Salinas, CA weather in May
May in Salinas: mild and dry. Highs 68°F, lows 50°F, rain on about 3 days. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 68°F
- Normal low
- 50°F
- Wet days
- 3
- 0.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 68°F | 69°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 52°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 12% | 7% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:12 am / 7:54 pm | 5:49 am / 8:18 pm |
| Daylight | 13.7 h | 14.5 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Pacific Time).
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F20 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph2 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 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 0.4 in; a dry May brings about 0.03 in and a wet one about 0.7 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 75°F
- Coolest May1999: average high 63°F
- Wettest May1998: 1.9 in
- Driest May1992: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading98°F (May 16, 2008)
- Lowest reading38°F (May 8, 2002)
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 | 67°F | 68°F | 70°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 50°F | 53°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| Comfortable days | 15 | 20 | 24 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.1 h | 14.6 h |
Highs change by +1°F from April and +2°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: San Jose, CA48 mi · high 74°F · 3 wet days
- Cooler: Mammoth Lakes, CA162 mi · high 60°F · 6 wet days
How Salinas ranks in May
- Normal high296th warmest of 378 cities; 52nd of 60 in California
- Wet days53rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days24th most of 339
Heating and cooling
May has 185 heating degree days and 8 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 7% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Salinas in May?
The normal high is 68°F and the normal low is 50°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 38°F (May 8, 2002).
Does it rain a lot in Salinas in May?
About 3 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.4 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (1.9 in); the driest was in 1992, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit Salinas?
May ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Salinas (82 out of 100). It has about 20 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best month is July.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Salinas Municipal Airport (USW00023233), 2.8 mi ESE of the city center, 74 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Salinas #2 (USC00047668), 1.4 mi SSW of the city center, 45 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: N Y. Mineta Sn Jo Intl Apt (724945-23293), 49 mi NNW of the city center, 49 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).