6.5 /10
Good

May is a good month in Basel

Climate Overview

Basel, Switzerland in May has mild conditions, with highs averaging 18.8°C (66°F) and noticeably cooler mornings. Rain falls on about 17 days this month, totalling around 129 mm.

This month falls at the end of Spring.

Daily highs in May gradually rise from around 17°C (62°F) at the start to 21°C (70°F) by month's end.

May sees fairly even rainfall, totalling about 129 mm across the month.

Expect around 9.1h of sunshine at the start of May, increasing to 11.7h by the end.

The warmest days tend to fall around the 29th, averaging 21.5°C (71°F).

Compared to April, this month is about 3°C warmer with 4 more rainy days. Temperatures will rise further into June.

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Monthly May Averages

Temperature
19°C / 9°C
Feels Like
18°C / 7°C
Rain
17 days · 129 mm
Sunshine
10.1h / day
Humidity
75% — Humid
Wind
12 km/h
Wind Direction
WNW (290°)
Gusts
31 km/h
Daylight
15.1 h
Cloud Cover
66%
Clear Sky Days
2.8
UV Index
5.5 — High
Dew Point
10°C — Dry
Moon Phase
Waxing Gibbous · 66%
Snow Days
1 days · 0.5 cm

Climate Charts

Daily averages based on historical data (2016–2025)

Daily Temperature

28°C 24°C 20°C 16°C 12°C 8°C 4°C 0°C 151015202531
HighLow

Daily Precipitation

0 mm 2 mm 4 mm 6 mm 8 mm 151015202531
Rainfall

Daily Sunshine

0h 3h 6h 9h 12h 151015202531
Sunshine

Daily Wind Speed

0 4 8 12 16 20 151015202531
Wind Speed
Sun Position
Sunrise 05:54
Daylight 15.1h
Sunset 21:01

What to Expect

Keep afternoons flexible as tropical showers are common — they typically clear within an hour.

Wet weather can spread across much of the day, so it is best to keep outdoor plans flexible.

1 of the last 5 yearly records were warmer than this month's long-run average.

Compare Months

January
Poor
Temp
6°C / -1°C
Feels Like
3°C / -5°C
Rain
15days (109 mm) Wet
Sun
4.7h Fair
Humidity
83% Humid
UV
1.5 Low
Snow Days
11days
February
Poor
Temp
9°C / 0°C
Feels Like
6°C / -4°C
Rain
12days (73 mm) Wet
Sun
6.1h Fair
Humidity
79% Humid
UV
2.2 Moderate
Snow Days
7days
March
Poor
Temp
12°C / 2°C
Feels Like
9°C / -1°C
Rain
13days (76 mm) Wet
Sun
8.1h Good
Humidity
75% Muggy
UV
3.6 Moderate
Snow Days
5days
April
Fair
Temp
16°C / 5°C
Feels Like
14°C / 2°C
Rain
13days (89 mm) Wet
Sun
9.9h Good
Humidity
73% Muggy
UV
4.7 Moderate
Snow Days
3days
May
Good
Temp
19°C / 9°C
Feels Like
18°C / 7°C
Rain
17days (129 mm) Wet
Sun
10.1h Excellent
Humidity
75% Muggy
UV
5.5 High
Snow Days
1days
June best
Excellent
Temp
24°C / 14°C
Feels Like
25°C / 14°C
Rain
16days (130 mm) Wet
Sun
11.7h Excellent
Humidity
72% Muggy
UV
6.5 High
July best
Excellent
Temp
26°C / 16°C
Feels Like
27°C / 16°C
Rain
14days (109 mm) Wet
Sun
12.1h Excellent
Humidity
66% Muggy
UV
6.4 High
August best
Excellent
Temp
26°C / 16°C
Feels Like
27°C / 16°C
Rain
13days (109 mm) Wet
Sun
10.7h Excellent
Humidity
69% Muggy
UV
5.7 High
September best
Excellent
Temp
22°C / 12°C
Feels Like
21°C / 11°C
Rain
12days (87 mm) Wet
Sun
9h Good
Humidity
74% Muggy
UV
4.3 Moderate
October best
Good
Temp
17°C / 7°C
Feels Like
16°C / 6°C
Rain
13days (89 mm) Wet
Sun
6.6h Fair
Humidity
82% Humid
UV
2.7 Moderate
November
Poor
Temp
10°C / 2°C
Feels Like
8°C / -1°C
Rain
14days (98 mm) Wet
Sun
5.1h Fair
Humidity
85% Humid
UV
1.6 Low
Snow Days
4days
December
Poor
Temp
7°C / 0°C
Feels Like
4°C / -4°C
Rain
14days (95 mm) Wet
Sun
4.2h Fair
Humidity
86% Very Muggy
UV
1.2 Low
Snow Days
7days
Month Temp Feels Like Rain Sun Humidity UV Status Details
January 6°C / -1°C 3°C / -5°C 15days (109 mm) Wet 4.7h Fair 83% Humid 1.5 Low Poor View Details
February 9°C / 0°C 6°C / -4°C 12days (73 mm) Wet 6.1h Fair 79% Humid 2.2 Moderate Poor View Details
March 12°C / 2°C 9°C / -1°C 13days (76 mm) Wet 8.1h Good 75% Muggy 3.6 Moderate Poor View Details
April 16°C / 5°C 14°C / 2°C 13days (89 mm) Wet 9.9h Good 73% Muggy 4.7 Moderate Fair View Details
May 19°C / 9°C 18°C / 7°C 17days (129 mm) Wet 10.1h Excellent 75% Muggy 5.5 High Good View Details
June best 24°C / 14°C 25°C / 14°C 16days (130 mm) Wet 11.7h Excellent 72% Muggy 6.5 High Excellent View Details
July best 26°C / 16°C 27°C / 16°C 14days (109 mm) Wet 12.1h Excellent 66% Muggy 6.4 High Excellent View Details
August best 26°C / 16°C 27°C / 16°C 13days (109 mm) Wet 10.7h Excellent 69% Muggy 5.7 High Excellent View Details
September best 22°C / 12°C 21°C / 11°C 12days (87 mm) Wet 9h Good 74% Muggy 4.3 Moderate Excellent View Details
October best 17°C / 7°C 16°C / 6°C 13days (89 mm) Wet 6.6h Fair 82% Humid 2.7 Moderate Good View Details
November 10°C / 2°C 8°C / -1°C 14days (98 mm) Wet 5.1h Fair 85% Humid 1.6 Low Poor View Details
December 7°C / 0°C 4°C / -4°C 14days (95 mm) Wet 4.2h Fair 86% Very Muggy 1.2 Low Poor View Details

What to Wear

Dress in layers — a mix of long sleeves, light sweaters, and a versatile jacket works best for changeable conditions.

A waterproof jacket or compact umbrella is recommended for occasional showers.

Packing List

Warm evening layerUmbrellaWaterproof jacketWaterproof shoes

Frequently Asked Questions

May is typically good for visiting Basel, with average highs of 19°C (66°F) and around 17 rainy days. Basel, Switzerland in May has mild conditions, with highs averaging 18.8°C (66°F) and noticeably cooler mornings. Rain f
Basel typically sees around 17 rainy days in May with 129 mm (5.1 in) of total rainfall. Pack a waterproof jacket.
Nights in Basel during May are cool at around 9°C (48°F). Bring a jacket or sweater for evenings.
With highs of 19°C (66°F) and lows of 9°C (48°F) in May, we recommend: Warm evening layer, Umbrella, Waterproof jacket, Waterproof shoes. Comfortable walking shoes are essential.
May is not the most favourable month weather-wise in Basel. Consider visiting during months with milder temperatures or less rainfall for a better experience.
The average UV index in Basel during May is 6 (high). Wear sunscreen SPF 30+, a hat, and sunglasses. Limit direct sun exposure between 10 AM and 4 PM.
Basel gets approximately 15 hours of daylight per day in May, with around 10 hours of sunshine.
Yes, Basel typically sees around 1 snow days in May with roughly 1 cm (0 in) of snowfall.

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