Bar Harbor, ME weather in May
Expect cool weather with frequent rain in Bar Harbor in May, with highs near 65°F and lows near 45°F. Rain falls on about 14 days.
- Normal high
- 65°F
- Normal low
- 45°F
- Wet days
- 14
- 4.5 in total
- Daylight
- 14.8 h
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 60°F | 69°F |
| Normal low | 40°F | 49°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 41% | 43% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:23 am / 7:36 pm | 4:52 am / 8:09 pm |
| Daylight | 14.2 h | 15.3 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F (temperature only: no humidity station nearby)14 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain (temperature and rain only)1 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow14 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below1 of 31
Average days per May, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in May
Normal precipitation is 4.5 in; a dry May brings about 2.7 in and a wet one about 5.6 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, 1991-20201998: average high 71°F
- Coolest May2005: average high 54°F
- Wettest May2005: 13.3 in
- Driest May1992: 1.1 in
- Highest reading96°F (May 23, 1992)
- Lowest reading27°F (May 2, 2008)
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 | 53°F | 65°F | 74°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 45°F | 54°F |
| Wet days | 12 | 14 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 14 | 20 |
| Daylight | 13.5 h | 14.8 h | 15.5 h |
Highs change by +12°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Lowell, MA197 mi · high 70°F · 13 wet days
How Bar Harbor ranks in May
- Normal high342nd warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 5 in Maine
- Wet days354th driest of 378
What to pack for Bar Harbor in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 14 days
Heating and cooling
May has 331 heating degree days and 10 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Bar Harbor in May?
The normal high is 65°F and the normal low is 45°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 27°F (May 2, 2008).
Does it rain a lot in Bar Harbor in May?
About 14 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.5 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2005 (13.3 in); the driest was in 1992 (1.1 in).
Is May a good time to visit Bar Harbor?
May ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Bar Harbor (70 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days (judged by temperature only). The best months are June, August and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Acadia NP (USC00170100), 2.9 mi WSW of the city center, 470 ft (416 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: snowfall, snow depth, humidity and wind by hour, cloud cover and daily humidity and wind (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).