May is one of the warmer months of the year in Athens, with average highs near 25°C and lows around 14.3°C (mean 19.7°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 121 mm of rainfall and 79% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Athens. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Athens was 2018 — when the month averaged 22.4°C — while the coldest was 1997 at 17.3°C. Typical May days reach 25°C with nights near 14.3°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Athens, averaging 121 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2003 with 277 mm, while the driest was 2007 at 30 mm.
Relative humidity in Athens during May averages 79%. The most humid May was 1991 at 86%, and the least humid was 2007 at 60%.
May receives about 5.9 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Athens. The sunniest Mays were 1988, 2005 and 2007 at 6.6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1991 at 4.6.
Average wind speed in Athens during May is 1.2 m/s. The windiest May was 1983 at 1.5 m/s, while the calmest was 1987 at 0.9 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 19.1°C | 19.3°C | 19.8°C | 20.4°C | 19.8°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg High | 24.7°C | 24.6°C | 25.2°C | 25.5°C | 24.9°C | +0.2°C |
| Avg Low | 13.5°C | 14.0°C | 14.4°C | 15.2°C | 14.7°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 130 mm | 117 mm | 122 mm | 107 mm | 135 mm | +5 mm |
May temperatures in Athens have risen by about 1.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 2.8°C (2020) to a record high of 34°C (2012).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 121 mm, with a wettest year of 277 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.2°C per decade while lows rose 0.4°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
One of the best times to visit Athens
May is one of the best times to visit Athens. Expect days averaging 25°C and nights around 14.3°C (mean 19.7°C) — warmer than Athens's yearly average — with higher rainfall (121 mm), so conditions are generally comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor plans.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24.2°C | 20.0°C | 15.7°C | 28.0°C | 8.6°C | 209 mm | 85% | 1.2 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2024 | 26.6°C | 21.6°C | 16.6°C | 32.1°C | 10.8°C | 156 mm | 82% | 1.1 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2023 | 25.1°C | 19.9°C | 14.7°C | 30.1°C | 5.2°C | 99 mm | 80% | 1.1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2022 | 26.2°C | 20.7°C | 15.3°C | 29.9°C | 8.5°C | 119 mm | 81% | 1.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2021 | 23.9°C | 18.4°C | 12.9°C | 31.0°C | 6.6°C | 107 mm | 78% | 1.3 m/s | 6 |
| 2020 | 23.2°C | 18.0°C | 12.9°C | 27.7°C | 2.8°C | 122 mm | 83% | 1.2 m/s | 6 |
| 2019 | 26.6°C | 21.6°C | 16.5°C | 30.8°C | 7.4°C | 101 mm | 81% | 1.1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2018 🔥 | 27.3°C | 22.4°C | 17.5°C | 30.9°C | 9.5°C | 107 mm | 82% | 1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2017 | 25.1°C | 19.8°C | 14.4°C | 29.7°C | 4.9°C | 146 mm | 77% | 1.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2016 | 24.5°C | 19.1°C | 13.6°C | 30.3°C | 5.3°C | 43 mm | 77% | 1.2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2015 | 25.3°C | 20.3°C | 15.2°C | 28.0°C | 6.5°C | 123 mm | 80% | 1.1 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2014 | 25.2°C | 20.0°C | 14.7°C | 29.8°C | 6.6°C | 74 mm | 79% | 1.1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2013 | 23.4°C | 18.5°C | 13.6°C | 28.0°C | 3.2°C | 131 mm | 82% | 1.2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2012 | 27.5°C | 22.0°C | 16.5°C | 34.0°C | 9.8°C | 81 mm | 74% | 1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2011 | 24.6°C | 19.2°C | 13.8°C | 32.9°C | 3.9°C | 78 mm | 81% | 1.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2010 | 25.9°C | 21.1°C | 16.3°C | 30.9°C | 6.9°C | 180 mm | 82% | 1.2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2009 | 23.7°C | 19.3°C | 14.9°C | 28.5°C | 4.8°C | 215 mm | 86% | 1.3 m/s | 5 |
| 2008 | 24.7°C | 19.2°C | 13.7°C | 29.6°C | 6.9°C | 130 mm | 78% | 1.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2007 | 28.6°C | 21.8°C | 15.0°C | 32.4°C | 7.2°C | 30 mm | 60% | 1.1 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2006 | 24.7°C | 19.2°C | 13.7°C | 32.5°C | 6.4°C | 105 mm | 81% | 1.1 m/s | 6 |
| 2005 | 24.1°C | 18.1°C | 12.2°C | 29.8°C | 4.5°C | 40 mm | 75% | 1.1 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2004 | 26.4°C | 21.6°C | 16.8°C | 30.1°C | 6.2°C | 100 mm | 79% | 1.3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2003 🌧️ | 24.5°C | 20.0°C | 15.5°C | 28.2°C | 9.3°C | 277 mm | 85% | 1.4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2002 | 23.9°C | 18.3°C | 12.8°C | 28.8°C | 4.2°C | 143 mm | 79% | 1.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2001 | 25.0°C | 19.4°C | 13.8°C | 28.7°C | 8.5°C | 125 mm | 77% | 1.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2000 | 26.3°C | 20.7°C | 15.1°C | 30.5°C | 7.8°C | 55 mm | 77% | 1.3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1999 | 24.9°C | 19.1°C | 13.3°C | 28.5°C | 8.3°C | 116 mm | 78% | 1.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1998 | 26.6°C | 21.2°C | 15.9°C | 30.3°C | 8.2°C | 81 mm | 80% | 1.1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1997 ❄️ | 22.9°C | 17.3°C | 11.8°C | 27.9°C | 6.6°C | 185 mm | 78% | 1.4 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1996 | 25.9°C | 20.9°C | 15.8°C | 32.1°C | 6.1°C | 66 mm | 82% | 1.2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1995 | 24.9°C | 19.7°C | 14.6°C | 28.7°C | 6.4°C | 92 mm | 80% | 1.2 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1994 | 23.3°C | 17.6°C | 11.8°C | 28.4°C | 5.2°C | 96 mm | 78% | 1.3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1993 | 24.1°C | 19.1°C | 14.2°C | 28.1°C | 7.5°C | 140 mm | 81% | 1.1 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1992 | 23.8°C | 18.3°C | 12.8°C | 28.5°C | 4.3°C | 46 mm | 77% | 1.2 m/s | 6 |
| 1991 | 25.5°C | 21.4°C | 17.4°C | 29.6°C | 8.3°C | 219 mm | 86% | 1.1 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1990 | 23.6°C | 18.2°C | 12.8°C | 27.5°C | 6.1°C | 126 mm | 82% | 1.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1989 | 23.0°C | 17.6°C | 12.1°C | 29.5°C | 3.4°C | 125 mm | 80% | 1.3 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1988 | 25.3°C | 18.8°C | 12.2°C | 33.1°C | 6.7°C | 54 mm | 67% | 1.2 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1987 | 26.5°C | 21.6°C | 16.6°C | 30.5°C | 9.7°C | 67 mm | 81% | 0.9 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1986 | 26.7°C | 20.8°C | 14.9°C | 31.4°C | 4.0°C | 152 mm | 70% | 1.2 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1985 | 24.5°C | 19.2°C | 13.9°C | 29.8°C | 8.0°C | 99 mm | 79% | 1.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1984 | 23.5°C | 17.8°C | 12.0°C | 27.6°C | 5.1°C | 218 mm | 81% | 1.4 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1983 | 22.9°C | 17.7°C | 12.5°C | 26.1°C | 5.8°C | 277 mm | 82% | 1.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 25.8°C | 20.6°C | 15.4°C | 29.1°C | 8.6°C | 90 mm | 79% | 1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 23.9°C | 17.7°C | 11.5°C | 30.3°C | 5.2°C | 89 mm | 74% | 1.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 25°C with lows near 14.3°C (mean 19.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 121 mm of rainfall in Athens, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 277 mm in 2003.
The hottest May reached 34°C in 2012. The coldest dipped to 2.8°C in 2020.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.5°C. Daytime highs moved from 24.1°C to 25.2°C and overnight lows from 13.1°C to 15°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Athens and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 25°C daytime highs and 14.3°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Athens, averaging 19.7°C.
For May in Athens, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 25°C and lows of 14.3°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 79% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 1.2 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 1.5 m/s (1983).
The wettest May on record was 2003 with 277 mm. On average, May sees 121 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Athens behaves each May, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for May specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
