San Diego, CA weather in May
May in San Diego: mild and dry. Highs 70°F, lows 60°F, about 2 days with rain. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 70°F
- Normal low
- 60°F
- Wet days
- 2
- 0.3 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 69°F | 70°F |
| Normal low | 59°F | 61°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 9% | 5% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:01 am / 7:30 pm | 5:41 am / 7:50 pm |
| Daylight | 13.5 h | 14.2 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 am61°Fdew point 53°F
- 9 am65°Fdew point 53°F
- Noon67°Fdew point 54°F
- 3 pm67°Fdew point 54°F
- 6 pm65°Fdew point 54°F
- 9 pm63°Fdew point 54°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from San Diego Lindbergh Fld (2 mi away); average wind 7 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F25 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph1 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow2 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 0.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202014: average high 75°F
- Coolest May1999: average high 64°F
- Wettest May2015: 2.4 in
- Driest May1997: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading97°F (May 15, 2014)
- Lowest reading50°F (May 1, 1999)
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 | 69°F | 70°F | 72°F |
| Normal low | 57°F | 60°F | 63°F |
| Wet days | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Comfortable days | 20 | 25 | 24 |
| Daylight | 13.0 h | 13.8 h | 14.3 h |
Highs change by +1°F from April and +2°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: El Cajon, CA13 mi · high 76°F · 3 wet days
How San Diego ranks in May
- Normal high273rd warmest of 378 cities; 48th of 60 in California
- Wet days37th driest of 378
- Comfortable days2nd most of 339
Heating and cooling
May has 45 heating degree days and 37 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is San Diego in May?
The normal high is 70°F and the normal low is 60°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 97°F (May 15, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in San Diego in May?
About 2 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.3 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (2.4 in); the driest was in 1997, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit San Diego?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for San Diego (89 out of 100). It has about 25 comfortable days. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: San Diego Lindbergh Fld (USW00023188), 2.0 mi NW of the city center, 15 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Chula Vista (USC00041758), 6.7 mi SE of the city center, 56 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: San Diego International Airport (722900-23188), 2.0 mi NW of the city center, 15 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).