Gulf Shores, AL weather in May
In May, Gulf Shores sees highs around 85°F and lows around 60°F: warm and oppressively humid, with some rain. There are about 8 days with rain.
- Normal high
- 85°F
- Normal low
- 60°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 4.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 21
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 82°F | 88°F |
| Normal low | 56°F | 65°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 23% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:07 am / 7:28 pm | 5:49 am / 7:47 pm |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.0 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am70°Fdew point 66°F
- 9 am79°Fdew point 66°F
- Noon81°Fdew point 66°F
- 3 pm81°Fdew point 66°F
- 6 pm77°Fdew point 66°F
- 9 pm72°Fdew point 66°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Pensacola Forest Sherman NAS (24 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 58% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 25%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F3 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph20 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more4 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more21 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per May, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in May
Normal precipitation is 4.9 in; a dry May brings about 2.5 in and a wet one about 7.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202012: average high 88°F
- Coolest May1993: average high 82°F
- Wettest May1991: 13.8 in
- Driest May1996: 0.5 in
- Highest reading97°F (May 28, 2012)
- Lowest reading40°F (May 13, 2006)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
May compared with April and June
| April | May | June | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 78°F | 85°F | 89°F |
| Normal low | 52°F | 60°F | 68°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 8 | 13 |
| Comfortable days | 11 | 3 | 0 |
| Daylight | 12.9 h | 13.7 h | 14.1 h |
Highs change by +7°F from April and +4°F into June.
How Gulf Shores ranks in May
- Normal high64th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 6 in Alabama
- Wet days141st driest of 378
- Comfortable days286th most of 339
What to pack for Gulf Shores in May
- Light, breathable clothing – highs near 85°F and about 21 muggy days
- Layers – afternoons near 85°F but nights near 60°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 8 days
- A swimsuit – about 20 beach days
Heating and cooling
May has 8 heating degree days and 246 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 6% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Gulf Shores in May?
The normal high is 85°F and the normal low is 60°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 97°F (May 28, 2012).
Does it rain a lot in Gulf Shores in May?
About 8 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.9 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1991 (13.8 in); the driest was in 1996 (0.5 in).
Is May a good time to visit Gulf Shores?
May ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Gulf Shores (53 out of 100). It has about 3 comfortable days and about 4 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are March, April and November.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and rain: Fairhope 2 Ne (USC00012813), 23 mi NNW of the city center, 23 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Dauphin Is #2 (USC00012172), 23 mi W of the city center, 8 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Pensacola Forest Sherman NAS (USW00003855), 24 mi ENE of the city center, 28 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Pensacola Rgnl Airport (USW00013899), 35 mi ENE of the city center, 112 ft (105 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Pensacola NAS (722225-03855), 24 mi ENE of the city center, 28 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.