Turkey - weather in May

May is the last month of spring in Turkey, and it is very mild to pleasantly warm during the day, although it can still get a little cold on the plateau at night. Rainfall is not very frequent along the coasts, while in inland areas there may be a few more thunderstorms.

On the plateau, the average temperature is 15.5 °C (60 °F) in Ankara, at 900 metres (2,950 feet), 15 °C (59 °F) in Cappadocia (see Kayseri), just above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), while it is lower in areas at higher altitudes (see Erzurum, Van). On the Black Sea coast the average is 18 °C (64.5 °F) in the western part (see Istanbul), and 16 °C (61 °F) in the eastern part (see Trabzon). On the Aegean coast (see Izmir) the average is around 20 °C (68 °F), while on the southern coast (see Antalya, Mersin) it is 21/22 °C (70/72 °F).
Sometimes, it can already be very hot, especially in the second half of the month, in particular, the temperature can reach or exceed 35 °C (95 °F) in the inland valleys of the west, such as that of the Meander or Büyük Menderes River (see Denizli, Pamukkale), on the coasts and plains of the south (see Antalya, Mersin, Adana), and also in the south-east, in the Kurdistan plateau (see Diyarbakir).

As for the rainfall, it is not abundant, however, it is a little more frequent in inland areas, where thunderstorms can break out.
In the easternmost part of the Black Sea coast (see Rize), which is very rainy, April and May are the only months when less than 100 mm (4 in) of rain fall in the month.

In May, the sea in Turkey is still cool even on the southern coast, while it is cold on the Black Sea coast.




See also: Turkey, the weather in April - June
The climate of Turkey