Key West, FL weather in May
Expect warm, oppressively humid weather with some rain in Key West in May, with highs near 86°F and lows near 76°F. Rain falls on about 8 days.
- Normal high
- 86°F
- Normal low
- 76°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 3.1 in total
- Muggy days
- 28
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 84°F | 88°F |
| Normal low | 75°F | 78°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 19% | 31% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:51 am / 7:56 pm | 6:38 am / 8:11 pm |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | 13.6 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 am78°Fdew point 71°F
- 9 am81°Fdew point 71°F
- Noon83°Fdew point 71°F
- 3 pm84°Fdew point 71°F
- 6 pm82°Fdew point 71°F
- 9 pm79°Fdew point 71°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Key West Intl Airport (2 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 70% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 17%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph22 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more28 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in4 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 3.1 in; a dry May brings about 1.0 in and a wet one about 4.1 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, 1991-20201995: average high 88°F
- Coolest May2018: average high 83°F
- Wettest May2018: 14.2 in
- Driest May2010: 0.5 in
- Highest reading94°F (May 14, 2019)
- Lowest reading63°F (May 8, 2016)
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 | 83°F | 86°F | 89°F |
| Normal low | 73°F | 76°F | 79°F |
| Wet days | 5 | 8 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 12.7 h | 13.3 h | 13.6 h |
Highs change by +3°F from April and +3°F into June.
How Key West ranks in May
- Normal high48th warmest of 378 cities; 15th of 23 in Florida
- Wet days123rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days337th most of 339
What to pack for Key West in May
- Light, breathable clothing – highs near 86°F and about 28 muggy days
- A swimsuit – about 22 beach days
Heating and cooling
May has 0 heating degree days and 501 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 10% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Key West in May?
The normal high is 86°F and the normal low is 76°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 94°F (May 14, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Key West in May?
About 8 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.1 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2018 (14.2 in); the driest was in 2010 (0.5 in).
Is May a good time to visit Key West?
May ranks 6th of 12 months on our comfort score for Key West (52 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are January, February and March.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Key West Intl Airport (USW00012836), 1.9 mi E of the city center, 4 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Key West International Airport (722010-12836), 1.7 mi E of the city center, 1 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: snowfall and snow depth (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).