Santa Fe, NM weather in May
Santa Fe is mild and mostly dry in May: highs average 74°F and nights drop to about 41°F. There are about 5 days with rain. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 74°F
- Normal low
- 41°F
- Wet days
- 5
- 0.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 68°F | 80°F |
| Normal low | 36°F | 46°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 14% | 16% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:11 am / 7:50 pm | 5:49 am / 8:13 pm |
| Daylight | 13.6 h | 14.4 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Mountain Time).
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F21 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow5 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below4 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 0.9 in; a dry May brings about 0.2 in and a wet one about 1.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Snow is very rare.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20201996: average high 83°F
- Coolest May2019: average high 68°F
- Wettest May1994: 4.0 in
- Driest May1998: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading96°F (May 24, 2000)
- Lowest reading19°F (May 1, 2010)
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 | 64°F | 74°F | 84°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 41°F | 50°F |
| Wet days | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Comfortable days | 17 | 21 | 6 |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | 14.1 h | 14.5 h |
Highs change by +10°F from April and +10°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Albuquerque, NM58 mi · high 80°F · 4 wet days
- Cooler: Telluride, CO187 mi · high 60°F · 9 wet days
How Santa Fe ranks in May
- Normal high214th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 4 in New Mexico
- Wet days79th driest of 378
- Comfortable days20th most of 339
What to pack for Santa Fe in May
- Layers – afternoons near 74°F but nights near 41°F
Frost in May
The last spring frost typically comes around May 14; in 1 year in 10 it comes after May 28. All frost dates for Santa Fe.
Heating and cooling
May has 252 heating degree days and 11 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Santa Fe in May?
The normal high is 74°F and the normal low is 41°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 96°F (May 24, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in Santa Fe in May?
About 5 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.9 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1994 (4.0 in); the driest was in 1998, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit Santa Fe?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Santa Fe (82 out of 100). It has about 21 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Santa Fe 2 (USC00298085), 5.1 mi SSW of the city center, 6,756 ft (241 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Santa Fe Municipal Airport (723656-23049), 10 mi WSW of the city center, 6,287 ft (710 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).