When to go · Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro in May
Great month. Dry and mild; clearer views.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Great
- Temperature
- 26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C) / 20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 8
- Crowds
- Low
- Brazil overall
- Prices
- Low
- Brazil overall
Verdict
Dry and mild; clearer views.
All twelve months in one grid — weather, crowds and prices, with gaps left as unknown.
Is another month better than May?
No other month rates higher than May for Rio de Janeiro in this guide.
Weather in May
- Rio de JaneiroHighs around 26 °C (79 °F), lows around 20 °C (68 °F), rain on about 8 daysHighs around 79 °F (26 °C), lows around 68 °F (20 °C), rain on about 8 days
- Rio and the Southeast coast, Brazil · Rio de Janeiro, Paraty, Ilha Grande, São Paulobest weather
Hot, humid summers with heavy downpours and floods (December–March); dry, sunny, 20–26 °C (68–79 °F) winters are the sightseeing season. São Paulo is cooler and rainier.Hot, humid summers with heavy downpours and floods (December–March); dry, sunny, 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) winters are the sightseeing season. São Paulo is cooler and rainier.
Dry and mild season
Clear mornings and cool evenings; the best months for viewpoints.
Watch: Cool sea, some windy days and school-holiday crowds in July.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Labour Day
1 May · Nationwide
Public holiday; banks and offices closed.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Brazil overall
- Low
- Prices · Brazil overall
- Low
Brazil overall: Good value: pleasant Rio, Iguaçu and São Paulo; Amazon high water.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Rio de Janeiro, side by side.
Verdict
May: Great
Apr: Great
Daytime high
May: 26 °C (79 °F)79 °F (26 °C)
Apr: 28 °C (82 °F)82 °F (28 °C)
Night low
May: 20 °C (68 °F)68 °F (20 °C)
Apr: 22 °C (72 °F)72 °F (22 °C)
Rain days
May: 8 (better)
Apr: 10
Crowds
May: Low
Apr: Medium
Prices
May: Low
Apr: Medium
Festivals listed
May: 1
Apr: 2
May: Dry and mild; clearer views.
April: Heat eases; fewer crowds.
Rio de Janeiro: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
Nothing unusual for the weather this month.