Solvang, CA weather in May
In May, Solvang sees highs around 80°F and lows around 43°F: warm and dry. Expect about 2 wet days. Great for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 80°F
- Normal low
- 43°F
- Wet days
- 2
- 0.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 78°F | 82°F |
| Normal low | 41°F | 44°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 9% | 4% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:10 am / 7:45 pm | 5:49 am / 8:07 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 am55°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 am63°Fdew point 53°F
- Noon66°Fdew point 52°F
- 3 pm67°Fdew point 52°F
- 6 pm63°Fdew point 52°F
- 9 pm58°Fdew point 51°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Santa Barbara Muni Airport (21 mi away); average wind 6 mph; clear or few clouds in 58% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 29%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F17 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph12 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more5 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 0.5 in; a dry May brings about 0.0 in and a wet one about 0.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Snow is very rare.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20201997: average high 90°F
- Coolest May1998: average high 70°F
- Wettest May1998: 3.4 in
- Driest May1991: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading105°F (May 16, 2014)
- Lowest reading32°F (May 24, 2013)
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 | 86°F |
| Normal low | 39°F | 43°F | 45°F |
| Wet days | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Comfortable days | 18 | 17 | 8 |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | 14.0 h | 14.4 h |
Highs change by +4°F from April and +6°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Palm Springs, CA212 mi · high 95°F · 0 wet days
- Cooler: Santa Barbara, CA28 mi · high 72°F · 2 wet days
How Solvang ranks in May
- Normal high145th warmest of 378 cities; 24th of 60 in California
- Wet days34th driest of 378
- Comfortable days36th most of 339
What to pack for Solvang in May
- Layers – afternoons near 80°F but nights near 43°F
- A swimsuit – about 12 beach days
Heating and cooling
May has 143 heating degree days and 29 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 6% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Solvang in May?
The normal high is 80°F and the normal low is 43°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 105°F (May 16, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Solvang in May?
About 2 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.5 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (3.4 in); the driest was in 1991, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit Solvang?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Solvang (76 out of 100). It has about 17 comfortable days and about 5 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April and May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Cachuma Lake (USC00041253), 8.9 mi E of the city center, 789 ft (299 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Santa Barbara Muni Airport (USW00023190), 21 mi SE of the city center, 9 ft (481 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (723925-23190), 21 mi SE of the city center, 8 ft (482 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.