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Istanbul in May: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Planning a trip and want to know what the weather in Istanbul in May will be like? Take a look at our weather guide for Istanbul, based on historical data.
Check flight prices to Istanbul on Avionero:
May

Weather in Istanbul in May 2024

Good Weather
Mild
☀️
Sunny
Planning a trip to Istanbul in May? You are in luck! The weather is generally good, with an average maximum temperature of +68°F and approximately 17 sunny days. Just be prepared for some rain, as there are usually around 3 rainy days and 26 mm of precipitation. Expect good weather and pack accordingly to enjoy the outdoors. Search flights in one click on Avionero.

Average weather

☀️
+68°F
Avg. max. temperature
+43°F
Min.
+93°F
Max.
26 mm
Total precipitation
68%
Avg. humidity
3 m/s
Avg. wind
17 ☀️
Sunny Days
11 ⛅️
Cloudy
3 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Istanbul has good weather in May.

Average temperature in Istanbul in May

Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Istanbul for May based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The expected average maximum temperature in May is +73°F with a maximum of +93°F and a minimum of +46°F.

The average maximum temperature goes up 42% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +64°F to +84°F.

Is Istanbul warm or cold in May?

Istanbul is typically mild in May.

Maximum temperatures go up compared to the previous month from +59°F to +68°F. The minimum temperature also goes up from +48°F to +57°F.

Pack a light jacket as it will be warm in the day and cool in the evenings.

Take a look at how May is compared to other months in Istanbul:

Climate in Istanbul in May

Istanbul weather looks like this, on average, in May and the surrounding months.
AprilMayJune
Avg. temperature
+59°F+68°F+77°F
Min. temperature
+34°F+43°F+52°F
Max. temperature
+82°F+93°F+99°F
Rainfall
39 mm26 mm24 mm
Wind
3 m/s3 m/s3 m/s
Humidity
69%68%65%
Air pressure
1013 HPa1013 HPa1012 HPa
Sunny days
131721
Cloudy days
12116
Rainy days
533
Snowy days
000

May weather is still as good as in April. It’s getting warmer as May arrives. The average maximum temperature goes up from +59°F to +68°F during the day. As May arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 39 mm to 26 mm. It feels drier, as humidity decreases from 69% to 68%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during May, staying around 3 m/s. The good news is there are likely to be more sunny days in May, from 13 to 17.

But maybe it is worth considering traveling in June as the weather gets better.

Wind

Wind speed in Istanbul in May based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The average wind speed is 3 m/s getting up to 7 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in Istanbul is gradually decreasing during May, going from 5 m/s to 4 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during May in Istanbul based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 16% chance of rain on an average day in May, with total rainfall of approximately 14 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 7 mm, which is considered light rain. On average, there are about 5 rainy days during May, so prepare to bring an umbrella.
Here’s how May is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
Istanbul wettest month is December, where a typical day has a 26% chance of precipitation and 80 mm of rainfall per day. August, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 6% chance of precipitation and 14 mm of rainfall per day.

How was the weather last May in Istanbul?

This is the weather in Istanbul in May 2023:
1 May
☁️
+65°F
2 May
☀️
+64°F
3 May
☁️
+55°F
4 May
☁️
+58°F
5 May
☀️
+64°F
6 May
☁️
+66°F
7 May
☀️
+65°F
8 May
☀️
+66°F
9 May
☀️
+64°F
10 May
☀️
+67°F
11 May
☀️
+70°F
12 May
☀️
+77°F
13 May
☀️
+77°F
14 May
☀️
+74°F
15 May
☀️
+73°F
16 May
☀️
+75°F
17 May
☀️
+77°F
18 May
☀️
+73°F
19 May
☁️
+63°F
20 May
☀️
+71°F
21 May
☀️
+70°F
22 May
☀️
+77°F
23 May
☀️
+73°F
24 May
☀️
+77°F
25 May
☀️
+79°F
26 May
☀️
+77°F
27 May
☀️
+84°F
28 May
☀️
+84°F
29 May
☀️
+93°F
30 May
☀️
+86°F
31 May
☀️
+85°F
In May 2023 Istanbul had 26 sunny days, 5 cloudy days, and 0 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +73°F, with an absolute maximum of +93°F and a minimum of +55°F. The average humidity was 64%, with a maximum of 100% and a minimum of 28%. The average wind speed was 3 m/s, with a maximum of 12 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in May?

Climate Change Over the Years

This is how Istanbul climate has changed over the last 43 years.

The climate in Istanbul in May has not changed that much over the last 43 years.

The average temperature was the lowest in 1981 (+66°F) and the highest in 2013 (+78°F). The driest year was 1986 with only 1 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 1998 with 88 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Istanbul in May:

Is May a good time to visit Istanbul?

May is a really good time to go to Istanbul. The weather is nice so plan your packing around outdoor activities and exploring. Check out other good time to visit Istanbul.

Can you sunbathe in Istanbul in May?

May has mild temperatures in Istanbul. Not ideal for sunbathing, but still good for daytime outdoor activities, but plan for cool evenings. Pack a light jacket and shorts!

Is Istanbul rainy in May?

Istanbul is usually dry in May. Plan your packing around outdoor activities and exploring.

Is it sunny in Istanbul in May?

The amount of sunny days in Istanbul during May varies; prepare for a mix of clouds and sun.

Other cities in Turkey

Check out the weather for other cities in Turkey.

Monthly weather in Istanbul

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Istanbul, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2022.

For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.