Las Cruces, NM weather in May
Expect warm, dry weather in Las Cruces in May, with highs near 87°F and lows near 54°F. Rain falls on about 2 days.
- Normal high
- 87°F
- Normal low
- 54°F
- Wet days
- 2
- 0.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 82°F | 93°F |
| Normal low | 50°F | 59°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 6% | 8% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:20 am / 7:47 pm | 6:01 am / 8:08 pm |
| Daylight | 13.4 h | 14.1 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Mountain Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am64°Fdew point 33°F
- 9 am75°Fdew point 35°F
- Noon83°Fdew point 32°F
- 3 pm87°Fdew point 30°F
- 6 pm85°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 pm77°Fdew point 29°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from El Paso Intl Airport (42 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 65% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 19%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F5 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more12 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow2 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in1 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 0.4 in; a dry May brings about 0.0 in and a wet one about 0.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202000: average high 93°F
- Coolest May1992: average high 82°F
- Wettest May1992: 2.0 in
- Driest May1996: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading104°F (May 23, 2005)
- Lowest reading36°F (May 8, 1995)
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 | 79°F | 87°F | 96°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 54°F | 64°F |
| Wet days | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Comfortable days | 15 | 5 | 0 |
| Daylight | 13.0 h | 13.8 h | 14.2 h |
Highs change by +8°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Cooler: Albuquerque, NM192 mi · high 80°F · 4 wet days
How Las Cruces ranks in May
- Normal high33rd warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 4 in New Mexico
- Wet days36th driest of 378
- Comfortable days262nd most of 339
What to pack for Las Cruces in May
- Light, breathable clothing – highs near 87°F
- Layers – afternoons near 87°F but nights near 54°F
Heating and cooling
May has 18 heating degree days and 193 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Las Cruces in May?
The normal high is 87°F and the normal low is 54°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 104°F (May 23, 2005).
Does it rain a lot in Las Cruces in May?
About 2 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.4 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1992 (2.0 in); the driest was in 1996, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit Las Cruces?
May ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Las Cruces (55 out of 100). It has about 5 comfortable days and about 12 days at 90°F or hotter. The best month is March.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: State Univ (USC00298535), 2.4 mi SSE of the city center, 3,886 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: El Paso Intl Airport (USW00023044), 42 mi SE of the city center, 3,918 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: El Paso International Airport (722700-23044), 42 mi SE of the city center, 3,944 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.