Weather in San Diego in May
May in San Diego is mild enough that walking is the default. This is a city-break month more than a sea-holiday month.
In United States, this is how San Diego actually wears May, not how a country centroid would. Compared with August and December, May sits in the middle of San Diego's year.
- Average temp
- 18°C
16–21°C
- Rainfall
- 7 mm
Not much rain
- Sunshine
- —
- Wind
- 12 km/h
What to expect
Daytime
Mild afternoons in San Diego 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
Rain is not the story in San Diego in May. Pack for sun. A shower would be news, not a plan.
Do not build the trip around weather windows. Build it around shade if it is hot, and around getting outside if it is not.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What to pack
A layer for cooler evenings
Where to stay in San Diego
Dates are a starting point for May.
Travel guides for San Diego
What to read before you book.
Average weather in San Diego
TemperatureRainfall
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FAQs about San Diego
Climate averages for San Diego, 1991–2020.
The best time to visit San Diego is between May and October, the most comfortable stretch of the year on these averages.
August is the hottest month, with an average around 22°C.
February is the wettest month, with about 56 mm of rain.
No. These are 1991–2020 climate normals from Meteostat, not a live forecast. Actual weather in any given week can differ.
