Tacoma weather in May: Tacoma, Washington: normal highs, lows, rain and records for May
Tacoma in May has a normal high of 65°F and a normal low of 47°F, a daily mean of 56°F, rising from 61°F on the 1st to 67°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 12 days in a normal May, 2.08 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 18°C and low of 8°C, 53 mm of precipitation in May.
- NOAA stationTacoma Narrows Airport
- Station IDUSW00094274
- Location47.27°N 122.58°W
- Elevation292 ft (89 m)
- From the center6 miles
- Population228,202
- Jan 46° 36°
- Feb 48° 37°
- Mar 53° 39°
- Apr 58° 41°
- May 65° 47°
- Jun 70° 51°
- Jul 76° 54°
- Aug 76° 54°
- Sep 70° 51°
- Oct 59° 46°
- Nov 51° 40°
- Dec 46° 36°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Tacoma in May?
The normal high is 65°F and the normal low 47°F, for a daily mean of 55.5°F. May is 6.1°F warmer than April and 4.7°F cooler than June. May is the 5th warmest month of the year in Tacoma and the 8th wettest. Across the month the normal high rises 6°F, from 61°F on May 1 to 67°F on May 31. From one year to the next May's mean temperature typically moves about 2.3°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Mays in three average between 53°F and 58°F.
Bars above: each day's normal high to low. Columns below: the chance of 0.01 inch or more of precipitation that day, on a scale of 0 to 100% (highest 44%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1 | 61°F | 44°F | 44% | 24% |
| May 8 | 63°F | 45°F | 41% | 21% |
| May 15 | 65°F | 46°F | 39% | 19% |
| May 22 | 66°F | 48°F | 38% | 18% |
| May 31 | 67°F | 49°F | 36% | 15% |
Every day of May: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon May 31, coldest night May 1)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1 | 61°F | 44°F | 44% | 24% | 14 h 20 min |
| May 2 | 61°F | 44°F | 43% | 24% | 14 h 30 min |
| May 3 | 62°F | 44°F | 43% | 23% | 14 h 30 min |
| May 4 | 62°F | 44°F | 43% | 23% | 14 h 30 min |
| May 5 | 62°F | 45°F | 42% | 22% | 14 h 40 min |
| May 6 | 62°F | 45°F | 42% | 22% | 14 h 40 min |
| May 7 | 63°F | 45°F | 41% | 22% | 14 h 40 min |
| May 8 | 63°F | 45°F | 41% | 21% | 14 h 40 min |
| May 9 | 63°F | 45°F | 40% | 21% | 14 h 50 min |
| May 10 | 63°F | 46°F | 40% | 21% | 14 h 50 min |
| May 11 | 64°F | 46°F | 40% | 20% | 14 h 50 min |
| May 12 | 64°F | 46°F | 39% | 20% | 15 h |
| May 13 | 64°F | 46°F | 39% | 20% | 15 h |
| May 14 | 64°F | 46°F | 39% | 20% | 15 h |
| May 15 | 65°F | 46°F | 39% | 19% | 15 h |
| May 16 | 65°F | 47°F | 39% | 19% | 15 h 10 min |
| May 17 | 65°F | 47°F | 38% | 19% | 15 h 10 min |
| May 18 | 65°F | 47°F | 38% | 19% | 15 h 10 min |
| May 19 | 65°F | 47°F | 38% | 18% | 15 h 10 min |
| May 20 | 66°F | 47°F | 38% | 18% | 15 h 10 min |
| May 21 | 66°F | 48°F | 38% | 18% | 15 h 20 min |
| May 22 | 66°F | 48°F | 38% | 18% | 15 h 20 min |
| May 23 | 66°F | 48°F | 37% | 17% | 15 h 20 min |
| May 24 | 66°F | 48°F | 37% | 17% | 15 h 20 min |
| May 25 | 66°F | 48°F | 37% | 17% | 15 h 30 min |
| May 26 | 67°F | 48°F | 37% | 17% | 15 h 30 min |
| May 27 | 67°F | 48°F | 36% | 16% | 15 h 30 min |
| May 28 | 67°F | 49°F | 36% | 16% | 15 h 30 min |
| May 29 | 67°F | 49°F | 36% | 16% | 15 h 30 min |
| May 30 | 67°F | 49°F | 36% | 15% | 15 h 40 min |
| May 31 | 67°F | 49°F | 36% | 15% | 15 h 40 min |
- Normal high
- 65°FMay average
- Normal low
- 47°FMay average
- Precipitation
- 2.08 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 120.01 inch or more
- Daylight
- 14 h 20 min to 15 h 40 minMay 1 to May 31
- Days at 70°F or more
- 7
- Days at 80°F or more
- 1
- Sunshine
- 66%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00094274; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain in Tacoma in May?
On a given May day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 39% on average, highest around May 1 (44%). In all, 2.08 in falls on 12 days of a normal May.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00094274.
What are the records for May in Tacoma?
The warmest May temperature on this station's record (since 1999) is 90°F, on May 15, 2023; the coldest is 36°F, on May 6, 2002. The wettest May brought 3.98 in (2014).
The May mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 55.5°F: 2021 54.1°F (−1.4), 2022 52.5°F (−3.0), 2023 60.2°F (+4.7), 2024 55.3°F (−0.2), 2025 56.1°F (+0.6), 2026 57.5°F (+2.0). 3 of 6 ran warmer than normal.
| May | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 54.1°F | −1.4°F | 1.29 in |
| 2022 | 52.5°F | −3.0°F | 3.91 in |
| 2023 | 60.2°F | +4.7°F | 0.57 in |
| 2024 | 55.3°F | −0.2°F | 1.51 in |
| 2025 | 56.1°F | +0.6°F | 0.95 in |
| 2026 | 57.5°F | +2.0°F | 1.01 in |
Source: records: ACIS, station USW00094274; recent months: ACIS, station USW00094274. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does May in Tacoma compare across Washington?
Across the 96 places PlainClimate covers in Washington, May normal highs run from 59°F in Long Beach to 77°F in Pasco; Tacoma's is 65°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.