Tacoma, WA weather in May
May in Tacoma: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 67°F, lows 49°F, rain on about 10 days. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 67°F
- Normal low
- 49°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 2.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 63°F | 69°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 52°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 39% | 33% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:53 am / 8:20 pm | 5:18 am / 8:56 pm |
| Daylight | 14.4 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 am48°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 am56°Fdew point 46°F
- Noon61°Fdew point 46°F
- 3 pm64°Fdew point 46°F
- 6 pm62°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 pm55°Fdew point 45°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Tacoma Mcchord AFB (7 mi away); average wind 6 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F17 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 snow10 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 2.0 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 May2011: average high 62°F
- Wettest May2010: 4.1 in
- Driest May1992: 0.05 in
- Highest reading89°F (May 2, 2014)
- Lowest reading35°F (May 6, 2006)
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 | 60°F | 67°F | 71°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 49°F | 53°F |
| Wet days | 15 | 10 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 7 | 17 | 23 |
| Daylight | 13.6 h | 15.1 h | 15.9 h |
Highs change by +7°F from April and +4°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Drier: Leavenworth, WA87 mi · high 71°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Port Angeles, WA75 mi · high 60°F · 10 wet days
How Tacoma ranks in May
- Normal high323rd warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 9 in Washington
- Wet days209th driest of 378
- Comfortable days47th most of 339
What to pack for Tacoma in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
Heating and cooling
May has 229 heating degree days and 6 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Tacoma in May?
The normal high is 67°F and the normal low is 49°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 35°F (May 6, 2006).
Does it rain a lot in Tacoma in May?
About 10 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.0 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2010 (4.1 in); the driest was in 1992 (0.05 in).
Is May a good time to visit Tacoma?
May ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Tacoma (77 out of 100). It has about 17 comfortable days. The best months are June, July and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Tacoma #1 (USC00458278), 1.6 mi ESE of the city center, 25 ft (225 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Mcmillin Rsvr (USC00455224), 12 mi SE of the city center, 579 ft (329 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Tacoma Mcchord AFB (USW00024207), 7.3 mi SSW of the city center, 289 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Mcchord AFB Airport (742060-24207), 7.3 mi SSW of the city center, 322 ft (72 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).