Seattle, WA weather in May
In May, Seattle sees highs around 65°F and lows around 48°F: cool, with frequent rain. Rain falls on about 12 days.
- Normal high
- 65°F
- Normal low
- 48°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 2.2 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 62°F | 68°F |
| Normal low | 45°F | 51°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 43% | 39% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:51 am / 8:20 pm | 5:16 am / 8:57 pm |
| Daylight | 14.5 h | 15.7 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
- 6 am52°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 am57°Fdew point 46°F
- Noon62°Fdew point 46°F
- 3 pm64°Fdew point 45°F
- 6 pm63°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 pm58°Fdew point 45°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Seattle Boeing Fld (5 mi away); average wind 6 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph1 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 snow12 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 2.2 in; a dry May brings about 1.3 in and a wet one about 3.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20201993: average high 71°F
- Coolest May1996: average high 60°F
- Wettest May2020: 4.2 in
- Driest May2018: 0.3 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
| April | May | June | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 59°F | 65°F | 70°F |
| Normal low | 43°F | 48°F | 53°F |
| Wet days | 16 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 14 | 22 |
| Daylight | 13.7 h | 15.1 h | 15.9 h |
Highs change by +6°F from April and +5°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Leavenworth, WA78 mi · high 71°F · 7 wet days
- Drier: Leavenworth, WA78 mi · high 71°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Port Angeles, WA62 mi · high 60°F · 10 wet days
How Seattle ranks in May
- Normal high336th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 9 in Washington
- Wet days285th driest of 378
- Comfortable days129th most of 339
What to pack for Seattle in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
Heating and cooling
May has 258 heating degree days and 4 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 6% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Seattle in May?
The normal high is 65°F and the normal low is 48°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 35°F (most recently on May 7, 2002).
Does it rain a lot in Seattle in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.2 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2020 (4.2 in); the driest was in 2018 (0.3 in).
Is May a good time to visit Seattle?
May ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Seattle (73 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days. The best months are June, July and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Seattle Sand Pt WSFO (USW00094290), 6.6 mi NNE of the city center, 60 ft (113 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Seattle Boeing Fld (USW00024234), 5.4 mi SSE of the city center, 20 ft (153 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (727930-24233), 11 mi S of the city center, 369 ft (196 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).