Providence, RI weather in May
Providence is mild in May, with frequent rain: highs average 69°F and nights drop to about 49°F. Expect about 12 wet days.
- Normal high
- 69°F
- Normal low
- 49°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 3.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 65°F | 73°F |
| Normal low | 45°F | 54°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 40% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:41 am / 7:43 pm | 5:13 am / 8:13 pm |
| Daylight | 14.0 h | 15.0 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 am53°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 am61°Fdew point 46°F
- Noon65°Fdew point 46°F
- 3 pm66°Fdew point 47°F
- 6 pm62°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 pm56°Fdew point 47°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Providence T F Green Airport (7 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 22% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 61%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F16 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 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 3.4 in; a dry May brings about 2.5 in and a wet one about 3.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 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 76°F
- Coolest May2005: average high 61°F
- Wettest May2006: 7.3 in
- Driest May1993: 1.1 in
- Highest reading96°F (May 26, 2010)
- Lowest reading33°F (May 7, 2001)
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 | 59°F | 69°F | 78°F |
| Normal low | 40°F | 49°F | 59°F |
| Wet days | 12 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 7 | 16 | 12 |
| Daylight | 13.4 h | 14.6 h | 15.2 h |
Highs change by +10°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Philadelphia, PA235 mi · high 74°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Nantucket, MA77 mi · high 61°F · 12 wet days
How Providence ranks in May
- Normal high290th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 2 in Rhode Island
- Wet days283rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days71st most of 339
What to pack for Providence in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
Heating and cooling
May has 212 heating degree days and 28 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Providence in May?
The normal high is 69°F and the normal low is 49°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 33°F (May 7, 2001).
Does it rain a lot in Providence in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.4 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2006 (7.3 in); the driest was in 1993 (1.1 in).
Is May a good time to visit Providence?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Providence (73 out of 100). It has about 16 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, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Providence T F Green Airport (USW00014765), 7.1 mi S of the city center, 60 ft (51 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Boston Logan Intl Airport (USW00014739), 42 mi NNE of the city center, 12 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Theodore F Green State Airport (725070-14765), 7.0 mi S of the city center, 51 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.