Costa Mesa, CA weather in May
Costa Mesa is mild and dry in May: highs average 75°F and nights drop to about 58°F. There are about 2 days with rain. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 75°F
- Normal low
- 58°F
- Wet days
- 2
- 0.2 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 74°F | 75°F |
| Normal low | 56°F | 60°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 6% | 4% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:02 am / 7:34 pm | 5:42 am / 7:56 pm |
| Daylight | 13.5 h | 14.2 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 am60°Fdew point 54°F
- 9 am65°Fdew point 54°F
- Noon67°Fdew point 54°F
- 3 pm67°Fdew point 54°F
- 6 pm63°Fdew point 54°F
- 9 pm61°Fdew point 54°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Los Angeles Intl Airport (34 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 42% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 33%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F25 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph5 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more2 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 0.2 in; a dry May brings about 0.0 in and a wet one about 0.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202004: average high 82°F
- Coolest May1995: average high 70°F
- Wettest May2015: 1.4 in
- Driest May1991: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading105°F (May 3, 2004)
- Lowest reading45°F (May 1, 1999)
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 | 73°F | 75°F | 78°F |
| Normal low | 54°F | 58°F | 61°F |
| Wet days | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Comfortable days | 22 | 25 | 19 |
| Daylight | 13.0 h | 13.9 h | 14.3 h |
Highs change by +2°F from April and +3°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Corona, CA26 mi · high 81°F · 1 wet day
- Cooler: Torrance, CA28 mi · high 70°F · 2 wet days
How Costa Mesa ranks in May
- Normal high196th warmest of 378 cities; 36th of 60 in California
- Wet days20th driest of 378
- Comfortable days4th most of 339
Heating and cooling
May has 31 heating degree days and 75 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Costa Mesa in May?
The normal high is 75°F and the normal low is 58°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 105°F (May 3, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Costa Mesa in May?
About 2 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.2 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (1.4 in); the driest was in 1991, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit Costa Mesa?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Costa Mesa (88 out of 100). It has about 25 comfortable days and about 2 days at 90°F or hotter. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature: Santa Ana Fire Stn (USC00047888), 7.7 mi NNE of the city center, 135 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall and snow depth: Newport Beach Harbor (USC00046175), 3.3 mi SE of the city center, 10 ft (90 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Santa Ana John Wayne Airport (USW00093184), 4.0 mi NE of the city center, 54 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Los Angeles Intl Airport (USW00023174), 34 mi NW of the city center, 97 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: J. Wayne Apt-Orange Co Apt (722977-93184), 4.0 mi NE of the city center, 43 ft (57 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.