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May Weather in Amsterdam
The good news is that in the Netherlands, May is often the sunniest month of the year, with an average of up to 15 hours of sunshine per day.
However, there are also as many cool days as warm days in May.
There can even be some frost at night, especially in the first half of the month. Then again, that is mostly only in rural areas far east of Amsterdam. Still, the feast days of the so-called Ice Saints – May 11 to 13 – are notorious for this.
Keep this in mind: As is often the case in the Netherlands, the weather forecast may call for sunshine for the rest of the country, while much of the west – Amsterdam included – may be covered with clouds drifting in from the North Sea. Here’s what to pack for this kind of climate.
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Amsterdam Weather Forecast, May 2023
Will be update in May, 2023
We update this Amsterdam weather forecast throughout the month of May.
During the rest of the year see the general information on this page.
Tip: Amsterdam is home to a wide selection of wonderful museums.
Friday
Long Term Amsterdam Forecast
Check our June weather information. (Other months)
Where our weather information comes from
Our weather information is based on forecasts and long-term averages as reported by various meteorological services, including the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI).
Normal High and Low Temperatures in May
1-10: 7.3 / 15.9° Celsius (45.14/ 60.06° Fahrenheit)
11-20: 8.4/ 17.4° Celsius (47.1/ 63.3° Fahrenheit)
21-31: 9.2/ 18° Celsius (48.6/ 64.4° Fahrenheit)
What to Wear in Amsterdam in May
You have to consider the current weather forecast as described above, but normally you’d pack this:
Short-sleeved T-shirts or tops and summer skirts and dresses. For cooler evenings and sunny but cool days, however, you’ll need something warmer. Sweatshirts or fine.
Jeans, light trousers or shorts for men.
Early mornings often look sunny, but can still be cold enough to wear a sweater or a light jacket — especially if it’s windy.
After sunset, temperatures cool quickly.
You probably won’t need an umbrella. If you do want to carry one, a small, collapsible model will suffice. But the showers are usually short enough to wait them out over a meal or drink at a brown café, a coffee house or coffee shop, or a deli.
Things to Do in Amsterdam in May
Normally during the month of May lots of tourists visit Amsterdam. You’ll want to book skip-the-line tickets, museums, excursions, and activities ahead of time. Not just to assure availability, but also because you don’t want to waste your precious vacation time standing in line.
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Amsterdam Tips for May
- Sunny days are perfect for taking postcard-quality photos — especially now that the trees are in leaf. 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 to visit some of Amsterdam’s 50+ museums
- A bad weather day is also perfect for a visit to the cinema 1. We highly recommend a visit to the unique EYE Film Institute, or to Tuschinski — the most beautiful cinema in the world.
May is the Sunniest Month, But…
On sunny days you can expect up to 10 hours of sunshine, though on average we’ll see about 8 hours of sunshine a day. It helps that in this part of the world in May sunset occurs at about 10 past 9 at the start of the month — and shortly before 10 pm at the end of the month.
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
Where Our Weather Information Comes From
Our weather information is based on long-term averages as reported by various meteorological services, including the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI).
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Notes:
- In the Netherlands, most movies on TV and in the cinema are shown in their original language, with Dutch subtitles. ↩
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