If you plan to visit Longyearbyen in May, the weather is typically alright, with an average high temperature of -1°C during the day and approximately 2 sunny days. Expect some snowy, though, as there are typically 9 snowy days in the month and around 16 mm of precipitation. The weather is changeable so you may have to pack for every eventuality. Search flightsin one click on Avionero.
Average weather
☀️
-1°C
Avg. max. temperature
-18°C
Min.
+9°C
Max.
4 mm
Total precipitation
80%
Avg. humidity
3 m/s
Avg. wind
2 ☀️
Sunny Days
20 ⛅️
Cloudy
1 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Longyearbyen has OK weather in May.
Average temperature in Longyearbyen in May
Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Longyearbyen for May based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
The temperature in May is -1°C on average, with a range between a maximum of +5°C during the day and a minimum of -15°C at night.
The average maximum temperature goes up 80% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from -13°C to +3°C.
Is Longyearbyen warm or cold in May?
Longyearbyen is typically cold in May.
Maximum temperatures go up compared to the previous month from -8°C to -1°C. The minimum temperature also goes up from -13°C to -5°C.
Wear your winter warms as it will be cold. To save space, layer, and don’t forget gloves and a scarf.
Take a look at how May is compared to other months in Longyearbyen:
Climate in Longyearbyen in May
Longyearbyen weather looks like this, on average, in May and the surrounding months.
April
May
June
Avg. temperature
-8°C
-1°C
+4°C
Min. temperature
-32°C
-18°C
-6°C
Max. temperature
+6°C
+9°C
+12°C
Rainfall
1 mm
4 mm
13 mm
Wind
3 m/s
3 m/s
3 m/s
Humidity
80%
80%
84%
Air pressure
1013 HPa
1016 HPa
1012 HPa
Sunny days
1
2
1
Cloudy days
18
20
19
Rainy days
0
1
6
Snowy days
11
9
4
May weather is still as ok as in April.It’s getting warmer as May arrives. The average maximum temperature goes up from -8°C to -1°C during the day.Prepare for more rain. Average rainfall goes from 1 mm to 4 mm.Humidity levels don’t change as the month goes on, averaging around 80%.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 1 to 2.
Wind speed in Longyearbyen in May based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
The average wind speed is 4 m/s getting up to 8 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.
The average wind speed in Longyearbyen is gradually increasing during May, going from 3 m/s to 4 m/s over the course of the month.
Rain
Amount of rainfall in mm during May in Longyearbyen based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Total precipitation in May is about 22 mm, with a 19% chance of rain on a typical day. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 7 mm, which is considered light rain.On average, there are about 6 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:
Longyearbyen wettest month is August, where a typical day has a 42% chance of precipitation and 38 mm of rainfall per day. April, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 0% chance of precipitation and 1 mm of rainfall per day.
Snow
Amount of snow in mm during May in Longyearbyen based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 16% chance of snow on an average day in May, with a total monthly snowfall of approximately 33 mm.
Here’s how May is compared with other months in the amount of snow, total mm:
How was the weather last May in Longyearbyen?
This is the weather in Longyearbyen in May 2023:
1 May
☀️
-13°C
2 May
☀️
-9°C
3 May
☀️
-5°C
4 May
🌨️
-2°C
5 May
☁️
-1°C
6 May
🌨️
-1°C
7 May
☁️
0°C
8 May
☁️
-1°C
9 May
☁️
-1°C
10 May
☁️
+1°C
11 May
☁️
+3°C
12 May
☁️
-4°C
13 May
🌨️
+2°C
14 May
☁️
-2°C
15 May
☁️
-5°C
16 May
🌨️
-4°C
17 May
🌨️
-2°C
18 May
☀️
-3°C
19 May
☀️
-1°C
20 May
🌧️
+3°C
21 May
☁️
+4°C
22 May
🌧️
+4°C
23 May
🌧️
+5°C
24 May
☁️
+4°C
25 May
☁️
+3°C
26 May
☁️
0°C
27 May
☀️
-1°C
28 May
☀️
0°C
29 May
☁️
+2°C
30 May
☁️
+2°C
31 May
☁️
+3°C
In May 2023 Longyearbyen had 7 sunny days, 16 cloudy days, and 3 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was -1°C, with an absolute maximum of +5°C and a minimum of -13°C. The average humidity was 82%, with a maximum of 100% and a minimum of 62%. The average wind speed was 4 m/s, with a maximum of 14 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in May?
Climate Change over Years
This is how Longyearbyen climate have been changing during last 43 years period.
The climate in Longyearbyen in May has not changed much over the last 43 years.
The average temperature was the lowest in 1988 (-7°C) and the highest in 2016 (+1°C). The driest year was 1998 with only 51 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2016 with 381 mm.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the weather in Longyearbyen in May:
Is May a good time to visit Longyearbyen?
It’s always a good time to visit Longyearbyen, but the weather is changeable in May, so plan a mix of indoor and outdoor activities and exploring, and pack for every eventuality.
Can you sunbathe in Longyearbyen in May?
Not really, May is not the best time to sunbathe, unless you visit a local solarium.
Is Longyearbyen rainy in May?
Longyearbyen is usually dry in May. Plan your packing around outdoor activities and exploring.
Is it sunny in Longyearbyen in May?
Usually, it’s not very sunny in Longyearbyen in May, often it’s pretty cloudy. Pack for any eventuality; layering can help reduce the number of bulky items needed.
For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Longyearbyen, 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.