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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Florence in May

Florence in May: 47% of days see measurable rain, 73°F average high, 27% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Florence in May is historically a poor month for sun: only 27% of days clear across 8 years (n=248, avg high 73°F). July is the clearest month for Florence 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 Florence 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 Florence 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		 23% n=120 73°F
Late May
16th–end		 30% n=128 73°F
Full month average 27% n=248 73°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 Florence 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		 42% n=120
Late May
16th–end		 63% n=128
Full month average 53% n=248
12.8 h median sunshine per day 85% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 47% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 27%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 53%. The 26-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

Florence is mostly overcast in May historically: only 27% of days are clear across 8 years (n=248), avg high 73°F. If you want sun in Florence, 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 Florence.

Every month in Florence

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

Historical clear-sky % for Florence, 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 16% n=240 All destinations →
May ← this page 27% n=248 All destinations →
June 56% n=240 All destinations →
July 65% n=248 All destinations →
August 57% n=248 All destinations →
September 50% n=240 All destinations →
October 29% n=248 All destinations →
November 0% n=240 All destinations →
December 0% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Florence in May?

Sometimes. Florence sees measurable rain on 47% of days in May historically (n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Florence good for sun in May?

Not usually. Florence is historically overcast in May: only 27% of days are clear (avg high 73°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025). July is historically far better for sun here.

How Florence compares in May

Head-to-head clear-sky comparisons against destinations travelers plausibly weigh against Florence 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.