Weather in United States in May

May in United States is mild enough that walking is the default. This is a city-break month more than a sea-holiday month.

A country pin in May is a warning: one region of United States will not match another. Use a city page if you already know where you are going. Compared with July and January, May sits in the middle of United States's year.

United States
Average temp
18°C

11–24°C

Rainfall
112 mm

Showers likely

Sunshine
Wind
18 km/h

What to expect

Daytime

Mild afternoons in United States are the prize in May. You can eat outside on the good days. You still want something for the breeze.

This is walking weather. Shade is useful, not essential the way it is in the hot months. A long outdoor day is a reasonable plan.

Rain

May is the wet side of the year in United States, the wettest stretch on these averages. Days can be heavy. Plans that cannot survive rain are the wrong plans.

This is not a reason to skip United States if you like the place. It is a reason to pack for weather and to stop treating every grey hour as a failed holiday.

Evening

Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.

What to pack

  • Rain jacket

  • A layer for cooler evenings

Average weather in United States

TemperatureRainfall

Source: MeteostatPeriod: 1991-2020Checked: 28 Aug 2026270 places covered

Similar weather in May

Other destinations whose May averages sit close to this one.

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FAQs about United States

Climate averages for United States, 1991–2020.

The best time to visit United States is between May and October, the most comfortable stretch of the year on these averages.

July is the hottest month, with an average around 26°C.

May is the wettest month, with about 112 mm of rain.

No. These are 1991–2020 climate normals from Meteostat, not a live forecast. Actual weather in any given week can differ.