Sitka, AK weather in May
May in Sitka: chilly, with rain on most days. Highs 53°F, lows 43°F, about 16 days with rain. Keep rain gear handy.
- Normal high
- 53°F
- Normal low
- 43°F
- Wet days
- 16
- 3.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 51°F | 56°F |
| Normal low | 40°F | 46°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 55% | 55% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:12 am / 8:44 pm | 4:16 am / 9:41 pm |
| Daylight | 15.5 h | 17.4 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Alaska Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am46°Fdew point 41°F
- 9 am49°Fdew point 41°F
- Noon51°Fdew point 42°F
- 3 pm51°Fdew point 42°F
- 6 pm50°Fdew point 42°F
- 9 pm48°Fdew point 42°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Sitka Airport (1 mi away); average wind 7 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F2 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow16 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in10 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 3.8 in; a dry May brings about 2.0 in and a wet one about 5.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202005: average high 59°F
- Coolest May1999: average high 48°F
- Wettest May1992: 9.0 in
- Driest May2015: 0.3 in
- Highest reading78°F (May 14, 2016)
- Lowest reading29°F (May 6, 2002)
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 | 48°F | 53°F | 58°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 43°F | 48°F |
| Wet days | 18 | 16 | 17 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Daylight | 14.3 h | 16.6 h | 17.8 h |
Highs change by +5°F from April and +5°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Drier: Skagway, AK166 mi · high 58°F · 9 wet days
How Sitka ranks in May
- Normal high378th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days376th driest of 378
- Comfortable days308th most of 339
What to pack for Sitka in May
- A warm jacket – lows near 43°F, highs near 53°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 16 days
Heating and cooling
May has 522 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 7% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Sitka in May?
The normal high is 53°F and the normal low is 43°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 29°F (May 6, 2002).
Does it rain a lot in Sitka in May?
About 16 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.8 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1992 (9.0 in); the driest was in 2015 (0.3 in).
Is May a good time to visit Sitka?
May ranks 4th of 12 months on our comfort score for Sitka (54 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days. The best months are June, July and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Sitka Airport (USW00025333), 1.4 mi WSW of the city center, 14 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Arpt (703710-25333), 1.4 mi WSW of the city center, 20 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: snowfall, snow depth and cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).