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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Barcelona in May

Barcelona in May: 28% of days see measurable rain, 71°F average high, 25% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Barcelona in May is historically a poor month for sun: only 25% of days clear across 8 years (n=248, avg high 71°F). July is the clearest month for Barcelona historically. Historical average, not a forecast.

What you are reading: 8-year historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis, not a forecast. A month that is historically 90% clear can still be overcast on your specific trip. For this week’s actual forecast, see the live Barcelona page. Both can be true at once: “historically strong in this month; this particular week is not.” We label which is which.

Early vs. Late May

Clear-sky percentage for Barcelona in May, split by half-month. “n” is the number of days sampled across 8 years (2018–2025).
Period % Clear days Sample (n) Avg high
Early May
1st–15th		 14% n=120 71°F
Late May
16th–end		 36% n=128 71°F
Full month average 25% n=248 71°F

Sunshine & warmth in May

A second measure using actual sunshine hours (ERA5 sunshine_duration), not the daily weather code. A Lowcountry day with 12 hours of sun and a 25-minute afternoon storm is counted below as a warm, sunny day — because it was. How we define this.

Sunshine-based metrics for Barcelona in May. Primary: % of days ≥ 72°F with > 6 h of sunshine.
Period Warm & sunny (≥72°F, >6 h sun) Sample (n)
Early May
1st–15th		 21% n=120
Late May
16th–end		 51% n=128
Full month average 36% n=248
13.2 h median sunshine per day 94% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 28% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 25%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 36%. The 11-point gap is from brief afternoon convective storms that stamp the whole day as “rain” in the WMO code but leave the bulk of the sunshine untouched.

Bottom line

Barcelona is mostly overcast in May historically: only 25% of days are clear across 8 years (n=248), avg high 71°F. The two halves differ materially (14% early, 36% late) — favour the late half of the month. If you want sun in Barcelona, July is historically much better. Most visitors this month will see more clouds than sun.

→ See all destinations in July — historically the best month for sun in Barcelona.

Every month in Barcelona

Compare across all months with data. Numbers are historical clear-sky %.

Historical clear-sky % for Barcelona, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 0% n=248 All destinations →
February 0% n=226 All destinations →
March 3% n=248 All destinations →
April 4% n=240 All destinations →
May ← this page 25% n=248 All destinations →
June 61% n=240 All destinations →
July 64% n=248 All destinations →
August 53% n=248 All destinations →
September 38% n=240 All destinations →
October 27% n=248 All destinations →
November 4% n=240 All destinations →
December 0% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Barcelona in May?

Sometimes. Barcelona sees measurable rain on 28% of days in May historically (n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Barcelona good for sun in May?

Not usually. Barcelona is historically overcast in May: only 25% of days are clear (avg high 71°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025). July is historically far better for sun here.

How Barcelona compares in May

Head-to-head clear-sky comparisons against destinations travelers plausibly weigh against Barcelona this month — same passport tier, similar flight distance, both sides from the same 8-year ERA5 record.

All percentages are historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 8 full years (2018–2025). “Clear” means avg high ≥ 72 °F, precipitation < 1 mm, and a non-precipitation weather code. This is history, not a forecast. The live 7-day outlook for any destination is on its own page and may differ from the long-run average. Data from Open-Meteo.