Baltimore, MD weather in May
Baltimore is mild in May, with frequent rain: highs average 76°F and nights drop to about 53°F. There are about 12 days with rain. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 76°F
- Normal low
- 53°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 3.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 3
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 72°F | 80°F |
| Normal low | 49°F | 58°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 39% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:07 am / 7:59 pm | 5:42 am / 8:26 pm |
| Daylight | 13.9 h | 14.7 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 am57°Fdew point 52°F
- 9 am66°Fdew point 52°F
- Noon71°Fdew point 52°F
- 3 pm73°Fdew point 52°F
- 6 pm70°Fdew point 52°F
- 9 pm63°Fdew point 53°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Baltimore Wash Intl Airport (9 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 41% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 46%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph8 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more2 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more3 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow12 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per May, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in May
Normal precipitation is 3.9 in; a dry May brings about 2.5 in and a wet one about 5.3 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, 1991-20201991: average high 83°F
- Coolest May2003: average high 67°F
- Wettest May2009: 8.4 in
- Driest May2007: 0.9 in
- Highest reading98°F (May 30, 2011)
- Lowest reading33°F (May 8, 1997)
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 | 67°F | 76°F | 84°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 53°F | 63°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 13 | 14 | 6 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.3 h | 14.9 h |
Highs change by +9°F from April and +8°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Drier: Nags Head, NC237 mi · high 75°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Ocean City, MD105 mi · high 70°F · 12 wet days
How Baltimore ranks in May
- Normal high186th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 3 in Maryland
- Wet days266th driest of 378
- Comfortable days131st most of 339
What to pack for Baltimore in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.3 hours of daylight and highs near 76°F
Heating and cooling
May has 109 heating degree days and 90 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Baltimore in May?
The normal high is 76°F and the normal low is 53°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 98°F (most recently on May 30, 2011).
Does it rain a lot in Baltimore in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.9 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (8.4 in); the driest was in 2007 (0.9 in).
Is May a good time to visit Baltimore?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Baltimore (70 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days and about 2 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April and May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Baltimore Wash Intl Airport (USW00093721), 9.4 mi SSW of the city center, 156 ft (120 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Md Sci Ctr Baltimore (USW00093784), 0.7 mi SSE of the city center, 20 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Camp Springs Andrews AFB (USW00013705), 36 mi SSW of the city center, 282 ft (246 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Baltimore-Washington Intl Airport (724060-93721), 9.0 mi SSW of the city center, 138 ft (102 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.