Nantucket, MA weather in May
Nantucket is cool in May, with frequent rain: highs average 61°F and nights drop to about 47°F. There are about 12 days with rain. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 61°F
- Normal low
- 47°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 3.0 in total
- Daylight
- 14.5 h
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 57°F | 64°F |
| Normal low | 43°F | 51°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 39% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:37 am / 7:37 pm | 5:10 am / 8:06 pm |
| Daylight | 14.0 h | 14.9 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 am51°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 am59°Fdew point 46°F
- Noon63°Fdew point 46°F
- 3 pm63°Fdew point 46°F
- 6 pm59°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 pm53°Fdew point 47°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Plymouth Muni Airport (54 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F (temperature only: no humidity station nearby)8 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain (temperature and rain only)0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow12 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 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 3.0 in; a dry May brings about 2.1 in and a wet one about 3.7 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, 1991-20202015: average high 64°F
- Coolest May2005: average high 55°F
- Wettest May2005: 6.9 in
- Driest May2014: 1.5 in
- Highest reading85°F (May 25, 2007)
- Lowest reading31°F (May 7, 2001)
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 | 52°F | 61°F | 69°F |
| Normal low | 39°F | 47°F | 56°F |
| Wet days | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 8 | 22 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.5 h | 15.1 h |
Highs change by +9°F from April and +8°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: New Bedford, MA50 mi · high 67°F · 13 wet days
How Nantucket ranks in May
- Normal high356th warmest of 378 cities; 9th of 9 in Massachusetts
- Wet days257th driest of 378
What to pack for Nantucket in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
Heating and cooling
May has 346 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 6% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Nantucket in May?
The normal high is 61°F and the normal low is 47°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 31°F (May 7, 2001).
Does it rain a lot in Nantucket in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.0 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2005 (6.9 in); the driest was in 2014 (1.5 in).
Is May a good time to visit Nantucket?
May ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Nantucket (64 out of 100). It has about 8 comfortable days (judged by temperature only). The best months are July and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Nantucket Mem Airport (USW00014756), 2.9 mi SE of the city center, 45 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Edgartown (USC00192501), 23 mi WNW of the city center, 30 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Plymouth Muni Airport (USW00054769), 54 mi NW of the city center, 149 ft (128 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover and daily humidity and wind (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).