#1Hot
Las Vegas
- Day
- 30.3°C
- Sea
- -
- Sun
- 10.0h
- Rain days
- 1
Your May weather guide
Weather in United States in May
May is a good month to visit the United States, but your choice of destination matters more than the country average. Average temperatures of 27°C by day and 19°C at night suggest warm holiday weather, though New York is noticeably cooler than Florida or Las Vegas. Choose Las Vegas for heat with little rain, Florida for warm sea swimming, or Hawaii for gentler daytime warmth. The catch is that warmth does not always mean dry weather.
Long-term climate averages, not a forecast · 1991-2020
- Average daytime high
- 27.4°Cacross 6 destinations
- Average night-time low
- 19.3°Cafter dark
- Sea temperature
- 22.9°Cwarm enough to swim
- Rainy days
- 9days1 mm or more
United States, month by month
Turn up the warmth
Warmest places in United States in May
Ranked by average daytime high. The full comparison is in the table below.
United States destinations ranked for May
All 6 places we track in United States, ordered by daytime high.
Scroll sideways for more weather, down for more places. Click a heading to sort.
| # | Destination | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas | 30.3°C | 17.0°C | - | 10.0 h | 1 | 11 h 18 min |
| 2 | Orlando | 30.1°C | 20.0°C | - | 7.5 h | 10 | 9 h 30 min |
| 3 | Florida | 29.1°C | 21.7°C | 26.8°C | 7.4 h | 11 | 9 h 30 min |
| 4 | Miami | 28.2°C | 23.4°C | 26.8°C | 7.3 h | 12 | 9 h 42 min |
| 5 | Hawaii | 26.1°C | 22.6°C | 25.2°C | 7.0 h | 8 | 15 h 18 min |
| 6 | New York | 20.5°C | 11.1°C | 12.9°C | 5.5 h | 11 | 7 h 42 min |
6 destinations shownClimate averages, not a forecast.
May climate overview
Daytime highs across United States in May run from 20.5°C (New York) to 30.3°C (Las Vegas). In Las Vegas about 85% of May days reach 25°C. Nights average 19.3°C; the coldest 10% of nights in New York fall to 7°C or below.
Rainfall in May
Expect around 9 rainy days (1 mm or more) in May, with Las Vegas the driest (1 days) and Miami the wettest (12 days). The wettest May at Las Vegas between 1991 and 2020 was 2016 with 16 mm; the driest was 2002 with 0 mm.
Sea temperature
The sea averages 22.9°C around United States in May - warmest at Florida (26.8°C). That is comfortable for swimming.
Sunshine and daylight
Around 7.4 hours of sunshine a day on average, out of 13.9 hours of daylight (sunshine estimated from cloud cover).
May against the rest of the year in United States
May is the 5th warmest month of the twelve in United States. It is 2.9°C warmer than April and 2.4°C warmer in June. The hottest month here is July (31°C) and the coolest January (18°C).
Which part of United States in May?
- Most sunshine: Las Vegas, 10.0 h a day.
- Driest: Las Vegas, about 1 rainy days.
- Warmest sea: Florida, 27°C.
- Hottest: Las Vegas, 30°C by day.
- Coolest (better for walking and cities): New York, 21°C.
What to pack for United States in May
Based on the averages: summer clothes for the day; a rain jacket - roughly 9 wet days; swimwear - the sea is 23°C.
Similar weather elsewhere in May
Within 1.5°C of United States's May daytime average: Galle (29°C, sea 29°C), Maldives (29°C, sea 30°C), Barbados (29°C, sea 28°C), Aruba (28°C, sea 27°C), Kololi (28°C, sea 25°C). See the full ranking for May.
Las Vegas for dry heat, Orlando for warm evenings
Las Vegas is the clearest choice if your priority is hot, mostly dry weather. Daytime temperatures reach 30°C, with 1 rainy day, so rain is less likely to disrupt outdoor plans than in the other destinations listed. Plan anything energetic away from the hottest part of the day and carry a layer for evenings, when temperatures fall to 17°C. Orlando also reaches 30°C, but its 10 rainy days make flexible plans more useful. Nights stay warmer at 20°C. Both suit travellers who want heat rather than mild spring weather; Las Vegas has the stronger case if avoiding rain matters most.
Florida and Hawaii for swimming
Florida makes a strong case for a swimming holiday, with a sea temperature of 27°C and daytime warmth of 29°C. Miami has the same sea temperature, while its 28°C days and 23°C nights leave little need for heavy clothing. The trade-off is rain: Florida has 11 rainy days and Miami has 12, so do not plan on uninterrupted dry weather. Hawaii offers a slightly cooler balance, with 26°C days, 23°C nights and a sea temperature of 25°C. Its 8 rainy days make it less rain-prone than Florida in these figures. Choose Hawaii for less intense daytime warmth, or Florida for warmer water.
New York for milder days, not warm-water swimming
New York suits travellers who prefer exploring in mild weather to spending the day in heat. At 20°C by day, it is the coolest destination listed, but still warmer than London's 17°C in May. The bigger packing consideration is the drop to 11°C at night: bring layers and a jacket rather than relying on summer clothing throughout the day. With 11 rainy days, a waterproof layer and flexible outdoor plans make sense too. The sea is only 13°C, so this is not the choice for comfortable warm-water swimming. Pick New York for cooler days, accepting that evenings will feel quite different from Florida or Hawaii.
A little more detail
United States in May FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Where is the hottest place in United States in May?
Las Vegas is the warmest of the 6 places we track in United States in May with an average high of 30.3°C; New York is the coolest at 20.5°C.
Is the sea warm in United States in May?
The sea averages 22°C or more at Florida (27°C), Miami (27°C), Hawaii (25°C) in May.
Where is hottest in May?
Las Vegas and Orlando both have daytime temperatures of 30°C. Las Vegas is the better choice for dry heat, with 1 rainy day compared with Orlando's 10. Orlando keeps more of its warmth after dark, with nights at 20°C rather than 17°C.
Is the sea warm enough for swimming?
Florida and Miami offer the warmest water listed at 27°C, making them strong choices for swimming. Hawaii's sea is also warm at 25°C. New York is very different: at 13°C, the water will feel cold rather than suited to relaxed warm-water swimming.
Will I need warm clothes for the evenings?
Pack layers for New York, where nights average 11°C, and a light layer for Las Vegas at 17°C. Florida's 22°C nights are warmer, while Miami and Hawaii stay at 23°C, so light clothing is more suitable for outdoor evenings there.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid), 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at 6 destination points.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C