Amalfi Coast, Sorrento and Capri in May
 

Hi all, tripgirl here.

As some of you know I am headed for my annual group trip, this year to the AC.

All set except for still some ( stupid??) questions about the weather. Although I read over old posts about weather in early May, looked at all weather websites and read over every guide book there is, I still have some questions I would love more direct answers to. If I can'yt trust Fodors, who can I trust!!

So here goes:

These are the temp ranges and our comfort levels in them. Can you tell me where temps for May 5-12th, might fall the most:
( the 5 and 6th we are in Capri and the 7-12th we are in Sorrento with day trips along Amalfi Coast and Pompeii)

We all live in DC, so we are comfortable with the middle of the road temps.

30-45: we consider cold. Although none of us mind overnight temps about 45

45-55: we also consider a bit cold for daytime, but 55 at night while walking around is fine

55-60: will take it for daytime, also think it's a tad cold, but with sun, we'll be fine. Evening and overnight temps as these is fine

60-70's- love this for daytime, especially with bright sun. 60's at night is great.

70-low 80's also perfect for day time

Where I am confused is in old posts , there was one in particular, someone mentioned they were FREEZING early May. Did they mean it was in the 30-40's or you think they were walking around in a T and shorts in the evening?!

We always travel the first week of May. As an example, last year we were in Greece ( Athens, Santorini and Crete) the exact same week and we had temps in 70's, warm, sunny, no rain and sunbathed. I know the latitutde of Greece is south of Italy, but it's not a huge difference ( or is it?)

All I am concerned about is that the day temps don't end up in the 50's and we have relentless rain. And if it does rain, does it usually just come down for a few hours, all day, , more at night, is it light, heavy?

Everyone is all fully prepared with knowing they have to bring clothes that layer, rainwear plus umbrella and sleepwear for cool evenings, and a light jacket for the nights. No one expects lying out in a bikini everyday. I'm not even bringing shorts; just capris, jeans ,light shirts and light thin sweaters.

We all want to be able to take advantage of the walks I've planned for Capri and we love strolling in the evening. We have all our daytime activities planned.

We CANNOT change our dates, all locked in.

Thanks a mil...!!!

I usually go to the area in May also. I have been really cold (to me). I don't know what the temp was but there was a bitter wind and rain storms. I had to go into town and buy a warm sweater. I have been there when it is warm in the sun and cool in the shade and when it is rather hottish and still warm in the shade.

I live in LA and really don't like to be cold so I may have different comfort levels that you.

Sometimes I pack warm weather clothes and don't even take them out of the suitcase, other times it is the other way around.

One year I thought I would die from the heat when I was hiking around Capri and then at night I needed a cotton quilted jacket.

There is no way to figure it out, weather is changeable there, just take layers and don't worry.

We have been several times in late May and the temps were never cold. the hotel's pool was open and many people were using it. In fact, we didn;t even think the sea was that cold (but did not swim since beaches are not nice - all pebbles) but we're from NYC and are used to the North Atlantic - and think Florida water is too warm.

During the day we had highs of 70's, perhaps low 80's with somewhat cooler at night (usuaully did not need sweater at night). I can;t imagine it would be actually cold in early May - would expect highs at least 50's but more likely high 60's during the day. (This may be cold to someone from California.)

I was in southern Italy in MasaLubrenze when it stormed violently for 4 days straight, even lost power. Think it was the end of May. But I have been there at other times and it was very warm, bordering a tad on to hot. So I agree with SeaUrchin, pack so you can layer your clothes. I live in N California btw so weather there and here are comprable for winter and summer but we don't get storms (or at least never have) May and on. I love daytime about 80 degrees and evenings around 70 degrees, to me that is ideal.

We were in Sorrento the first week of May 2 years ago.

The day we got there by train from Rome it had just been raining (stopped) and was a bit cool. Wore long pants but no sweat shirt.

That night it rained quite a bit.

The next day we went to Capri by boat and it was beautiful. Sunny and warm. Shorts weather.

It was that way the next few days until we left.

The boats from Sorrento to Positano started running on our 3rd day. Some time in the first week of May.

Obviously there is no guarantee that ther weather will be like this but the first week of May appeared to be a transition time to warmer weather.

thanks all, see I can depend on you.

Any more experiences?

Ira, cicerone, anyone else?

Hi tripgirl, the thing is that weather is rather like past performance of the investment markets. What has been does not guarantee what will be.

Italy has had a lot of unusual weather patterns these last years, as a lot of countries have. I have read where people have had the most fantastic weather in N Italy in late September early October. My last couple of visits have seen violent rain storms, electrical storms, very cold weather starting around the 20th of September. But that doesn't mean that will be true this year.

Pack so that you will be comfortable no matter what the weather is. That is your only guarantee comfortwise that you will be feeling alright regarding the weather situation. Regarding your activities if the weather doesn't work you will just have to put up with the rain or do something else. No guarantees when it comes to weather. Best wishes.

loveitaly;

as always, nice advice.

I guess it was dumb luck for us...we never even considered we might have bad weather in Sorrento/Amalfi.

As it turned out, it was sunny every day (mid-May) and upwards of 80 degrees with nighttime temps no lower than 65 degrees.

Actually, it was so warm the hotel guests were begging the front desk to turn the AC...but no dice.

I hope you're as lucky as we were.

Tripgirl:

Your travel club has simply got to stretch the annual to at least 2 weeks..that way the odds of getting good weather for at least a week of it are in your favor...you lose a travel day or more anyway.

That being said, we were in Positano and Capri last May and enjoyed very comfortable weather. Being Angelenos, we're spoiled SoCal folks like Sea Urchin and others...but my wife recalls that most days saw a 70 plus or minus daytime high, with only two days of rain and cold out of 24 (we were in Croatia for 8 days first and ended up with 16 days on the Amalfi Coast.
Positano cooled down tom 50+ every night, but no more than a light sweater was necessary. Capri was a bit cooler ...my guess is if you this May anywhere close to matching last years, you'll have very acceptable weather.
Don't you dare skip Ravello, spend time in Positano..great hiking on Capri. We took the small boat from Positano to Capri.
Enjoy, gang, enjoy!!

Stu T.

Stu,

The trip is VERY well planned. Everything will be seen, from Positano to Ravello to dining in Montepertuso to small special events I've planned.

We don't do two week vacations because all of us take a month in the summer to travel on our own and some of us still work, so we take a short spring vacation together.

I'm just going to pray real hard; for good weather, knock wood all of our group trips dating back 6 yrs ago have given us more than great weather.

Paris in Feb one year was not as cold as expected
Tuscany in March one year was warm enough to san coats for most of it
Vienna in March one year also had great weather, just light coats
Spain in April one year we did not need coats
Last year in Greece as mentioned above in early May was superb

we've now decided to stick with May departures anyway.

Everyone, say a little prayer for me ( and others) going in early May that we will be blessed with good warm weather with little rain!!!!!!!!

A day or so before you leave, check the weather.com site and click on 10-day forecast for the area. What happened a year ago or longer really can't help you all that much.

Tripgirl, I am the person who was freezing in May. 1. We were in the hills of Tuscany, not Amalfi Coast area. 2. We are from Florida and I was responding to another Floridian - our blood is much thinner than yours. Anything under 70 and we're pulling out the sweaters, and 3. We were in fact, walking around in tee shirts, in Siena when the cold front whizzed in and plummeted temperatures all the way down to probably just below 60. So my post was irrelevant to your trip.

gianni,

It was actually another person way back in 2005 did indeed post they were freezing onthe AC in May , so this was not you I was referencing.

But I know you Floridians get cold! My DH is from Miami and I lived in Florida three times in my life. each time I came back north it took me a long time to get re-adjusted!

I'd go for hot and humid anyday though; I love it! I'm in DC and then weather is SO variable, it drives me crazy!

Anyway despite being cold I trust you had a magnificent time in Italy!

Tripgirl. . . did our honeymoon in Capri/Positano in May 2004. Left on May 23rd and back in early June. FROZE at night. Didn't have enough long/warm stuff at all and always felt cold at dinner and out. Wished I had thought to bring more long (and stylish) pants. Also, cold in strappy sandals. We were based in DC at that point and we were thinking warm, warm, warm.

Was so happy that I had a wrap with me. Bring cute jackets for going out. Potentially covered shoes, too. Layer, layer, layer!

Have a ball. I'm so jealous!

-Kellie

kellbell,

Do you remember your daytime and nighttime temps.

sounds like you froze only because you did not have the right clothes on? Were you wearing shorts and thin clothes at night?

I have now tracked two people( outside of Fodors) with the temps from the first and second week of May for the years 2004 and 2005.

In both cases for the exact dates and exact locations when we'll be there, it was warm and sunny during the day and cool at night with no rain. I know past weather performance is no predictor of what will happen this year, but a 2 yr track record is ok with me!

You were there at the end of May which I would have thought would have warmer than the beginning of May.

Hi T,

We were there in Oct, so I can't help with early May, except that until about the end of the month the weather will be changeable.

Bring a sun hat, sunblocker, a light windbreaker and an umbrella.

Have a lovely visit.

((I))

Why don't you want to look at this year's temperatures just before you go? If you are only going to be there a week and the 10-day forecast is for 10 days you will be covered, I calculate.

Tripgirl, Thanks, when you used the phrase "in and old post" I should have known...
Yes, Italy is great regardless of the weather, we love it about as much as you seem to! In June we'll be in the area you are going to, so we're hoping to see a report from you before we go. I bet "cold" won't be a problem (even for us) in June!!! Have a great trip. Gianni