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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Sicily in May

Sicily in May: 26% of days see measurable rain, 73°F average high, 39% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Sicily in May is historically a poor month for sun: only 39% of days clear across 8 years (n=248, avg high 73°F). 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 Sicily 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 Sicily 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		 30% n=120 73°F
Late May
16th–end		 48% n=128 73°F
Full month average 39% 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 Sicily 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		 38% n=120
Late May
16th–end		 66% n=128
Full month average 52% n=248
13.2 h median sunshine per day 89% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 26% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 39%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 52%. The 13-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

Sicily is mostly overcast in May historically: only 39% of days are clear across 8 years (n=248), avg high 73°F. Most visitors this month will see more clouds than sun.

Every month in Sicily

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

Historical clear-sky % for Sicily, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 0% n=248 All destinations →
February 0% n=226 All destinations →
March 1% n=248 All destinations →
April 10% n=240 All destinations →
May ← this page 39% n=248 All destinations →
June 73% n=240 All destinations →
July 91% n=248 All destinations →
August 73% n=248 All destinations →
September 58% n=240 All destinations →
October 33% n=248 All destinations →
November 2% n=240 All destinations →
December 0% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Sicily in May?

Sometimes. Sicily sees measurable rain on 26% of days in May historically (n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Sicily good for sun in May?

It's mixed. Sicily in May is clear on 39% of days historically (avg high 73°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — the outcome varies year to year.

How Sicily compares in May

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