Palmdale, CA weather in May
In May, Palmdale sees highs around 83°F and lows around 53°F: warm and dry. Rain falls on about 1 day. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 83°F
- Normal low
- 53°F
- Wet days
- 1
- 0.1 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 79°F | 87°F |
| Normal low | 50°F | 57°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 3% | 1% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:02 am / 7:36 pm | 5:41 am / 7:59 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 am57°Fdew point 38°F
- 9 am72°Fdew point 37°F
- Noon79°Fdew point 34°F
- 3 pm79°Fdew point 36°F
- 6 pm72°Fdew point 38°F
- 9 pm64°Fdew point 39°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Lancaster Wm J Fox Fld (12 mi away); average wind 15 mph; clear or few clouds in 88% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 10%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F9 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 snow1 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in0 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 0.1 in; a dry May brings about 0.0 in and a wet one about 0.1 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 92°F
- Coolest May1998: average high 73°F
- Wettest May1998: 1.0 in
- Driest May1991: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading106°F (May 28, 2003)
- Lowest reading39°F (May 16, 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 | 75°F | 83°F | 92°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 53°F | 61°F |
| Wet days | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Comfortable days | 16 | 9 | 3 |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | 14.0 h | 14.4 h |
Highs change by +8°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Palm Springs, CA104 mi · high 95°F · 0 wet days
- Cooler: Burbank, CA30 mi · high 75°F · 2 wet days
How Palmdale ranks in May
- Normal high103rd warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 60 in California
- Wet days4th driest of 378
- Comfortable days224th most of 339
What to pack for Palmdale in May
- Layers – afternoons near 83°F but nights near 53°F
Heating and cooling
May has 57 heating degree days and 150 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Palmdale in May?
The normal high is 83°F and the normal low is 53°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 106°F (May 28, 2003).
Does it rain a lot in Palmdale in May?
About 1 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.1 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (1.0 in); the driest was in 1991, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit Palmdale?
May ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Palmdale (63 out of 100). It has about 9 comfortable days and about 9 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are March, April and November.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Palmdale (USC00046624), 1.4 mi ENE of the city center, 2,612 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Lancaster Wm J Fox Fld (USW00003159), 12 mi NNW of the city center, 2,338 ft (320 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: General William J. Fox Airfield Airport (723816-03159), 12 mi NNW of the city center, 2,338 ft (320 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.