Paterson, NJ weather in May
May in Paterson: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 73°F, lows 53°F, rain on about 12 days. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 73°F
- Normal low
- 53°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 3.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 69°F | 78°F |
| Normal low | 49°F | 58°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 39% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:54 am / 7:52 pm | 5:27 am / 8:21 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 am56°Fdew point 48°F
- 9 am63°Fdew point 48°F
- Noon68°Fdew point 48°F
- 3 pm70°Fdew point 48°F
- 6 pm67°Fdew point 47°F
- 9 pm62°Fdew point 48°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Teterboro Airport (7 mi away); average wind 7 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°F17 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 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 2.9 in and a wet one about 4.8 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, 1991-20202015: average high 80°F
- Coolest May2003: average high 67°F
- Wettest May2017: 7.0 in
- Driest May2005: 1.0 in
- Highest reading97°F (May 18, 2017)
- Lowest reading32°F (May 14, 1996)
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 | 53°F | 63°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 12 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 10 | 17 | 9 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.5 h | 15.1 h |
Highs change by +10°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Cooler: Montauk, NY116 mi · high 64°F · 12 wet days
How Paterson ranks in May
- Normal high221st warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 3 in New Jersey
- Wet days258th driest of 378
- Comfortable days43rd most of 339
What to pack for Paterson in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
Heating and cooling
May has 125 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 Paterson in May?
The normal high is 73°F and the normal low is 53°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 97°F (May 18, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Paterson 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 2017 (7.1 in); the driest was in 2005 (1.0 in).
Is May a good time to visit Paterson?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Paterson (74 out of 100). It has about 17 comfortable days and about 2 days at 90°F or hotter. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Teterboro Airport (USW00094741), 7.4 mi SE of the city center, 9 ft (75 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: New York Cntrl Pk Twr (USW00094728), 14 mi SE of the city center, 130 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Newark Intl Airport (USW00014734), 16 mi S of the city center, 7 ft (77 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Teterboro Airport (725025-94741), 7.2 mi ESE of the city center, 3 ft (81 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.