Modesto, CA weather in May
Modesto is warm and mostly dry in May: highs average 82°F and nights drop to about 54°F. There are about 3 days with rain. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 82°F
- Normal low
- 54°F
- Wet days
- 3
- 0.7 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 78°F | 86°F |
| Normal low | 51°F | 57°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 11% | 7% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:08 am / 7:53 pm | 5:44 am / 8:18 pm |
| Daylight | 13.8 h | 14.6 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 am56°Fdew point 48°F
- 9 am68°Fdew point 48°F
- Noon76°Fdew point 47°F
- 3 pm80°Fdew point 46°F
- 6 pm75°Fdew point 47°F
- 9 pm63°Fdew point 48°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Stockton Metro Airport (21 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 80% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 16%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F13 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more7 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow3 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 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 0.7 in; a dry May brings about 0.1 in and a wet one about 1.0 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 91°F
- Coolest May1998: average high 72°F
- Wettest May1998: 4.0 in
- Driest May1992: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading107°F (May 17, 2009)
- Lowest reading42°F (May 9, 2011)
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 | 74°F | 82°F | 90°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 54°F | 59°F |
| Wet days | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Comfortable days | 19 | 13 | 3 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.2 h | 14.7 h |
Highs change by +8°F from April and +8°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Furnace Creek, CA242 mi · high 101°F · 1 wet day
- Cooler: San Jose, CA53 mi · high 74°F · 3 wet days
How Modesto ranks in May
- Normal high108th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 60 in California
- Wet days56th driest of 378
- Comfortable days179th most of 339
What to pack for Modesto in May
- Layers – afternoons near 82°F but nights near 54°F
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.2 hours of daylight and highs near 82°F
Heating and cooling
May has 44 heating degree days and 133 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Modesto in May?
The normal high is 82°F and the normal low is 54°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 107°F (May 17, 2009).
Does it rain a lot in Modesto in May?
About 3 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.7 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (4.0 in); the driest was in 1992, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit Modesto?
May ranks 4th of 12 months on our comfort score for Modesto (69 out of 100). It has about 13 comfortable days and about 7 days at 90°F or hotter. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Modesto City Co Airport (USW00023258), 2.7 mi ESE of the city center, 73 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Turlock #2 (USC00049073), 13 mi SE of the city center, 103 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Stockton Metro Airport (USW00023237), 21 mi NW of the city center, 26 ft (62 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Mdsto Cty-Co H Sham Fd Apt (724926-23258), 2.5 mi ESE of the city center, 87 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.