Canton of Geneva · Switzerland
Geneva in May
In May, Geneva averages a daytime high of 18 °C and a night-time low of 8 °C, with about 91 mm of rain over the month. Geneva has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here.
- Average high
- 18 °C
- Average low
- 8 °C
- Rain in the month
- 91 mm
- Daylight on 15 May
- 15 h
- Comfortable month
- No
- Places to stay
- 116
When to go
How May compares with the rest of the year in Geneva
May is the 5th warmest month in Geneva by average daytime high; across the year the highs run from 4 °C to 25 °C and the lows from -2 °C to 13 °C. By day, May is 4 °C warmer than April, and June is 4 °C warmer than May.
May brings 91 mm of rain, more than the monthly average of 85 mm (1017 mm a year); it is tied for the 5th wettest month.
On 15 May the sun is up for about 15 h, against 8 h 40 min at the shortest and 15 h 50 min at the longest point of the year (calculated from the latitude, sunrise to sunset).
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4 °C | -2 °C | 74 mm | |
| February | 5 °C | -2 °C | 65 mm | |
| March | 10 °C | 1 °C | 62 mm | |
| April | 14 °C | 4 °C | 72 mm | |
| May | 18 °C | 8 °C | 91 mm | |
| June | 22 °C | 11 °C | 91 mm | |
| July | 25 °C | 13 °C | 89 mm | |
| August | 24 °C | 13 °C | 98 mm | |
| September | 19 °C | 9 °C | 92 mm | |
| October | 14 °C | 6 °C | 93 mm | |
| November | 8 °C | 2 °C | 100 mm | |
| December | 4 °C | -1 °C | 90 mm |
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
When to go
Is May a good time to visit Geneva?
Not by the measure used here: the average high of 18 °C is below 18 °C and about 91 mm of rain is 80 mm or more. No month in Geneva meets it.
The measure is about weather for a city stay only; it says nothing about events, school holidays or prices.
Public holidays in Switzerland in May
Nationwide public holidays; shops and offices may close on these dates.
When to go
Destinations near Geneva that are comfortable in May
Within 300 km, nearest first, by the same measure.
Where to stay
Where to stay in Geneva
This guide lists 116 places to stay in Geneva: 2 chain properties with their details and own websites, and 114 hotels recorded in Wikidata. By straight-line distance from the centre: under 1 km, 31; 1–3 km, 49; 3–10 km, 23; 10 km or more, 13.
Sources: climate from CRU TS v4.10 (Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia; Open Database License), 1991–2020 averages; day length calculated from the latitude; public holidays from the OpenHolidays API (ODbL); places to stay from each operator's own public pages and Wikidata. How this guide is made.