Tampa, FL weather in May
In May, Tampa sees highs around 88°F and lows around 71°F: hot and humid, with some rain. Expect about 6 wet days.
- Normal high
- 88°F
- Normal low
- 71°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 2.6 in total
- Muggy days
- 20
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 86°F | 90°F |
| Normal low | 68°F | 73°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 18% | 29% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:49 am / 8:03 pm | 6:33 am / 8:21 pm |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 13.8 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 am72°Fdew point 66°F
- 9 am79°Fdew point 67°F
- Noon84°Fdew point 66°F
- 3 pm86°Fdew point 65°F
- 6 pm82°Fdew point 65°F
- 9 pm77°Fdew point 66°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Tampa Intl Airport (5 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 30% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 37%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph25 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more10 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more20 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow6 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 2.6 in; a dry May brings about 0.8 in and a wet one about 3.4 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 92°F
- Coolest May2005: average high 85°F
- Wettest May2009: 9.1 in
- Driest May2001: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading98°F (May 19, 2017)
- Lowest reading49°F (May 8, 1992)
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 | 88°F | 91°F |
| Normal low | 65°F | 71°F | 75°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 6 | 13 |
| Comfortable days | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Daylight | 12.8 h | 13.5 h | 13.9 h |
Highs change by +5°F from April and +3°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Cooler: Palm Coast, FL136 mi · high 83°F · 7 wet days
How Tampa ranks in May
- Normal high24th warmest of 378 cities; 5th of 23 in Florida
- Wet days98th driest of 378
- Comfortable days320th most of 339
What to pack for Tampa in May
- Light, breathable clothing – highs near 88°F and about 20 muggy days
- A swimsuit – about 25 beach days
Heating and cooling
May has 0 heating degree days and 448 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 10% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Tampa in May?
The normal high is 88°F and the normal low is 71°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 98°F (most recently on May 19, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Tampa in May?
About 6 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.6 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (9.1 in); the driest was in 2001, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit Tampa?
May ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Tampa (48 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day and about 10 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are January, February and March.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Tampa Intl Airport (USW00012842), 5.1 mi WNW of the city center, 19 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Tampa International Airport (722110-12842), 5.1 mi WNW of the city center, 6 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.