Climateby Month

Kent, WA weather in May

NOAA 1991-2020 normals and daily records · Kent all year

Expect mild weather with frequent rain in Kent in May, with highs near 66°F and lows near 49°F. Rain falls on about 11 days. Great for outdoor plans.

Normal high
66°F
Normal low
49°F
Wet days
11
1.9 in total
Muggy days
0
dew point 65°F+

How May changes from start to finish

Normal values at the start and end of May
May 1May 31
Normal high63°F69°F
Normal low46°F51°F
Chance of a wet day42%35%
Sunrise / sunset5:52 am / 8:19 pm5:16 am / 8:56 pm
Daylight14.5 h15.7 h

Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Pacific Time).

A typical May day

  1. 6 am50°Fdew point 46°F
  2. 9 am55°Fdew point 46°F
  3. Noon60°Fdew point 46°F
  4. 3 pm63°Fdew point 45°F
  5. 6 pm61°Fdew point 45°F
  6. 9 pm56°Fdew point 45°F

NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport (6 mi away); average wind 8 mph.

What kind of days to expect

  • Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F13 of 31
  • Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph2 of 31
  • Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
  • Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
  • Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 of 31
  • Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 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 1.9 in; a dry May brings about 1.1 in and a wet one about 2.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more.

How May varies from year to year

  • Warmest May, 1991-20201992: average high 71°F
  • Coolest May1999: average high 60°F
  • Wettest May2009: 3.6 in
  • Driest May1992: 0.1 in
  • Highest reading90°F (May 17, 2008)
  • Lowest reading35°F (May 7, 2002)

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

AprilMayJune
Normal high59°F66°F71°F
Normal low43°F49°F53°F
Wet days15119
Comfortable days51320
Daylight13.6 h15.1 h15.9 h

Highs change by +7°F from April and +5°F into June.

Nearby alternatives in May

How Kent ranks in May

  • Normal high327th warmest of 378 cities; 5th of 9 in Washington
  • Wet days241st driest of 378
  • Comfortable days164th most of 339

What to pack for Kent in May

  • A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days

Heating and cooling

May has 242 heating degree days and 9 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.

Questions

How cold is Kent in May?

The normal high is 66°F and the normal low is 49°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 35°F (May 7, 2002).

Does it rain a lot in Kent in May?

About 11 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.9 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (3.6 in); the driest was in 1992 (0.1 in).

Is May a good time to visit Kent?

May ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Kent (72 out of 100). It has about 13 comfortable days. The best months are June, July and August.

Where the numbers come from

  • Temperature, rain and humidity and wind by hour: Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport (USW00024233), 5.7 mi NW of the city center, 370 ft (327 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
  • Snowfall and snow depth: Seattle Sand Pt WSFO (USW00094290), 21 mi N of the city center, 60 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
  • Frost dates: Kent (USC00454169), 2.5 mi N of the city center, 30 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
  • Daily humidity and wind: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (727930-24233), 5.8 mi NW of the city center, 369 ft (326 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
  • Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).