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New York in May: weather & travel advice
This month's data profile
Rain shapes the decision
New York in May is climatically well suited to city breaks and active holidays and hiking. The average daily high is around 17 °C. With about 12 rainy days it is wet.
Historical monthly averages, not a weather forecast. Individual days and years can differ substantially.
Rank among 12 monthly averages
60/100 · #6
Warmth
#6
Dryness
#9
Sun
#3
Published best categories: Active
New York · MayPhoto: King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0Climate facts
- Average high
- 17 °C
- Average low
- 11 °C
- Rainy days (est.)
- 12 rainy days (est.)
- Sun (est.)
- 7 h/day
- Humidity
- 83 %
Climate evidence with direct month comparison
The highlighted row is the selected month. Precipitation total and rainy days are separate monthly averages.
| Month | Avg high °C | Avg low °C | Rainy days (est.) | Precipitation mm | Sun h/day (est.) | Humidity % | Wind m/s | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | 12 | 6 | 11 | 104 | 6.2 | 82 | 4.1 | 48 |
| May (selected) | 17 | 11 | 12 | 100 | 7.1 | 83 | 3.5 | 60 |
| June | 22 | 17 | 13 | 98 | 7.7 | 82 | 3.3 | 73 |
How do the previous and next months compare?
Baseline: May (60/100)
Positive and negative values show the change from the selected month.
| Score Δ | Average high Δ | Average low Δ | Rainy days Δ | Rain Δ | Sun Δ | Humidity Δ | Wind Δ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | -12 | -5.1 °C | -5.4 °C | -1.1 | +4.3 mm | -0.9 h | -1.6 % | +0.6 m/s |
| June | +13 | +5.4 °C | +5.7 °C | +0.5 | -1.8 mm | +0.6 h | -0.9 % | -0.2 m/s |
All twelve months in context

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Useful next decisions
Frequently asked questions
How warm is New York in May?
The average daily high is around 17 °C, with an average daily low of about 11 °C.
Does it rain a lot in New York in May?
The curated estimate is about 12 rainy days per month, not a directly measured long-term average. Total precipitation averages around 100 mm for the month. A rainy day does not mean all-day rain.
When is the best time to visit New York?
By the climate score, June, July, August and September are the strongest months for New York. May is not among them.