Washington weather in May: Washington, District of Columbia: normal highs, lows, rain and records for May

Washington in May has a normal high of 77°F and a normal low of 58°F, a daily mean of 67°F, rising from 73°F on the 1st to 80°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 12 days in a normal May, 3.94 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)

In metric: a normal high of 25°C and low of 14°C, 100 mm of precipitation in May.

NOAA stationWashington Reagan Airport
Station IDUSW00013743
Location38.85°N 77.03°W
Elevation10 ft (3 m)
From the center4 miles
Population702,250

Jan 45° 30°
Feb 48° 32°
Mar 57° 39°
Apr 68° 48°
May 77° 58°
Jun 85° 68°
Jul 90° 72°
Aug 88° 71°
Sep 81° 64°
Oct 69° 52°
Nov 58° 42°
Dec 49° 35°

Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.

How warm is Washington in May?

The normal high is 77°F and the normal low 58°F, for a daily mean of 67.2°F. May is 9.0°F warmer than April and 9.1°F cooler than June. May is the 5th warmest month of the year in Washington and the 3rd wettest. Across the month the normal high rises 7°F, from 73°F on May 1 to 80°F on May 31. From one year to the next May's mean temperature typically moves about 3.2°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Mays in three average between 64°F and 70°F.

Washington in May, day by day: normal high and low

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 37%).

Normal high and low on five days of May, with the chance of precipitation
Day	High	Low	Chance of 0.01 in	Chance of 0.10 in
May 1	73°F	54°F	37%	23%
May 8	75°F	56°F	37%	24%
May 15	76°F	58°F	37%	24%
May 22	78°F	60°F	37%	23%
May 31	80°F	63°F	36%	23%

Every day of May: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon May 31, coldest night May 1)

Washington: NOAA 1991-2020 daily normals for each day of May
Day	High	Low	Chance of 0.01 in	Chance of 0.10 in	Daylight
May 1	73°F	54°F	37%	23%	13 h 50 min
May 2	73°F	54°F	37%	23%	13 h 50 min
May 3	74°F	54°F	37%	23%	13 h 50 min
May 4	74°F	54°F	37%	23%	13 h 50 min
May 5	74°F	55°F	37%	23%	14 h
May 6	74°F	55°F	37%	24%	14 h
May 7	74°F	55°F	37%	24%	14 h
May 8	75°F	56°F	37%	24%	14 h
May 9	75°F	56°F	37%	24%	14 h
May 10	75°F	56°F	37%	24%	14 h 10 min
May 11	75°F	57°F	37%	24%	14 h 10 min
May 12	76°F	57°F	37%	24%	14 h 10 min
May 13	76°F	57°F	37%	24%	14 h 10 min
May 14	76°F	57°F	37%	24%	14 h 10 min
May 15	76°F	58°F	37%	24%	14 h 20 min
May 16	76°F	58°F	37%	24%	14 h 20 min
May 17	77°F	58°F	37%	24%	14 h 20 min
May 18	77°F	59°F	37%	24%	14 h 20 min
May 19	77°F	59°F	37%	24%	14 h 20 min
May 20	77°F	59°F	37%	23%	14 h 20 min
May 21	78°F	60°F	37%	23%	14 h 30 min
May 22	78°F	60°F	37%	23%	14 h 30 min
May 23	78°F	60°F	37%	23%	14 h 30 min
May 24	78°F	60°F	37%	23%	14 h 30 min
May 25	79°F	61°F	37%	23%	14 h 30 min
May 26	79°F	61°F	36%	23%	14 h 30 min
May 27	79°F	61°F	36%	23%	14 h 40 min
May 28	80°F	62°F	36%	23%	14 h 40 min
May 29	80°F	62°F	36%	23%	14 h 40 min
May 30	80°F	62°F	36%	23%	14 h 40 min
May 31	80°F	63°F	36%	23%	14 h 40 min

Normal high: 77°FMay average
Normal low: 58°FMay average
Precipitation: 3.94 inmonth total
Days with precipitation: 120.01 inch or more
Days at 90°F or more: 2
Daylight: 13 h 50 min to 14 h 40 minMay 1 to May 31
Days at 70°F or more: 23
Days at 80°F or more: 12
Sunshine: 73%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)

Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00013743; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.

Does it rain in Washington in May?

On a given May day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 37% on average, highest around May 8 (37%). In all, 3.94 in falls on 12 days of a normal May, 1 of them with an inch or more.

In a normal May in Washington, 2 days reach 90°F.

Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00013743.

How humid and windy is Washington in May?

At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 78°F with 50% relative humidity and a dew point of 59°F; at 6 a.m. it is 65°F with 79% humidity. The wind averages 8.5 mph, most often from the southwest in the afternoon.

A normal May day at the station, hour by hour (local standard time)
Time	Temperature	Dew point	Humidity	Wind	Clear or few clouds
6 a.m.	65°F	58°F	79%	7.0 mph	24%
9 a.m.	71°F	59°F	65%	8.8 mph	21%
noon	77°F	59°F	54%	9.9 mph	12%
3 p.m.	78°F	59°F	50%	10.5 mph	14%
6 p.m.	76°F	59°F	55%	10.3 mph	–
9 p.m.	71°F	59°F	68%	7.6 mph	34%

Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00013743. Hourly normals exist only for NOAA's first-order stations; a dash where NOAA publishes no value for that hour (the sky at some hours).

What are the records for May in Washington?

The warmest May temperature on Washington's official record (since 1871) is 99°F, on May 31, 1991; the coldest is 33°F, on May 11, 1906. The wettest May brought 10.69 in (1889).

The May mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 67.2°F: 2021 66.1°F (−1.1), 2022 67.8°F (+0.6), 2023 65.0°F (−2.2), 2024 69.3°F (+2.1), 2025 67.0°F (−0.2), 2026 65.8°F (−1.4). 2 of 6 ran warmer than normal.

Washington: May in recent years against the 1991-2020 normal
May	Mean	Against normal	Precip.
2021	66.1°F	−1.1°F	3.77 in
2022	67.8°F	+0.6°F	6.36 in
2023	65.0°F	−2.2°F	1.34 in
2024	69.3°F	+2.1°F	4.30 in
2025	67.0°F	−0.2°F	7.73 in
2026	65.8°F	−1.4°F	2.85 in

Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record DCAthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00013743. Records and recent months use complete months only.

How does May in Washington compare across District of Columbia?

Across the 1 places PlainClimate covers in District of Columbia, May normal highs run from 77°F in Washington to 77°F in Washington; Washington's is 77°F.

Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.

How warm is Washington in May?

Does it rain in Washington in May?

How humid and windy is Washington in May?

What are the records for May in Washington?

How does May in Washington compare across District of Columbia?

Other months and places