New York City, NY weather in May
Expect mild weather with frequent rain in New York City in May, with highs near 71°F and lows near 55°F. Rain falls on about 12 days. Great for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 71°F
- Normal low
- 55°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 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 | 75°F |
| Normal low | 51°F | 59°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 38% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:54 am / 7:51 pm | 5:27 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 am62°Fdew point 47°F
- Noon67°Fdew point 47°F
- 3 pm68°Fdew point 47°F
- 6 pm66°Fdew point 48°F
- 9 pm62°Fdew point 48°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from New York Laguardia Airport (8 mi away); average wind 10 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
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph4 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 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 4.0 in; a dry May brings about 2.9 in and a wet one about 5.0 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 79°F
- Coolest May2003: average high 66°F
- Wettest May2013: 8.0 in
- Driest May2005: 1.5 in
- Highest reading96°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 | 62°F | 71°F | 80°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 55°F | 64°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 10 | 17 | 10 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.5 h | 15.0 h |
Highs change by +9°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Washington, DC204 mi · high 77°F · 12 wet days
- Cooler: Montauk, NY109 mi · high 64°F · 12 wet days
How New York City ranks in May
- Normal high244th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 10 in New York
- Wet days246th driest of 378
- Comfortable days42nd most of 339
What to pack for New York City in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
Heating and cooling
May has 122 heating degree days and 66 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is New York City in May?
The normal high is 71°F and the normal low is 55°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 96°F (May 20, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in New York City in May?
About 12 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 2013 (8.0 in); the driest was in 2005 (1.5 in).
Is May a good time to visit New York City?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for New York City (74 out of 100). It has about 17 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and frost dates: New York Cntrl Pk Twr (USW00094728), 4.9 mi NNE of the city center, 130 ft (95 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: New York Laguardia Airport (USW00014732), 8.0 mi NE of the city center, 11 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Teterboro Airport (USW00094741), 9.8 mi NNW of the city center, 9 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: La Guardia Airport (725030-14732), 8.0 mi NE of the city center, 10 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.