Chesapeake, VA weather in May
May in Chesapeake: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 77°F, lows 59°F, rain on about 11 days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 77°F
- Normal low
- 59°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 5
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 74°F | 81°F |
| Normal low | 55°F | 64°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 37% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:10 am / 7:53 pm | 5:47 am / 8:17 pm |
| Daylight | 13.7 h | 14.5 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 am62°Fdew point 57°F
- 9 am69°Fdew point 57°F
- Noon73°Fdew point 56°F
- 3 pm74°Fdew point 56°F
- 6 pm71°Fdew point 56°F
- 9 pm66°Fdew point 57°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Norfolk Intl Airport (7 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 52% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 34%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F12 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph8 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more2 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more5 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 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 3.8 in; a dry May brings about 2.9 in and a wet one about 4.6 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 83°F
- Coolest May1992: average high 71°F
- Wettest May2017: 8.6 in
- Driest May1991: 0.6 in
- Highest reading100°F (May 31, 1991)
- Lowest reading40°F (May 10, 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 | 70°F | 77°F | 85°F |
| Normal low | 50°F | 59°F | 68°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 13 | 12 | 4 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.1 h | 14.6 h |
Highs change by +7°F from April and +8°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Drier: Nags Head, NC70 mi · high 75°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Ocean City, MD123 mi · high 70°F · 12 wet days
How Chesapeake ranks in May
- Normal high164th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 5 in Virginia
- Wet days235th driest of 378
- Comfortable days198th most of 339
What to pack for Chesapeake in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.1 hours of daylight and highs near 77°F
Heating and cooling
May has 53 heating degree days and 153 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Chesapeake in May?
The normal high is 77°F and the normal low is 59°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 100°F (May 31, 1991).
Does it rain a lot in Chesapeake in May?
About 11 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.8 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2017 (8.6 in); the driest was in 1991 (0.6 in).
Is May a good time to visit Chesapeake?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Chesapeake (66 out of 100). It has about 12 comfortable days and about 2 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Norfolk Intl Airport (USW00013737), 7.4 mi NE of the city center, 30 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Suffolk Lake Kilby (USC00448192), 19 mi WSW of the city center, 22 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Norfolk International Airport (723080-13737), 7.4 mi NE of the city center, 11 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.