Newark, NJ weather in May
May in Newark: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 73°F, lows 54°F, about 11 days with rain. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 73°F
- Normal low
- 54°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 68°F | 77°F |
| Normal low | 49°F | 59°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 37% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:55 am / 7:52 pm | 5:28 am / 8:20 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 am57°Fdew point 48°F
- 9 am64°Fdew point 48°F
- Noon69°Fdew point 48°F
- 3 pm70°Fdew point 48°F
- 6 pm67°Fdew point 48°F
- 9 pm63°Fdew point 49°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Newark Intl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 52% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 40%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F16 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more2 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more1 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
- 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 4.0 in; a dry May brings about 3.3 in and a wet one about 4.7 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 80°F
- Coolest May2003: average high 67°F
- Wettest May2019: 7.3 in
- Driest May2005: 1.2 in
- Highest reading99°F (May 20, 1996)
- Lowest reading34°F (May 9, 2020)
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 | 63°F | 73°F | 82°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 54°F | 64°F |
| Wet days | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 10 | 16 | 8 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.5 h | 15.0 h |
Highs change by +10°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Cooler: Montauk, NY118 mi · high 64°F · 12 wet days
How Newark ranks in May
- Normal high224th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 3 in New Jersey
- Wet days243rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days48th most of 339
What to pack for Newark in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
Heating and cooling
May has 124 heating degree days and 69 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Newark in May?
The normal high is 73°F and the normal low is 54°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 99°F (May 20, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Newark in May?
About 11 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.0 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2019 (7.3 in); the driest was in 2005 (1.2 in).
Is May a good time to visit Newark?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Newark (73 out of 100). It has about 16 comfortable days and about 2 days at 90°F or hotter. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Newark Intl Airport (USW00014734), 3.7 mi S of the city center, 7 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Teterboro Airport (USW00094741), 9.8 mi NE of the city center, 9 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Newark Liberty International Airport (725020-14734), 3.6 mi S of the city center, 7 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.