Williamsburg, VA weather in May
May in Williamsburg: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 77°F, lows 57°F, about 11 wet days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 77°F
- Normal low
- 57°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 6
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 74°F | 80°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 61°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 37% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:11 am / 7:56 pm | 5:48 am / 8:20 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
- Noon74°Fdew point 57°F
- 3 pm75°Fdew point 56°F
- 6 pm71°Fdew point 56°F
- 9 pm65°Fdew point 57°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Newport News Intl Airport (15 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 61% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 32%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F12 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more2 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 3.9 in; a dry May brings about 2.7 in and a wet one about 4.9 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 May2020: average high 73°F
- Wettest May2016: 10.2 in
- Driest May1991: 0.9 in
- Highest reading98°F (May 20, 1996)
- Lowest reading33°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 | 84°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 57°F | 65°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 14 | 12 | 3 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.2 h | 14.7 h |
Highs change by +7°F from April and +7°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Drier: Nags Head, NC109 mi · high 75°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Ocean City, MD115 mi · high 70°F · 12 wet days
How Williamsburg ranks in May
- Normal high167th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 5 in Virginia
- Wet days240th driest of 378
- Comfortable days194th most of 339
What to pack for Williamsburg in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.2 hours of daylight and highs near 77°F
Heating and cooling
May has 65 heating degree days and 130 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Williamsburg in May?
The normal high is 77°F and the normal low is 57°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 98°F (most recently on May 20, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Williamsburg in May?
About 11 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.9 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2016 (10.2 in); the driest was in 1991 (0.9 in).
Is May a good time to visit Williamsburg?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Williamsburg (66 out of 100). It has about 12 comfortable days and about 2 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April and May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Williamsburg 2 N (USC00449151), 2.1 mi N of the city center, 70 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: W Pt 2 Nw (USC00449025), 21 mi NNW of the city center, 20 ft (65 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Newport News Intl Airport (USW00093741), 15 mi SE of the city center, 42 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Nwpt News/Wimburg Intl Apt (723086-93741), 15 mi SE of the city center, 36 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.