Houston, TX weather in May
May in Houston: warm and oppressively humid, with some rain. Highs 86°F, lows 69°F, about 8 days with rain.
- Normal high
- 86°F
- Normal low
- 69°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 5.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 22
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 82°F | 89°F |
| Normal low | 66°F | 73°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 24% | 28% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:38 am / 7:58 pm | 6:21 am / 8:16 pm |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 13.9 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 am70°Fdew point 66°F
- 9 am77°Fdew point 67°F
- Noon83°Fdew point 66°F
- 3 pm84°Fdew point 66°F
- 6 pm81°Fdew point 66°F
- 9 pm75°Fdew point 67°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Houston Intercont Airport (15 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 18% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 58%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F2 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more7 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more22 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 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 5.4 in; a dry May brings about 2.3 in and a wet one about 7.8 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 May1992: average high 82°F
- Wettest May2015: 14.4 in
- Driest May2003: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading100°F (May 31, 1998)
- Lowest reading46°F (May 4, 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 | 79°F | 86°F | 91°F |
| Normal low | 62°F | 69°F | 75°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Daylight | 12.9 h | 13.7 h | 14.0 h |
Highs change by +7°F from April and +5°F into June.
How Houston ranks in May
- Normal high52nd warmest of 378 cities; 17th of 38 in Texas
- Wet days127th driest of 378
- Comfortable days307th most of 339
What to pack for Houston in May
- Light, breathable clothing – highs near 86°F and about 22 muggy days
Heating and cooling
May has 1 heating degree days and 391 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 9% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Houston in May?
The normal high is 86°F and the normal low is 69°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 100°F (May 31, 1998).
Does it rain a lot in Houston in May?
About 8 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 5.4 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (14.4 in); the driest was in 2003, with no measurable precipitation.
Is May a good time to visit Houston?
May ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Houston (50 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days and about 7 days at 90°F or hotter. The best month is March.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Houston Hobby Airport (USW00012918), 9.9 mi SSE of the city center, 44 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Houston Intercont Airport (USW00012960), 15 mi N of the city center, 95 ft (59 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: G Bush Intercontinental Airport/Houston Airport (722430-12960), 15 mi N of the city center, 90 ft (54 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.