Moscow in May: a seasonal travel plan
Moscow, Russia. In may, the average daytime high is 16.3 °C and the night-time low is 6.2 °C. Plan the main route in daylight and add an extra layer for early and late hours.
Choose a month
Selected month: May
Temperatures by month
Air temperature: Moscow
Contents
Weather at a glance
- Daytime high
- 16.3 °C
- Nighttime low
- 6.2 °C
- Monthly precipitation
- 89.3 mm
- Days with at least 1 mm
- 12.8
- Daylight
- 16.2 h
2015–2024 averages. Daytime temperature is the average daily maximum; nighttime temperature is the average daily minimum.
Early, middle and late month
| Period | Daytime high, °C | Nighttime low, °C | Days with at least 1 mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1–10 | 14.0 | 3.8 | 3.7 |
| Days 11–20 | 16.2 | 6.1 | 4.1 |
| From day 21 | 18.3 | 8.5 | 5.0 |
What this month is like
Moscow, Russia. In may, the average daytime high is 16.3 °C and the night-time low is 6.2 °C. Plan the main route in daylight and add an extra layer for early and late hours.
There are 12.8 wet days on average, with about 89.3 mm of precipitation. Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag.
How to plan the day
Plan the main route in daylight and add an extra layer for early and late hours.
Average daylight is 16.2 hours, so put longer routes in the brighter part of the day.
What to pack
Pack a jacket or jumper, long trousers and closed shoes. Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag.
Precipitation and an alternative plan
Precipitation is frequent. Keep several indoor activities in your plans and fit longer walks between them.
What to pack
Pack a light jacket, a jumper, long trousers and comfortable closed shoes. The day-to-night temperature difference is noticeable, so dressing in layers is practical. Add a waterproof outer layer and shoes that dry quickly.
Compared with neighbouring months
Average daytime high: previous month — 9.1 °C, May — 16.3 °C, next month — 21.0 °C. Days with at least 1 mm of precipitation: 12.2, 12.8 and 14.1.
Things to do
Moscow spreads in rings from the Kremlin and Red Square, and the city is easy to underestimate: distances are long, yet the metro cuts them to minutes. The historic centre works on foot, while Zamoskvorechye, Arbat and Sparrow Hills each need their own plan.
The Kremlin and the Armoury
Enter the Kremlin through the Trinity Tower and see the cathedrals, then visit the Armoury Chamber on a separate ticket. Allow half a day and arrive at opening time. Buy tickets in advance, as the Armoury runs timed entry.
Tretyakov Gallery
The Tretyakov Gallery in Lavrushinsky Lane holds Russian painting from icons to the Wanderers. Afterwards walk down to the Vodootvodny Canal and into Zamoskvorechye. Two floors of the collection take about two hours to see.
Gorky Park and Muzeon
Gorky Park runs along the Moskva River and joins Muzeon, an open-air collection of sculptures. In summer there is bike rental and cafés on the embankment. The park entrance is a short walk from Oktyabrskaya metro.
Where to stay
Tverskaya and Teatralnaya
The centre around Tverskaya suits a first visit: Red Square, the Bolshoi and the boulevards are close. Hotels are plentiful, but streets are noisy and expensive. The boulevards and Patriarch's Ponds are a short walk away.
Zamoskvorechye
Zamoskvorechye offers quiet lanes, galleries and a short walk to the Tretyakov Gallery. Red Square is about fifteen minutes away across the bridge. Galleries on Bolshaya Ordynka are worth a detour.
Arbat
Arbat draws evening strollers with souvenir shops and cafés. It is a tourist district, so stay here for the location rather than the quiet. Choose a side lane away from the main street for quiet nights.
Getting to and around Moscow
Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo airports link to the centre by Aeroexpress trains, which run to Belorussky, Paveletsky and Kievsky stations. Inside the city the metro is the main transport: fast, cheap and covering every district. The centre is best explored on foot, and one metro ride reaches the outer sights.
Three days in Moscow
Red Square and the Kremlin
Start on Red Square, enter the Kremlin and its cathedrals, then walk down into Zaryadye park by the Moskva River. Spend the evening on Nikolskaya Street. Buy Kremlin tickets in advance and arrive when the gates open.
Tretyakov and Zamoskvorechye
Give the morning to the Tretyakov Gallery, then walk through Lavrushinsky Lane and the streets of Zamoskvorechye. Finish by the Vodootvodny Canal embankment. Look into the Church of the Resurrection in Kadashi on the way.
VDNKh and the metro
Ride the metro to VDNKh, walk through the exhibition grounds and the park, and study the stations of the Circle Line on the way. Return to the centre for dinner near Arbat.
Weather throughout the year
| Month | Daytime high, °C | Nighttime low, °C | Precipitation, mm | Days with at least 1 mm | Daylight, h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -7.2 | -13.4 | 54.3 | 14.4 | 7.7 |
| February | -4.4 | -11.6 | 43.7 | 10.5 | 9.6 |
| March | -0.2 | -7.7 | 44.0 | 9.9 | 11.8 |
| April | 9.1 | 0.0 | 64.2 | 12.2 | 14.1 |
| May | 16.3 | 6.2 | 89.3 | 12.8 | 16.2 |
| June | 21.0 | 11.4 | 89.8 | 14.1 | 17.4 |
| July | 22.3 | 13.7 | 105.2 | 19.2 | 16.9 |
| August | 22.3 | 12.6 | 63.7 | 11.5 | 15.1 |
| September | 16.5 | 7.6 | 57.2 | 10.7 | 12.8 |
| October | 8.3 | 1.6 | 66.0 | 13.4 | 10.5 |
| November | 0.1 | -4.5 | 57.3 | 11.6 | 8.4 |
| December | -4.9 | -10.3 | 63.8 | 14.3 | 7.1 |
Frequently asked questions
Moscow: what is the temperature in May?
The average daytime high is 16.3 °C and the night-time low is 6.2 °C. Fit the main walking route into daylight hours; bring an extra layer for the evening.
How many days with precipitation are there in May?
On average, there are 12.8 days with at least 1 mm of precipitation; the monthly total is 89.3 mm. Precipitation is frequent. Keep several indoor activities in your plans and fit longer walks between them.
What should I pack for walks in May?
Pack a light jacket, a jumper, long trousers and comfortable closed shoes. The day-to-night temperature difference is noticeable, so dressing in layers is practical. Add a waterproof outer layer and shoes that dry quickly.
How does the weather change from the start to the end of the month?
Average daytime highs by part of the month: 1–10 — 14.0 °C; 11–20 — 16.2 °C; 21 to month-end — 18.3 °C.
How many daylight hours are there in May?
The average is 16.2 hours. Long daylight hours make it easy to split a walk between morning and evening, with a longer break in between.
Is Moscow worth visiting in May?
The climate suits a trip if daytime temperatures around 16.3 °C and nights around 6.2 °C work for you. Plan the main route in daylight and add an extra layer for early and late hours.
What can I do in Moscow on a wet day in May?
Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag. Keep a museum, market, café or another indoor route near your accommodation.
What should I pack for Moscow in May?
Pack a jacket or jumper, long trousers and closed shoes. Average daylight is 16.2 hours.