Virginia Beach, VA weather in May
Expect mild weather with frequent rain in Virginia Beach in May, with highs near 76°F and lows near 56°F. Rain falls on about 11 days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 76°F
- Normal low
- 56°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 | 73°F | 79°F |
| Normal low | 52°F | 61°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 37% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:09 am / 7:52 pm | 5:46 am / 8:16 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 56°F
- 9 am69°Fdew point 57°F
- Noon73°Fdew point 56°F
- 3 pm73°Fdew point 56°F
- 6 pm69°Fdew point 56°F
- 9 pm65°Fdew point 56°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Oceana NAS (4 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 23% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 51%.
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 more1 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
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, 1991-20202004: average high 82°F
- Coolest May1992: average high 71°F
- Wettest May2017: 8.6 in
- Driest May1991: 0.6 in
- Highest reading97°F (May 20, 1996)
- Lowest reading35°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 | 56°F | 66°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 13 | 12 | 4 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.2 h | 14.6 h |
Highs change by +7°F from April and +7°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Fayetteville, NC204 mi · high 81°F · 9 wet days
- Drier: Nags Head, NC65 mi · high 75°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Ocean City, MD114 mi · high 70°F · 12 wet days
How Virginia Beach ranks in May
- Normal high187th warmest of 378 cities; 5th of 5 in Virginia
- Wet days236th driest of 378
- Comfortable days193rd most of 339
What to pack for Virginia Beach in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.2 hours of daylight and highs near 76°F
Heating and cooling
May has 85 heating degree days and 113 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Virginia Beach in May?
The normal high is 76°F and the normal low is 56°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 97°F (May 20, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Virginia Beach (67 out of 100). It has about 12 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Oceana NAS (USW00013769), 4.0 mi SW of the city center, 23 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain and snowfall: Norfolk Intl Airport (USW00013737), 12 mi WNW of the city center, 30 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Oceana NAS (723075-13769), 3.9 mi SW of the city center, 23 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: snow depth (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).