Suffolk, VA weather in May
Suffolk is mild in May, with frequent rain: highs average 76°F and nights drop to about 57°F. Expect about 11 wet days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 76°F
- Normal low
- 57°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 6
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 73°F | 79°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 61°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:12 am / 7:54 pm | 5:49 am / 8:18 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 am61°Fdew point 57°F
- 9 am68°Fdew point 57°F
- Noon72°Fdew point 57°F
- 3 pm73°Fdew point 56°F
- 6 pm70°Fdew point 56°F
- 9 pm65°Fdew point 57°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Langley AFB (28 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 46% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 42%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F13 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more6 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 3.0 in and a wet one about 5.1 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, 1991-20201991: average high 84°F
- Coolest May1994: average high 70°F
- Wettest May2016: 8.1 in
- Driest May1991: 1.3 in
- Highest reading98°F (May 31, 1991)
- Lowest reading38°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 | 69°F | 76°F | 83°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 57°F | 65°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 16 | 13 | 4 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.1 h | 14.6 h |
Highs change by +7°F from April and +7°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Fayetteville, NC173 mi · high 81°F · 9 wet days
- Drier: Nags Head, NC75 mi · high 75°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Ocean City, MD138 mi · high 70°F · 12 wet days
How Suffolk ranks in May
- Normal high181st warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 5 in Virginia
- Wet days234th driest of 378
- Comfortable days172nd most of 339
What to pack for Suffolk in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.1 hours of daylight and highs near 76°F
Heating and cooling
May has 69 heating degree days and 112 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Suffolk in May?
The normal high is 76°F and the normal low is 57°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 98°F (May 31, 1991).
Does it rain a lot in Suffolk 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 2016 (8.1 in); the driest was in 1991 (1.3 in).
Is May a good time to visit Suffolk?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Suffolk (68 out of 100). It has about 13 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April and May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Suffolk Lake Kilby (USC00448192), 1.0 mi W of the city center, 22 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Langley AFB (USW00013702), 28 mi NNE of the city center, 10 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Norfolk NAS (723085-13750), 22 mi NE of the city center, 17 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.