Cancun Weather in May

Cancun’s Hotel Zone between the beach and Nichupté Lagoon

Cancun weather in May is my favorite time of year. Before we moved to live in Cancun year round we always made a special point of visiting Cancun in May.

The colder winter months are way behind us with the extreme heat of mid summer still to come, it’s before the official Atlantic hurricane season and it’s a relatively dry month.

May provides that ‘in between time’ that is just perfect!

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Average Stats for May Weather in Cancun

May weather measureImperial / primary figureMetric equivalent
Average high93.6°F34.2°C
Average low75.6°F24.2°C
Average temperature84.6°F29.2°C
Monthly rainfall3.43 in87.0 mm
Days with rainabout 8—
Days with a high above 80°Fabout 31—
Days with a high above 90°Fabout 25—
Average relative humidity*74%—
Average wind speed at 10 metres*7.5 mph12.0 km/h

Figures use the 1991–2020 SMN normal for Cancún station 23155; days above 80°F and 90°F are derived from its daily May highs.

* Humidity and 10-metre wind are NASA POWER / MERRA-2 modelled estimates for the same place and period.

Compare Cancun Weather by Month

Compare temperatures, rainfall and typical conditions across the whole year.

Temperature in Cancun During May

During a typical May in Cancun average daily high temperatures are 93.6F with about 25 of the 31 days exceeding 90 degrees and every single day, of course, exceeding eighty degrees.

Minimum daily temperatures run at around 75.6F which is obviously still very pleasant, albeit a little too hot for the evening and nighttime. Certainly, your hotel air-conditioning will prove a necessity at this time of year.

Rainfall in Cancun during May totals 3.43 inches and falls on about 8 rainy days through the month. That makes May the 5th driest month of the year, so kind of in the middle.

The good thing though is that rain showers can be sporadic but heavy, often clearing quickly before the sun evaporates the rain water.

Rain and Humidity in Cancun During May

May can be humid. Although the humidity in Cancun varies little throughout the year when high humidity combines with high temperatures (as it invariably does in May) the heat index means that it will feel hotter than the 93.6-degree average high.

Your hotel pool will be considerably warmer than the ocean at this time of year, and a quick dip in the ocean is a nice way to cool down.

May in Cancun

May is slightly slower than April but busier than June. Kids aren’t off school yet and with the temperatures picking up back at home it seems fewer people are inclined to travel to Cancun during this month.

This is a real shame in my opinion because, as mentioned, May really is a great time to visit. Not only because of the weather but Cancun hotel prices are at some of their lowest rates of the year when warm weather is common.

May also marks the start of the season when whale sharks visit the Cancun area during their migration. A Whale Shark Tour is a memorable once in a lifetime experience, and late May is the ideal time to do it.

May also provides the perfect opportunity to visit the local attractions while things are relatively quiet. If you’re full of adventure then maybe a trip to Xplor Cancun would be a worthwhile day out. For those more inclined to take things easy consider a catamaran trip to Isla Mujeres for fun, sun and booze all day long!

Cancun Weather from Month to Month