Los Angeles, CA weather in May
Expect mild, dry weather in Los Angeles in May, with highs near 74°F and lows near 58°F. Rain falls on about 2 days. Great for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 74°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 | 73°F | 75°F |
| Normal low | 57°F | 60°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 7% | 4% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:03 am / 7:36 pm | 5:42 am / 7:58 pm |
| Daylight | 13.6 h | 14.3 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 (12 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
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 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, 1991-20201997: average high 82°F
- Coolest May2019: average high 70°F
- Wettest May1998: 3.1 in
- Driest May1991: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading102°F (May 15, 2014)
- Lowest reading49°F (May 27, 2019)
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 | 72°F | 74°F | 77°F |
| Normal low | 55°F | 58°F | 61°F |
| Wet days | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Comfortable days | 22 | 25 | 20 |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | 13.9 h | 14.4 h |
Highs change by +2°F from April and +3°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Pomona, CA28 mi · high 80°F · 4 wet days
- Cooler: Oxnard, CA54 mi · high 68°F · 2 wet days
How Los Angeles ranks in May
- Normal high212th warmest of 378 cities; 40th of 60 in California
- Wet days30th driest of 378
- Comfortable days6th most of 339
Heating and cooling
May has 39 heating degree days and 67 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Los Angeles in May?
The normal high is 74°F and the normal low is 58°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 102°F (May 15, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Los Angeles 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 1998 (3.1 in); the driest was in 1991, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit Los Angeles?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Los Angeles (88 out of 100). It has about 25 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Los Angeles Downtown Usc Campus (USW00093134), 0.5 mi E of the city center, 230 ft (54 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: U C L A (USC00049152), 12 mi W of the city center, 430 ft (146 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Los Angeles Intl Airport (USW00023174), 12 mi SW of the city center, 97 ft (187 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Los Angeles International Airport (722950-23174), 11 mi SW of the city center, 97 ft (187 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.