May is one of the warmer months of the year in Panama City, with average highs near 26.8°C and lows around 21.2°C (mean 24°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 77 mm of rainfall and 77% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Panama City. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Panama City was 2012 — when the month averaged 25.7°C — while the coldest was 1997 at 22.4°C. Typical May days reach 26.8°C with nights near 21.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
May is one of the drier months in Panama City, averaging 77 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1991 with 235 mm, while the driest was 2007 at 8 mm.
Relative humidity in Panama City during May averages 77%. The most humid May was 1991 at 88%, and the least humid was 2007 at 65%.
May receives about 6.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Panama City. The sunniest May was 2011 at 7.4 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1991 at 4.9.
Average wind speed in Panama City during May is 3.1 m/s. The windiest May was 2009 at 3.8 m/s, while the calmest were 1987 and 1996 at 2.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 23.5°C | 23.7°C | 24.2°C | 24.4°C | 24.5°C | +1°C |
| Avg High | 26.4°C | 26.4°C | 27.1°C | 27.1°C | 27.2°C | +0.8°C |
| Avg Low | 20.6°C | 21.0°C | 21.3°C | 21.6°C | 21.9°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 73 mm | 90 mm | 56 mm | 77 mm | 98 mm | +25 mm |
May temperatures in Panama City have risen by about 1.2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 12.3°C (1992) to a record high of 33.5°C (2012).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 77 mm, with a wettest year of 235 mm.
One of the best times to visit Panama City
May is one of the best times to visit Panama City. Expect days averaging 26.8°C and nights around 21.2°C (mean 24°C) — warmer than Panama City's yearly average — with moderate rainfall (77 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 | 27.5°C | 25.2°C | 23.0°C | 30.8°C | 18.0°C | 141 mm | 79% | 3.1 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2024 | 28.1°C | 25.5°C | 23.0°C | 31.4°C | 20.2°C | 118 mm | 82% | 2.9 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2023 | 27.3°C | 24.3°C | 21.4°C | 30.8°C | 16.6°C | 91 mm | 76% | 2.7 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2022 | 27.4°C | 24.9°C | 22.5°C | 29.5°C | 17.9°C | 116 mm | 80% | 3 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2021 | 26.3°C | 23.5°C | 20.7°C | 29.0°C | 15.2°C | 63 mm | 76% | 3.3 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2020 | 26.3°C | 23.6°C | 20.9°C | 30.8°C | 14.4°C | 61 mm | 75% | 3.4 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2019 | 28.4°C | 25.6°C | 22.8°C | 33.1°C | 17.9°C | 57 mm | 76% | 2.7 m/s | 7 |
| 2018 | 27.6°C | 25.0°C | 22.4°C | 30.7°C | 18.6°C | 122 mm | 77% | 3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2017 | 26.8°C | 24.0°C | 21.2°C | 29.5°C | 14.5°C | 152 mm | 75% | 3.6 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2016 | 26.1°C | 23.6°C | 21.0°C | 29.5°C | 14.0°C | 68 mm | 80% | 3 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2015 | 27.6°C | 24.8°C | 22.0°C | 30.0°C | 15.1°C | 63 mm | 78% | 2.8 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2014 | 25.5°C | 23.2°C | 20.9°C | 29.8°C | 15.4°C | 100 mm | 83% | 2.8 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2013 | 25.5°C | 22.7°C | 19.9°C | 29.8°C | 13.3°C | 29 mm | 76% | 3.4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2012 🔥 | 28.7°C | 25.7°C | 22.6°C | 33.5°C | 18.4°C | 66 mm | 72% | 2.9 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2011 | 27.8°C | 24.2°C | 20.6°C | 32.7°C | 14.3°C | 23 mm | 70% | 3.3 m/s | 7.4 |
| 2010 | 27.2°C | 24.7°C | 22.2°C | 30.6°C | 16.8°C | 88 mm | 83% | 2.9 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2009 | 25.7°C | 23.6°C | 21.6°C | 29.1°C | 15.2°C | 103 mm | 85% | 3.8 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2008 | 26.6°C | 23.9°C | 21.1°C | 30.3°C | 16.8°C | 49 mm | 78% | 3.7 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2007 | 27.9°C | 24.3°C | 20.6°C | 30.5°C | 15.4°C | 8 mm | 65% | 3.2 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2006 | 27.0°C | 24.1°C | 21.2°C | 31.9°C | 16.8°C | 98 mm | 75% | 3.2 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2005 | 25.3°C | 22.7°C | 20.0°C | 28.6°C | 13.5°C | 83 mm | 80% | 3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2004 | 27.1°C | 24.3°C | 21.4°C | 30.0°C | 13.2°C | 32 mm | 77% | 3.1 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2003 | 26.7°C | 24.5°C | 22.3°C | 27.8°C | 17.6°C | 99 mm | 84% | 3.2 m/s | 6 |
| 2002 | 28.4°C | 24.9°C | 21.5°C | 30.9°C | 15.4°C | 52 mm | 71% | 3.5 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2001 | 27.7°C | 24.3°C | 20.9°C | 30.0°C | 16.3°C | 25 mm | 70% | 3.2 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2000 | 28.2°C | 25.2°C | 22.3°C | 31.0°C | 18.5°C | 12 mm | 73% | 3.3 m/s | 6.7 |
| 1999 | 26.7°C | 23.7°C | 20.6°C | 28.9°C | 12.5°C | 126 mm | 75% | 3.1 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1998 | 27.4°C | 24.7°C | 22.0°C | 30.2°C | 16.8°C | 36 mm | 81% | 2.9 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1997 ❄️ | 24.7°C | 22.4°C | 20.1°C | 27.5°C | 13.1°C | 114 mm | 82% | 2.8 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1996 | 27.4°C | 24.5°C | 21.6°C | 32.6°C | 12.7°C | 49 mm | 77% | 2.4 m/s | 6.7 |
| 1995 | 26.9°C | 24.4°C | 21.9°C | 29.6°C | 14.7°C | 102 mm | 81% | 3 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1994 | 26.3°C | 23.7°C | 21.0°C | 28.4°C | 16.1°C | 76 mm | 76% | 2.9 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1993 | 25.3°C | 22.5°C | 19.7°C | 28.3°C | 15.2°C | 31 mm | 78% | 3.1 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1992 | 25.8°C | 22.6°C | 19.5°C | 28.6°C | 12.3°C | 50 mm | 74% | 3.1 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1991 🌧️ | 26.5°C | 24.8°C | 23.2°C | 28.5°C | 20.4°C | 235 mm | 88% | 3.1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1990 | 26.7°C | 23.8°C | 20.9°C | 29.3°C | 14.6°C | 81 mm | 77% | 3.1 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1989 | 26.5°C | 23.6°C | 20.6°C | 31.2°C | 14.6°C | 127 mm | 75% | 3.3 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1988 | 26.2°C | 22.8°C | 19.4°C | 29.7°C | 14.4°C | 23 mm | 71% | 3.1 m/s | 6.7 |
| 1987 | 26.2°C | 23.9°C | 21.7°C | 28.8°C | 18.9°C | 146 mm | 81% | 2.4 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1986 | 26.7°C | 23.6°C | 20.6°C | 31.0°C | 15.8°C | 61 mm | 74% | 2.8 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1985 | 27.5°C | 24.5°C | 21.6°C | 30.2°C | 17.7°C | 72 mm | 73% | 3.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1984 | 25.9°C | 23.1°C | 20.4°C | 28.5°C | 14.4°C | 45 mm | 77% | 3 m/s | 6 |
| 1983 | 25.0°C | 22.5°C | 20.1°C | 27.6°C | 14.4°C | 44 mm | 82% | 3.2 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 26.8°C | 23.9°C | 21.0°C | 30.3°C | 16.4°C | 63 mm | 75% | 2.5 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 27.0°C | 23.4°C | 19.8°C | 30.1°C | 15.2°C | 75 mm | 68% | 3.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 26.8°C with lows near 21.2°C (mean 24°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 77 mm of rainfall in Panama City, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 235 mm in 1991.
The hottest May reached 33.5°C in 2012. The coldest dipped to 12.3°C in 1992.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.2°C. Daytime highs moved from 26.4°C to 27.3°C and overnight lows from 20.6°C to 22.1°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Panama City and one of the drier months, so plan for around 26.8°C daytime highs and 21.2°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Panama City, averaging 24°C.
For May in Panama City, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 26.8°C and lows of 21.2°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 77% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 3.1 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 3.8 m/s (2009).
The wettest May on record was 1991 with 235 mm. On average, May sees 77 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 Panama City 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.
