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Warmest sea in United Kingdom in May

914 coastal locations in United Kingdom ranked by their typical May sea temperature. Region-wide average in May: 11.3°C. The top of the list is where to find the warmest swimming this month.

Warmest in May

Llanfair

13.2°C May mean in United Kingdom

Regional May average

11.3°C

across all 914 coastal locations in United Kingdom

Vs annual mean

-0.6°C

below the year-round regional average

What the United Kingdom sea feels like in May

Water at this temperature is cold and will feel very cold initially, but the body will get used to it and longer swims are possible. Experienced swimmers can manage several hours of swimming, however hypothermia is still a real risk.

United Kingdom monthly average 8.1°C to 16.5°C
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  • Warmest month August 16.5°C
  • Coldest month February 8.1°C
  • Annual mean 12.0°C
  • Months above 20°C 0 of 12

Where May fits in the year

May sits inside the regional pattern shown on the left. Pick a different month to see how the ranking shifts.

All twelve United Kingdom month rankings:

United Kingdom sea temperature map (live)

The map shows today's latest reading at every United Kingdom location. The list below is based on the typical May mean, useful for trip planning weeks or months ahead.

Zoom in to see individual locations. Click a pin for water temperatures. View list →
°C -2 0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 24 27 30 35

Top 50 warmest United Kingdom locations in May

Sorted by the typical May mean built from a decade of daily readings at each location. Click any place for its 30-day chart, monthly profile, and full 10-year history.

# Location May mean
1 Llanfair Gwynedd 13.2°C
2 Galgate Lancashire 13.1°C
3 Lancaster Lancashire 13.1°C
4 Preston Lancashire 13.1°C
5 River Lune Lancashire 13.1°C
6 Isles of Scilly Cornwall 13.1°C
7 Saint Mary's Isles of Scilly 13.1°C
8 St. Mary's Isles of Scilly 13.1°C
9 Lizard Point Cornwall 13.0°C
10 Connahs Quay Flintshire 12.9°C
11 Hilbre Island Merseyside 12.9°C
12 Bradwell on Sea Essex 12.9°C
13 Bramble Creek Essex 12.9°C
14 Burnham-on-Crouch Essex 12.9°C
15 Colchester Essex 12.9°C
16 Holliwell Point Essex 12.9°C
17 Lostwithiel Cornwall 12.9°C
18 Maldon Essex 12.9°C
19 North Fambridge Essex 12.9°C
20 Osea Island Essex 12.9°C
21 Rochford Essex 12.9°C
22 Shivering Sand Essex 12.9°C
23 Tollesbury Essex 12.9°C
24 Whitaker Beacon Essex 12.9°C
25 Avonmouth England 12.8°C
Show 25 more ▸
26 Berrow Somerset 12.8°C
27 Brean Somerset 12.8°C
28 Bristol England 12.8°C
29 Burnham-on-Sea Somerset 12.8°C
30 Cardiff Wales 12.8°C
31 Chepstow Wales 12.8°C
32 Chittening England 12.8°C
33 Goldcliff Wales 12.8°C
34 Highbridge England 12.8°C
35 Newport Wales 12.8°C
36 Penarth Wales 12.8°C
37 Redwick Wales 12.8°C
38 Severn Beach England 12.8°C
39 Treforest Rhondda Cynon Taff 12.8°C
40 Portscatho Cornwall 12.8°C
41 Saint Germans Cornwall 12.8°C
42 Shivering Sands Kent 12.8°C
43 Caernarfon Gwynedd 12.7°C
44 Fort Belan Gwynedd 12.7°C
45 Llanddwyn Island Isle of Anglesey 12.7°C
46 Porth Tre-Castell Isle of Anglesey 12.7°C
47 Porth Trecastell Isle of Anglesey 12.7°C
48 Saint Tudwals Islands Gwynedd 12.7°C
49 St. Tudwal's Roads Gwynedd 12.7°C
50 Trefor Gwynedd 12.7°C

Coldest 10 in United Kingdom in May

Same data the other way. Helpful if you want to know which United Kingdom coasts to avoid for swimming in May.

# Location May mean
1 Scalloway Shetland Islands 8.8°C
2 Sumburgh Scotland 8.9°C
3 Bay of Quendale Shetland Islands 8.9°C
4 Sumburgh (Grutness Voe) Shetland Islands 8.9°C
5 Shetland Shetland Islands 8.9°C
6 Fair Isle Shetland Islands 8.9°C
7 Lerwick Scotland 8.9°C
8 Sandwick Scotland 8.9°C
9 River Don Aberdeen City 9.0°C
10 Aberdeen Scotland 9.0°C

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