San Bernardino, CA weather in May
May in San Bernardino: warm and dry. Highs 80°F, lows 52°F, about 3 wet days. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 80°F
- Normal low
- 52°F
- Wet days
- 3
- 0.3 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 78°F | 84°F |
| Normal low | 51°F | 54°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 11% | 6% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:59 am / 7:32 pm | 5:38 am / 7:54 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 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 (15 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°F14 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 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 0.3 in; a dry May brings about 0.01 in and a wet one about 0.5 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 89°F
- Coolest May1998: average high 71°F
- Wettest May1998: 2.7 in
- Driest May1996: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading107°F (May 28, 2003)
- Lowest reading41°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 | 89°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 52°F | 56°F |
| Wet days | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Comfortable days | 15 | 14 | 5 |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | 13.9 h | 14.4 h |
Highs change by +4°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Palm Springs, CA47 mi · high 95°F · 0 wet days
- Cooler: Big Bear Lake, CA24 mi · high 66°F · 2 wet days
How San Bernardino ranks in May
- Normal high134th warmest of 378 cities; 19th of 60 in California
- Wet days46th driest of 378
- Comfortable days153rd most of 339
What to pack for San Bernardino in May
- Layers – afternoons near 80°F but nights near 52°F
Heating and cooling
May has 57 heating degree days and 99 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is San Bernardino in May?
The normal high is 80°F and the normal low is 52°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 107°F (May 28, 2003).
Does it rain a lot in San Bernardino 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 (2.7 in); the driest was in 1996, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit San Bernardino?
May ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for San Bernardino (70 out of 100). It has about 14 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, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Redlands (USC00047306), 7.3 mi SE of the city center, 1,410 ft (359 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: March AFB (USW00023119), 15 mi S of the city center, 1,516 ft (465 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: March Air Reserve Base (722860-23119), 15 mi S of the city center, 1,536 ft (485 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.