Riverside, CA weather in May
Riverside is warm and dry in May: highs average 80°F and nights drop to about 55°F. There are about 1 day with rain. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 80°F
- Normal low
- 55°F
- Wet days
- 1
- 0.2 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 78°F | 83°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 57°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 6% | 3% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:00 am / 7:33 pm | 5:39 am / 7:54 pm |
| Daylight | 13.5 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 am56°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 am67°Fdew point 49°F
- Noon76°Fdew point 47°F
- 3 pm78°Fdew point 48°F
- 6 pm71°Fdew point 49°F
- 9 pm61°Fdew point 50°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from March AFB (9 mi away); average wind 6 mph; clear or few clouds in 65% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 26%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F16 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more6 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 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 0.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202020: average high 86°F
- Coolest May2019: average high 74°F
- Wettest May1998: 1.5 in
- Driest May1993: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading105°F (May 28, 2003)
- Lowest reading39°F (May 10, 2003)
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 | 80°F | 87°F |
| Normal low | 50°F | 55°F | 59°F |
| Wet days | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Comfortable days | 17 | 16 | 7 |
| Daylight | 13.0 h | 13.9 h | 14.4 h |
Highs change by +4°F from April and +7°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Palm Springs, CA50 mi · high 95°F · 0 wet days
- Cooler: Anaheim, CA31 mi · high 75°F · 2 wet days
How Riverside ranks in May
- Normal high140th warmest of 378 cities; 20th of 60 in California
- Wet days19th driest of 378
- Comfortable days60th most of 339
What to pack for Riverside in May
- Layers – afternoons near 80°F but nights near 55°F
Heating and cooling
May has 33 heating degree days and 114 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Riverside in May?
The normal high is 80°F and the normal low is 55°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 105°F (May 28, 2003).
Does it rain a lot in Riverside in May?
About 1 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 1998 (1.5 in); the driest was in 1993, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit Riverside?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Riverside (74 out of 100). It has about 16 comfortable days and about 6 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are March, April and May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and frost dates: Riverside Muni Airport (USW00003171), 2.4 mi W of the city center, 805 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall and snow depth: Riverside Fire Stn 3 (USC00047470), 0.5 mi ESE of the city center, 840 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: March AFB (USW00023119), 9.2 mi ESE of the city center, 1,516 ft (687 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: March Air Reserve Base (722860-23119), 9.2 mi ESE of the city center, 1,536 ft (707 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.