San Jose, CA weather in May
Expect mild, dry weather in San Jose in May, with highs near 74°F and lows near 52°F. Rain falls on about 3 days. Great for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 74°F
- Normal low
- 52°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 | 71°F | 77°F |
| Normal low | 50°F | 54°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 12% | 6% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:12 am / 7:56 pm | 5:48 am / 8:21 pm |
| Daylight | 13.7 h | 14.6 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 am54°Fdew point 48°F
- 9 am60°Fdew point 49°F
- Noon65°Fdew point 49°F
- 3 pm65°Fdew point 48°F
- 6 pm60°Fdew point 48°F
- 9 pm56°Fdew point 48°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from San Francisco Intl Airport (32 mi away); average wind 14 mph; clear or few clouds in 44% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 34%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F24 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 0.01 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, 1991-20202001: average high 81°F
- Coolest May1999: average high 68°F
- Wettest May2019: 1.4 in
- Driest May2001: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading99°F (May 15, 2008)
- Lowest reading42°F (May 8, 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 | 74°F | 79°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 52°F | 56°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| Comfortable days | 18 | 24 | 19 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.2 h | 14.7 h |
Highs change by +5°F from April and +5°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Tracy, CA38 mi · high 83°F · 3 wet days
- Cooler: Hayward, CA25 mi · high 68°F · 4 wet days
How San Jose ranks in May
- Normal high210th warmest of 378 cities; 39th of 60 in California
- Wet days47th driest of 378
- Comfortable days13th most of 339
Heating and cooling
May has 102 heating degree days and 38 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is San Jose in May?
The normal high is 74°F and the normal low is 52°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 99°F (most recently on May 15, 2008).
Does it rain a lot in San Jose 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 2019 (1.4 in); the driest was in 2001, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit San Jose?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for San Jose (87 out of 100). It has about 24 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: San Jose (USW00023293), 2.1 mi NW of the city center, 51 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: San Jose (USC00047821), 0.8 mi NNW of the city center, 67 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: San Francisco Intl Airport (USW00023234), 32 mi NW of the city center, 8 ft (73 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: N Y. Mineta Sn Jo Intl Apt (724945-23293), 2.1 mi NW of the city center, 49 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.