Washington, DC weather in May
Washington is mild in May, with frequent rain: highs average 77°F and nights drop to about 58°F. Rain falls on about 12 days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 77°F
- Normal low
- 58°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 3.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 4
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 73°F | 80°F |
| Normal low | 54°F | 63°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 37% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:10 am / 8:00 pm | 5:45 am / 8:26 pm |
| Daylight | 13.8 h | 14.7 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 am60°Fdew point 53°F
- 9 am66°Fdew point 53°F
- Noon71°Fdew point 53°F
- 3 pm74°Fdew point 53°F
- 6 pm71°Fdew point 53°F
- 9 pm66°Fdew point 54°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Washington Reagan Airport (3 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 41% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 46%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more2 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more4 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 3.9 in; a dry May brings about 2.3 in and a wet one about 5.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 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 83°F
- Coolest May2003: average high 68°F
- Wettest May2008: 10.7 in
- Driest May1999: 1.3 in
- Highest reading99°F (May 31, 1991)
- Lowest reading37°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 | 68°F | 77°F | 85°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 58°F | 68°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 14 | 14 | 4 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.3 h | 14.8 h |
Highs change by +9°F from April and +8°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Drier: Nags Head, NC217 mi · high 75°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Ocean City, MD112 mi · high 70°F · 12 wet days
How Washington ranks in May
- Normal high173rd warmest of 378 cities
- Wet days249th driest of 378
- Comfortable days140th most of 339
What to pack for Washington in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.3 hours of daylight and highs near 77°F
Heating and cooling
May has 63 heating degree days and 132 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Washington in May?
The normal high is 77°F and the normal low is 58°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 99°F (May 31, 1991).
Does it rain a lot in Washington in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.9 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2008 (10.7 in); the driest was in 1999 (1.3 in).
Is May a good time to visit Washington?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Washington (69 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days and about 2 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Washington Reagan Airport (USW00013743), 3.2 mi S of the city center, 10 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Camp Springs Andrews AFB (USW00013705), 11 mi ESE of the city center, 282 ft (258 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Ronald Reagan Washington Natl Airport (724050-13743), 3.3 mi S of the city center, 13 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.