Pasadena, CA weather in May
Pasadena is mild and dry in May: highs average 78°F and nights drop to about 54°F. Rain falls on about 3 days. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 78°F
- Normal low
- 54°F
- Wet days
- 3
- 0.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 77°F | 80°F |
| Normal low | 52°F | 55°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 10% | 8% |
| 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 am58°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 am65°Fdew point 50°F
- Noon73°Fdew point 50°F
- 3 pm74°Fdew point 50°F
- 6 pm69°Fdew point 49°F
- 9 pm63°Fdew point 50°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Burbank Glendale Pasadena Airport (13 mi away); average wind 6 mph; clear or few clouds in 73% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 22%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F19 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more3 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 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 0.5 in; a dry May brings about 0.04 in and a wet one about 0.6 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 87°F
- Coolest May2019: average high 71°F
- Wettest May1998: 4.4 in
- Driest May1997: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading104°F (May 15, 2014)
- Lowest reading43°F (May 7, 2017)
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 | 78°F | 84°F |
| Normal low | 51°F | 54°F | 58°F |
| Wet days | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Comfortable days | 18 | 19 | 10 |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | 13.9 h | 14.4 h |
Highs change by +2°F from April and +6°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Palm Springs, CA94 mi · high 95°F · 0 wet days
- Cooler: Torrance, CA24 mi · high 70°F · 2 wet days
How Pasadena ranks in May
- Normal high157th warmest of 378 cities; 26th of 60 in California
- Wet days51st driest of 378
- Comfortable days27th most of 339
Heating and cooling
May has 53 heating degree days and 87 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Pasadena in May?
The normal high is 78°F and the normal low is 54°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 104°F (May 15, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Pasadena in May?
About 3 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.5 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (4.4 in); the driest was in 1997, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit Pasadena?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Pasadena (79 out of 100). It has about 19 comfortable days and about 3 days at 90°F or hotter. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Pasadena (USC00046719), 0.0 mi NNW of the city center, 864 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: U C L A (USC00049152), 18 mi WSW of the city center, 430 ft (433 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Burbank Glendale Pasadena Airport (USW00023152), 13 mi WNW of the city center, 741 ft (122 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Burbank-Glendale-Pasa Arpt (722880-23152), 13 mi WNW of the city center, 731 ft (132 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.