West Palm Beach, FL weather in May
West Palm Beach is warm and oppressively humid in May, with frequent rain: highs average 86°F and nights drop to about 72°F. Expect about 11 wet days.
- Normal high
- 86°F
- Normal low
- 72°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 24
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 84°F | 87°F |
| Normal low | 70°F | 74°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 29% | 44% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:42 am / 7:52 pm | 6:26 am / 8:08 pm |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 13.7 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 am73°Fdew point 68°F
- 9 am81°Fdew point 68°F
- Noon84°Fdew point 67°F
- 3 pm83°Fdew point 68°F
- 6 pm80°Fdew point 68°F
- 9 pm77°Fdew point 68°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from West Palm Beach Intl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 10 mph.
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 mph16 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more4 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more24 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 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 4.9 in; a dry May brings about 1.9 in and a wet one about 7.2 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, 1991-20202011: average high 89°F
- Coolest May2013: average high 83°F
- Wettest May2009: 15.7 in
- Driest May2000: 0.4 in
- Highest reading97°F (May 20, 2008)
- Lowest reading51°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 | 82°F | 86°F | 88°F |
| Normal low | 68°F | 72°F | 75°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 11 | 16 |
| Comfortable days | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Daylight | 12.8 h | 13.5 h | 13.8 h |
Highs change by +4°F from April and +2°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Lakeland, FL148 mi · high 91°F · 8 wet days
- Drier: Lakeland, FL148 mi · high 91°F · 8 wet days
How West Palm Beach ranks in May
- Normal high55th warmest of 378 cities; 17th of 23 in Florida
- Wet days216th driest of 378
- Comfortable days323rd most of 339
What to pack for West Palm Beach in May
- Light, breathable clothing – highs near 86°F and about 24 muggy days
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
- A swimsuit – about 16 beach days
Heating and cooling
May has 0 heating degree days and 425 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 10% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is West Palm Beach in May?
The normal high is 86°F and the normal low is 72°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 97°F (May 20, 2008).
Does it rain a lot in West Palm Beach in May?
About 11 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.9 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (15.7 in); the driest was in 2000 (0.4 in).
Is May a good time to visit West Palm Beach?
May ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for West Palm Beach (49 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day and about 4 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are January, February and March.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and humidity and wind by hour: West Palm Beach Intl Airport (USW00012844), 3.5 mi SW of the city center, 19 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Palm Beach Gardens (USC00086764), 9.7 mi NW of the city center, 20 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Palm Beach International Airport (722030-12844), 3.5 mi SW of the city center, 11 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: snowfall, snow depth and cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).