Wilmington, DE weather in May
May in Wilmington: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 74°F, lows 53°F, rain on about 12 days. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 74°F
- Normal low
- 53°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 3.6 in total
- Muggy days
- 2
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 70°F | 78°F |
| Normal low | 49°F | 58°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 38% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:02 am / 7:56 pm | 5:36 am / 8:23 pm |
| Daylight | 13.9 h | 14.8 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am58°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 am64°Fdew point 50°F
- Noon70°Fdew point 50°F
- 3 pm72°Fdew point 50°F
- 6 pm70°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 pm64°Fdew point 51°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Philadelphia Intl Airport (19 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 62% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 31%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F16 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph5 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more2 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow12 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per May, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in May
Normal precipitation is 3.6 in; a dry May brings about 2.4 in and a wet one about 4.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20201991: average high 81°F
- Coolest May2003: average high 66°F
- Wettest May2016: 7.3 in
- Driest May2007: 1.0 in
- Highest reading96°F (May 31, 2011)
- Lowest reading33°F (May 9, 2020)
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 | 64°F | 74°F | 82°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 53°F | 63°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 12 | 16 | 7 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.4 h | 14.9 h |
Highs change by +10°F from April and +8°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Cooler: Bridgeport, CT157 mi · high 68°F · 12 wet days
How Wilmington ranks in May
- Normal high216th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 2 in Delaware
- Wet days256th driest of 378
- Comfortable days64th most of 339
What to pack for Wilmington in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
Heating and cooling
May has 122 heating degree days and 74 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Wilmington in May?
The normal high is 74°F and the normal low is 53°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 96°F (most recently on May 31, 2011).
Does it rain a lot in Wilmington in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.6 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2016 (7.3 in); the driest was in 2007 (1.0 in).
Is May a good time to visit Wilmington?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Wilmington (73 out of 100). It has about 16 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Wilmington New Castle Co Airport (USW00013781), 5.8 mi SSW of the city center, 79 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Wilmington Porter Rsch (USC00079605), 1.9 mi N of the city center, 270 ft (179 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Philadelphia Intl Airport (USW00013739), 19 mi ENE of the city center, 10 ft (81 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Millville Muni Airport (USW00013735), 37 mi SE of the city center, 70 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Philadelphia International Airport (724080-13739), 19 mi ENE of the city center, 7 ft (84 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.