Raleigh, NC weather in May
May in Raleigh: warm, with some rain. Highs 80°F, lows 58°F, about 8 wet days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 80°F
- Normal low
- 58°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 4.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 6
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 77°F | 84°F |
| Normal low | 54°F | 62°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 25% | 27% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:22 am / 8:01 pm | 6:00 am / 8:24 pm |
| Daylight | 13.7 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 (Eastern Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am60°Fdew point 56°F
- 9 am69°Fdew point 57°F
- Noon75°Fdew point 57°F
- 3 pm78°Fdew point 57°F
- 6 pm74°Fdew point 57°F
- 9 pm67°Fdew point 58°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Raleigh Durham Intl Airport (12 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 45% 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°F11 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more3 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more6 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 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 2.8 in and a wet one about 5.2 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, 1991-20202019: average high 85°F
- Coolest May1992: average high 73°F
- Wettest May2020: 9.6 in
- Driest May2002: 0.9 in
- Highest reading97°F (May 30, 2019)
- Lowest reading38°F (May 12, 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 | 72°F | 80°F | 87°F |
| Normal low | 49°F | 58°F | 66°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 17 | 11 | 2 |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | 14.1 h | 14.5 h |
Highs change by +8°F from April and +7°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Columbia, SC183 mi · high 87°F · 9 wet days
- Cooler: Nags Head, NC169 mi · high 75°F · 7 wet days
How Raleigh ranks in May
- Normal high136th warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 10 in North Carolina
- Wet days137th driest of 378
- Comfortable days207th most of 339
What to pack for Raleigh in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 8 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.1 hours of daylight and highs near 80°F
Heating and cooling
May has 41 heating degree days and 166 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Raleigh in May?
The normal high is 80°F and the normal low is 58°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 97°F (May 30, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Raleigh in May?
About 8 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 2020 (9.6 in); the driest was in 2002 (0.9 in).
Is May a good time to visit Raleigh?
May ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for Raleigh (65 out of 100). It has about 11 comfortable days and about 3 days at 90°F or hotter. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Raleigh State Univ (USC00317079), 3.6 mi WNW of the city center, 400 ft (85 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Raleigh Durham Intl Airport (USW00013722), 12 mi NW of the city center, 416 ft (101 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Pope AFB (USW00013714), 46 mi SSW of the city center, 218 ft (97 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Raleigh-Durham International Airport (723060-13722), 12 mi NW of the city center, 395 ft (80 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.