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Raleigh in May: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

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

Weather in Raleigh in May 2025

Good Weather
Warm
🌧️
Rainy
Planning a trip to Raleigh in May? You are in luck! The weather is generally good, with an average maximum temperature of +79°F and approximately 5 sunny days. Just be prepared for some rain, as there are usually around 15 rainy days and 91 mm of precipitation. Expect good weather and pack accordingly to enjoy the outdoors. Search flights in one click on Avionero.

Average weather

☀️
+79°F
Avg. max. temperature
+37°F
Min.
+99°F
Max.
91 mm
Total precipitation
68%
Avg. humidity
2 m/s
Avg. wind
5 ☀️
Sunny Days
10 ⛅️
Cloudy
15 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Raleigh has good weather in May.
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Average temperature in Raleigh in May

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

Going from a maximum of +88°F during the day to a minimum of +45°F during the night, the temperature in May averages around +75°F.

The average maximum temperature goes up 29% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +66°F to +79°F.

Is Raleigh warm or cold in May?

Raleigh is typically warm in May.

Maximum temperatures go up compared to the previous month from +72°F to +79°F. The minimum temperature also goes up from +52°F to +59°F.

It’s generally warm, but pack a long-sleeve shirt for evenings.

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

Climate in Raleigh in May

Raleigh weather looks like this, on average, in May and the surrounding months.
AprilMayJune
Avg. temperature
+72°F+79°F+86°F
Min. temperature
+27°F+37°F+50°F
Max. temperature
+97°F+99°F+106°F
Rainfall
89 mm91 mm98 mm
Wind
3 m/s2 m/s2 m/s
Humidity
63%68%71%
Air pressure
1015 HPa1015 HPa1014 HPa
Sunny days
653
Cloudy days
10109
Rainy days
131516
Snowy days
000

May weather is still as good as in April. It’s getting warmer as May arrives. The average maximum temperature goes up from +72°F to +79°F during the day. Prepare for more rain. Average rainfall goes from 89 mm to 91 mm. Humidity rises from 63% to 68%. Winds are calmer in comparison to April, going down from 3 m/s to 2 m/s on average. The days becoming less sunny, going from 6 sunny days in April to 5 in May.

June brings much the same weather, it remains good.

Wind

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

The average wind speed is 3 m/s getting up to 5 m/s which is a light breeze; barely moving the tree leaves.

The average wind speed in Raleigh is gradually decreasing during May, going from 5 m/s to 2 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during May in Raleigh based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 45% chance of rain on an average day in May, with total rainfall of approximately 132 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 49 mm, which is moderate rain. May is a pretty wet month with over 14 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:
Raleigh wettest month is July, where a typical day has a 65% chance of precipitation and 114 mm of rainfall per day. February, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 34% chance of precipitation and 68 mm of rainfall per day.

How was the weather last May in Raleigh?

This is the weather in Raleigh in May 2023:
1 May
☁️
+66°F
2 May
☀️
+69°F
3 May
☀️
+65°F
4 May
☀️
+69°F
5 May
☁️
+75°F
6 May
☀️
+80°F
7 May
☁️
+81°F
8 May
☁️
+83°F
9 May
☁️
+87°F
10 May
☀️
+77°F
11 May
☁️
+83°F
12 May
☁️
+86°F
13 May
☁️
+84°F
14 May
☁️
+80°F
15 May
☁️
+75°F
16 May
☁️
+84°F
17 May
☁️
+81°F
18 May
☁️
+73°F
19 May
☁️
+68°F
20 May
☁️
+79°F
21 May
🌧️
+74°F
22 May
☁️
+81°F
23 May
☁️
+77°F
24 May
☁️
+76°F
25 May
☁️
+71°F
26 May
☁️
+69°F
27 May
☁️
+63°F
28 May
🌧️
+67°F
29 May
🌧️
+69°F
30 May
☁️
+73°F
31 May
☁️
+78°F
In May 2023 Raleigh had 5 sunny days, 23 cloudy days, and 3 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +75°F, with an absolute maximum of +88°F and a minimum of +63°F. The average humidity was 65%, with a maximum of 100% and a minimum of 23%. The average wind speed was 3 m/s, with a maximum of 9 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in May?

Climate Change Over the Years

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

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

The average temperature was the lowest in 1996 (+68°F) and the highest in 1990 (+74°F). The driest year was 2007 with only 629 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2020 with 1994 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Raleigh in May:

Is May a good time to visit Raleigh?

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

Can you sunbathe in Raleigh in May?

May is warm in Raleigh. You may enjoy some beach or pool time in the day, but pack something a tad warmer for the evening.

Is Raleigh rainy in May?

Raleigh 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 Raleigh in May?

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

Other cities in USA

Check out the weather for other cities in USA.

Monthly weather in Raleigh

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Raleigh, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2023.

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.