Santa Clara, CA weather in May
May in Santa Clara: mild and dry. Highs 72°F, lows 53°F, about 3 wet days. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 72°F
- Normal low
- 53°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 | 70°F | 74°F |
| Normal low | 51°F | 54°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 12% | 6% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:12 am / 7:57 pm | 5:49 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 (29 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 78°F
- Coolest May2015: average high 67°F
- Wettest May2019: 1.4 in
- Driest May2001: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading99°F (May 15, 2008)
- Lowest reading43°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 | 68°F | 72°F | 76°F |
| Normal low | 49°F | 53°F | 56°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| Comfortable days | 18 | 24 | 23 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.2 h | 14.7 h |
Highs change by +4°F from April and +4°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Tracy, CA39 mi · high 83°F · 3 wet days
- Cooler: San Francisco, CA39 mi · high 64°F · 4 wet days
How Santa Clara ranks in May
- Normal high236th warmest of 378 cities; 43rd of 60 in California
- Wet days48th driest of 378
- Comfortable days11th most of 339
Heating and cooling
May has 116 heating degree days and 26 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Santa Clara in May?
The normal high is 72°F and the normal low is 53°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 99°F (most recently on May 15, 2008).
Does it rain a lot in Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara?
May ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for Santa Clara (88 out of 100). It has about 24 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are May, June and July.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature: Moffett Federal Airfield (USW00023244), 6.2 mi NW of the city center, 39 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain and frost dates: San Jose (USW00023293), 1.8 mi ENE of the city center, 51 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: San Jose (USC00047821), 2.9 mi E 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), 29 mi NW of the city center, 8 ft (64 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), 1.8 mi E of the city center, 49 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.