Austin, TX weather in May
Austin is warm and often humid in May, with some rain: highs average 87°F and nights drop to about 67°F. Rain falls on about 9 days.
- Normal high
- 87°F
- Normal low
- 67°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 5.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 17
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 83°F | 91°F |
| Normal low | 63°F | 71°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 27% | 27% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:47 am / 8:08 pm | 6:29 am / 8:27 pm |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.0 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am67°Fdew point 62°F
- 9 am74°Fdew point 63°F
- Noon80°Fdew point 62°F
- 3 pm84°Fdew point 61°F
- 6 pm81°Fdew point 61°F
- 9 pm74°Fdew point 62°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Robert Gray AAF (56 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 35% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 50%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F2 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more11 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more17 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per May, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in May
Normal precipitation is 5.0 in; a dry May brings about 2.9 in and a wet one about 7.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20201998: average high 91°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 81°F
- Wettest May2015: 17.6 in
- Driest May1998: 0.7 in
- Highest reading102°F (May 7, 1998)
- Lowest reading44°F (May 3, 2013)
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 | 80°F | 87°F | 93°F |
| Normal low | 59°F | 67°F | 73°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 9 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| Daylight | 12.9 h | 13.7 h | 14.1 h |
Highs change by +7°F from April and +6°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Laredo, TX219 mi · high 94°F · 5 wet days
- Drier: Galveston, TX189 mi · high 84°F · 6 wet days
How Austin ranks in May
- Normal high36th warmest of 378 cities; 11th of 38 in Texas
- Wet days165th driest of 378
- Comfortable days306th most of 339
What to pack for Austin in May
- Light, breathable clothing – highs near 87°F and about 17 muggy days
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 9 days
Heating and cooling
May has 3 heating degree days and 370 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 8% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Austin in May?
The normal high is 87°F and the normal low is 67°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 102°F (May 7, 1998).
Does it rain a lot in Austin in May?
About 9 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 5.0 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (17.6 in); the driest was in 1998 (0.7 in).
Is May a good time to visit Austin?
May ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Austin (47 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days and about 11 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are February, March and November.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Austin-Camp Mabry (USW00013958), 3.9 mi NNW of the city center, 670 ft (183 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Robert Gray AAF (USW00003902), 56 mi N of the city center, 1,015 ft (528 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Austin-Camp Mabry (722544-13958), 3.9 mi NNW of the city center, 670 ft (183 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.