Bakersfield, CA weather in May
Expect warm, dry weather in Bakersfield in May, with highs near 84°F and lows near 58°F. Rain falls on about 2 days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 84°F
- Normal low
- 58°F
- Wet days
- 2
- 0.3 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 80°F | 88°F |
| Normal low | 54°F | 61°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 9% | 5% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:04 am / 7:41 pm | 5:42 am / 8:04 pm |
| Daylight | 13.6 h | 14.4 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Pacific Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am61°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 am71°Fdew point 45°F
- Noon78°Fdew point 45°F
- 3 pm83°Fdew point 44°F
- 6 pm80°Fdew point 43°F
- 9 pm70°Fdew point 44°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Bakersfield Airport (5 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 82% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 14%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F10 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more9 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow2 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in1 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 0.3 in; a dry May brings about 0.0 in and a wet one about 0.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202001: average high 92°F
- Coolest May1998: average high 73°F
- Wettest May2019: 1.6 in
- Driest May1991: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading107°F (May 31, 2001)
- Lowest reading39°F (May 2, 1991)
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 | 76°F | 84°F | 92°F |
| Normal low | 51°F | 58°F | 65°F |
| Wet days | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Comfortable days | 18 | 10 | 2 |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | 14.0 h | 14.5 h |
Highs change by +8°F from April and +8°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Furnace Creek, CA142 mi · high 101°F · 1 wet day
- Cooler: Santa Barbara, CA76 mi · high 72°F · 2 wet days
How Bakersfield ranks in May
- Normal high77th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 60 in California
- Wet days33rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days211th most of 339
What to pack for Bakersfield in May
- Layers – afternoons near 84°F but nights near 58°F
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.0 hours of daylight and highs near 84°F
Heating and cooling
May has 26 heating degree days and 214 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Bakersfield in May?
The normal high is 84°F and the normal low is 58°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 107°F (May 31, 2001).
Does it rain a lot in Bakersfield in May?
About 2 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.3 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2019 (1.6 in); the driest was in 1991, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit Bakersfield?
May ranks 6th of 12 months on our comfort score for Bakersfield (65 out of 100). It has about 10 comfortable days and about 9 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are March and April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Bakersfield Airport (USW00023155), 4.7 mi NNW of the city center, 489 ft (85 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Meadows Field Airport (723840-23155), 4.7 mi NNW of the city center, 490 ft (86 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.