bit chilly. Bring a rain jacket in case it rains during your stay. With a water temperature of around 8°C there is no need to bring your swimwear.

What To Do

We rated the following activities from 1 (least suitable) to 10 (best) to do in May.

Swimming

5/10

Cycling

6/10

Walking

6/10

Camping

4/10

Outdoor sports

10/10

Interested in more climate information?

Weather and Climate provides you with all the information you need about the climate in Edinburgh.

Our site offers climate and forecast data for every country in the world. Are you going to the United Kingdom? On this website you can find historical weather averages for many cities in the United Kingdom. Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal climate conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.