Richmond, VA weather in May
May in Richmond: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 78°F, lows 56°F, about 11 wet days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 78°F
- Normal low
- 56°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 4
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 75°F | 81°F |
| Normal low | 51°F | 60°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 37% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:14 am / 7:59 pm | 5:50 am / 8:24 pm |
| Daylight | 13.8 h | 14.6 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 am59°Fdew point 55°F
- 9 am68°Fdew point 55°F
- Noon74°Fdew point 55°F
- 3 pm76°Fdew point 55°F
- 6 pm73°Fdew point 55°F
- 9 pm65°Fdew point 56°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Richmond Intl Airport (8 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F12 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more3 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more4 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 4.0 in; a dry May brings about 2.5 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, 1991-20202018: average high 84°F
- Coolest May2003: average high 72°F
- Wettest May2018: 10.3 in
- Driest May1991: 0.9 in
- Highest reading98°F (May 31, 2011)
- Lowest reading32°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 | 78°F | 86°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 56°F | 65°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 15 | 12 | 3 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.2 h | 14.7 h |
Highs change by +8°F from April and +8°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Drier: Raleigh, NC139 mi · high 80°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Frederick, MD129 mi · high 73°F · 11 wet days
How Richmond ranks in May
- Normal high162nd warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 5 in Virginia
- Wet days233rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days190th most of 339
What to pack for Richmond in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.2 hours of daylight and highs near 78°F
Heating and cooling
May has 72 heating degree days and 126 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Richmond in May?
The normal high is 78°F and the normal low is 56°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 98°F (most recently on May 31, 2011).
Does it rain a lot in Richmond in May?
About 11 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 2018 (10.4 in); the driest was in 1991 (0.9 in).
Is May a good time to visit Richmond?
May ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for Richmond (66 out of 100). It has about 12 comfortable days and about 3 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Richmond Intl Airport (USW00013740), 8.4 mi ESE of the city center, 164 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Richmond International Airport (724010-13740), 8.1 mi ESE of the city center, 166 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).