Good news: In Holland, May often is the sunniest month of the year, with on average up to 15 hours of sunshine a day.
Originally a defense moat, the Oudeschans — with the 16th-century Montelbaanstoren — is a picturesque canal in the center of Amsterdam. Photo by Anton Hein.
However, May also tends to have as many cold days as it has warm days.
At night there can even be some frost, particularly in the first half of the month — though if and when that happens it is usually in the countryside far east of Amsterdam.
That said, the feast days of the so-called Ice Saints — May 11 through May 13 — are notorious for it.
Mind you, as so often is the case, the weather forecast for the rest of the country may call for sun, while much of the West (Amsterdam included) can be covered with clouds drifting in from the Northsea.
As a service to our readers we update this page with weather forecasts throughout the month of May
During the rest of the year, the general information on this page will give you a good idea as to what you may expect (including suggestions on what kind of clothes to pack).
Thus far May has been quite a bit colder then we remember from recent years.
Friday, May 31, 2019 Sunny intervals throughout the day — with for the most part about 75% sunshine. A bit cloudier from about noon through mid afternoon (±40% clouds). No rain. Mid afternoon high temperature around 19° Celsius (66.2° Fahrenheit).
Long Term Forecast
See June in Amsterdam.
Where our weather information comes from
Our weather information is based on long-term averages as reported by various meteorological services, including the Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut (KNMI) — the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI).
Average Low and High Temperatures in May
| Normal Average Low and High Temperatures in May in Amsterdam | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Minimum | Maximum |
| May 1-10 | 7.3° Celsius (45.14° Fahrenheit) | 15.9° Celsius (60.6° Fahrenheit) |
| May 11-20 | 8.4#176; Celsius (47.1° Fahrenheit) | 17.4° Celsius (63.3° Fahrenheit) |
| May 21-30 | 9.2° Celsius (48.6° Fahrenheit) | 18° Celsius (64.4° Fahrenheit) |
Things To Do
During the month of May lots of tourists visit Amsterdam. Book skip-the-line tickets, museums, excursions and activities ahead of time:
Hotels
Due to high demand, hotel prices tend to be higher during the months of April and May. For the best rates (and to make sure you can even get a room) Book your hotel as early as possible.
The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI)1 notes that in recent years the months of April and May have been rather mild, sunny and dry.
But May 2013 was quite cold, somber and wet. Even the sunny days were cold.
May 2014 and 2015 were dreams: beautiful spring weather.
2016 brought us one of the warmest months of May since 1901 (8th in ranking).
Amsterdam Weather Facts: May
Temperatures
• Average lows: 7.2° C (45° F)
• Average highs: 18° C (64.4° F)
Sunrise & Sunset
• May 1 – 6:11 a.m. / 9:06 p.m
• May 31 – 5:26 a.m. / 9:51 p.m.
Rainfall
• Average: 52 mm (2.4 inches) in 44 hours
What to wear in Amsterdam in May
You’ll need to take into account the updated weather situation as described above, but normally this is what you’d bring:
Pack short-sleeved T-shirts or tops, and summer-type skirts and dresses — but also something slightly warmer for chilly evenings and for sunny but chilly days. Jeans, light-weight slacks, or shorts for guys.
Early mornings may look sunny but can still be cold enough to warrant sweats or a light jacket — especially when it’s windy.
After sundown temperatures cool off rapidly.
You probably won’t need an umbrella. If you do want to carry one, a small fold-up model will suffice. But showers usually are brief enough to wait them out over something to eat of drink at a brown café, a coffeehouse/coffeeshop. or a deli.
Even though May is the sunniest month of the year, it won’t always be sunny. Here Amsterdam’s cruise ship terminal is shown under an overcast sky.
Tips
- Sunny days are perfect for postcard-quality photos — especially now that everything is green. You can take beautiful pictures along the canals (particularly from bridges).
- Grey and rainy days make for great dramatic pictures, particularly if you shoot in black & white (or later convert your color photos to B&W).
- When the weather is good, do like the Amsterdammers do, and relax at an outdoor café. It’s perfect for people-watching.
- If it’s rainy, plan on visiting some of Amsterdam’s 50+ museums
- A bad weather day is also perfect for a visit to the cinema2. We can recommend a visit to the unique EYE Film Institute.
Amsterdam Climate
General information about the weather in Amsterdam
Local weather in other months
Notes:
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Things To Do In Amsterdam
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