Hilo, HI weather in May
May in Hilo: warm and humid, with rain on most days. Highs 81°F, lows 67°F, about 23 wet days. Keep rain gear handy.
- Normal high
- 81°F
- Normal low
- 67°F
- Wet days
- 23
- 7.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 20
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 80°F | 81°F |
| Normal low | 67°F | 68°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 78% | 78% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:51 am / 6:43 pm | 5:40 am / 6:55 pm |
| Daylight | 12.9 h | 13.2 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Hawaii time (no daylight saving)).
A typical May day
- 6 am68°Fdew point 63°F
- 9 am76°Fdew point 66°F
- Noon80°Fdew point 67°F
- 3 pm79°Fdew point 67°F
- 6 pm76°Fdew point 66°F
- 9 pm72°Fdew point 67°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Hilo Intl Airport (2 mi away); average wind 7 mph.
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 mph11 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more20 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow23 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in14 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 7.0 in; a dry May brings about 3.4 in and a wet one about 8.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 4 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202020: average high 85°F
- Coolest May1998: average high 78°F
- Wettest May2006: 22.5 in
- Driest May2009: 2.1 in
- Highest reading91°F (May 25, 2003)
- Lowest reading59°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 | 79°F | 81°F | 82°F |
| Normal low | 66°F | 67°F | 69°F |
| Wet days | 25 | 23 | 25 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 12.6 h | 13.1 h | 13.3 h |
Highs change by +2°F from April and +1°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Kihei, HI114 mi · high 87°F · 6 wet days
- Drier: Kailua-Kona, HI59 mi · high 84°F · 6 wet days
How Hilo ranks in May
- Normal high127th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 7 in Hawaii
- Wet days378th driest of 378
- Comfortable days338th most of 339
What to pack for Hilo in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 23 days
- A swimsuit – about 11 beach days
Heating and cooling
May has 0 heating degree days and 279 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 8% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Hilo in May?
The normal high is 81°F and the normal low is 67°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 91°F (May 25, 2003).
Does it rain a lot in Hilo in May?
About 23 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 7.0 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2006 (22.5 in); the driest was in 2009 (2.1 in).
Is May a good time to visit Hilo?
May ranks 4th of 12 months on our comfort score for Hilo (44 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are January and February.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Hilo Intl Airport (USW00021504), 2.2 mi E of the city center, 38 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Kapoho Beach 93.11 (USC00513368), 23 mi SE of the city center, 20 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Hilo International Airport (912850-21504), 2.5 mi E of the city center, 29 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).