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Ottawa in May: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Planning a trip and want to know what the weather in Ottawa in May will be like? Take a look at our weather guide for Ottawa, based on historical data.
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May

Weather in Ottawa in May 2024

Good Weather
Mild
☁️
Cloudy
Weather for Ottawa in May is typically good with an average maximum temperature of +68°F during the day, and approximately 3 sunny days monthly. Typically, there are about 8 rainy days with the total average precipitation that falls in May around 85 mm. Expect good weather and pack accordingly to enjoy the outdoors. Search flights in one click on Avionero.

Average weather

☀️
+68°F
Avg. max. temperature
+23°F
Min.
+95°F
Max.
85 mm
Total precipitation
62%
Avg. humidity
3 m/s
Avg. wind
3 ☀️
Sunny Days
20 ⛅️
Cloudy
8 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Ottawa has good weather in May.

Average temperature in Ottawa in May

Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Ottawa for May based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The temperature in May is +72°F on average, with a range between a maximum of +88°F during the day and a minimum of +36°F at night.

The average maximum temperature goes up 24% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +66°F to +79°F.

Is Ottawa warm or cold in May?

Ottawa is typically mild in May.

Maximum temperatures go up compared to the previous month from +54°F to +68°F. The minimum temperature also goes up from +36°F to +46°F.

Pack a light jacket as it will be warm in the day and cool in the evenings.

Take a look at how May is compared to other months in Ottawa:

Climate in Ottawa in May

Ottawa weather looks like this, on average, in May and the surrounding months.
AprilMayJune
Avg. temperature
+54°F+68°F+75°F
Min. temperature
0°F+23°F+32°F
Max. temperature
+90°F+95°F+97°F
Rainfall
71 mm85 mm91 mm
Wind
3 m/s3 m/s2 m/s
Humidity
61%62%67%
Air pressure
1013 HPa1013 HPa1011 HPa
Sunny days
433
Cloudy days
172018
Rainy days
789
Snowy days
200

May often has better weather than April. It’s getting warmer as May arrives. The average maximum temperature goes up from +54°F to +68°F during the day. Prepare for more rain. Average rainfall goes from 71 mm to 85 mm. Humidity rises from 61% to 62%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during May, staying around 3 m/s. The days becoming less sunny, going from 4 sunny days in April to 3 in May.

June brings much the same weather, it remains good.

Wind

Wind speed in Ottawa in May based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The average wind speed is 3 m/s getting up to 7 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in Ottawa is gradually increasing during May, going from 3 m/s to 4 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during May in Ottawa based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 39% chance of rain on an average day in May, with total rainfall of approximately 98 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 20 mm, which is considered light rain. May is a pretty wet month with over 12 rainy days, so don’t forget to pack an umbrella, raincoat, and a pair of wellies.
Here’s how May is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
Ottawa wettest month is June, where a typical day has a 30% chance of precipitation and 91 mm of rainfall per day. February, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 3% chance of precipitation and 11 mm of rainfall per day.

How was the weather last May in Ottawa?

This is the weather in Ottawa in May 2023:
1 May
☁️
+67°F
2 May
🌧️
+61°F
3 May
🌫️
+58°F
4 May
🌧️
+64°F
5 May
☀️
+64°F
6 May
☁️
+62°F
7 May
☀️
+59°F
8 May
☀️
+66°F
9 May
☀️
+73°F
10 May
☁️
+77°F
11 May
☁️
+83°F
12 May
☁️
+87°F
13 May
☁️
+86°F
14 May
☁️
+88°F
15 May
☁️
+77°F
16 May
🌫️
+73°F
17 May
🌧️
+59°F
18 May
☀️
+64°F
19 May
☁️
+59°F
20 May
☁️
+81°F
21 May
☁️
+87°F
22 May
☁️
+68°F
23 May
☁️
+61°F
24 May
☁️
+65°F
25 May
☁️
+71°F
26 May
🌧️
+76°F
27 May
🌧️
+74°F
28 May
☁️
+72°F
29 May
☁️
+78°F
30 May
☁️
+84°F
31 May
☁️
+79°F
In May 2023 Ottawa had 5 sunny days, 19 cloudy days, and 5 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +72°F, with an absolute maximum of +88°F and a minimum of +57°F. The average humidity was 63%, with a maximum of 100% and a minimum of 15%. The average wind speed was 3 m/s, with a maximum of 18 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in May?

Climate Change Over the Years

This is how Ottawa climate has changed over the last 43 years.

The climate in Ottawa in May has not changed that much over the last 43 years.

The average temperature was the lowest in 1997 (+61°F) and the highest in 1998 (+77°F). The driest year was 2005 with only 31 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2017 with 390 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Ottawa in May:

Is May a good time to visit Ottawa?

May is a really good time to go to Ottawa. The weather is nice so plan your packing around outdoor activities and exploring. Check out other good time to visit Ottawa.

Can you sunbathe in Ottawa in May?

May has mild temperatures in Ottawa. Not ideal for sunbathing, but still good for daytime outdoor activities, but plan for cool evenings. Pack a light jacket and shorts!

Is Ottawa rainy in May?

Ottawa is often rainy in May. You may get a bit damp when outside, so pack an umbrella, and maybe even a raincoat.

Is it sunny in Ottawa in May?

Usually, it’s not very sunny in Ottawa in May, often it’s pretty cloudy. Pack for any eventuality; layering can help reduce the number of bulky items needed.

Other cities in Canada

Check out the weather for other cities in Canada.

Monthly weather in Ottawa

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Ottawa, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2022.

For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.