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San Diego in May: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Planning a trip and want to know what the weather in San Diego in May will be like? Take a look at our weather guide for San Diego, based on historical data.
Check flight prices to San Diego on Avionero:
May

Weather in San Diego in May 2025

Good Weather
Mild
☁️
Cloudy
🌊
Fresh water
Planning a trip to San Diego in May? You are in luck! The weather is generally good, with an average maximum temperature of +68°F and approximately 4 sunny days. Just be prepared for some rain, as there are usually around 7 rainy days and 10 mm of precipitation. Expect good weather and pack accordingly to enjoy the outdoors. Search flights in one click on Avionero.

Average weather

☀️
+68°F
Avg. max. temperature
+50°F
Min.
+97°F
Max.
10 mm
Total precipitation
72%
Avg. humidity
3 m/s
Avg. wind
4 ☀️
Sunny Days
21 ⛅️
Cloudy
7 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: San Diego has good weather in May.

Average temperature in San Diego in May

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

Going from a maximum of +70°F during the day to a minimum of +52°F during the night, the temperature in May averages around +64°F.

The average maximum temperature goes up 10% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +63°F to +64°F.

Is San Diego warm or cold in May?

San Diego is typically mild in May.

Maximum temperatures go up compared to the previous month from +68°F to +68°F. The minimum temperature also goes up from +57°F to +59°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 San Diego:

Water temperature in San Diego in May

Water in San Diego in May is Fresh. It varies from +59°F to +66°F, with an average of +63°F. This is almost similar to the air temperature, which averages +68°F.

In May, water temperatures are average relative to the rest of the year:

The warmest water temperatures in San Diego are reached in August, when the average sea temperature rises to +68°F. The coldest water temperatures are in February, with an average of +59°F.

Can you swim in San Diego in May?

Water temperature (+63°F) in San Diego in May might be suited for short swims and acclimatized swimmers might find it refreshing.
🦭
Cold
Below +61°F
🏄‍♂️
Fresh
61°F - 70°F
🏊
Comfortable
70°F - 77°F
👙
Warm
77°F - 82°F
🔥
Very warm
+82°C and up
Think of bringing a full-body or shorty wetsuit (3mm-5mm thickness) to provide insulation and maintain body heat.

Climate in San Diego in May

San Diego weather looks like this, on average, in May and the surrounding months.
AprilMayJune
Avg. temperature
+68°F+68°F+70°F
Min. temperature
+43°F+50°F+54°F
Max. temperature
+95°F+97°F+93°F
Rainfall
27 mm10 mm3 mm
Wind
3 m/s3 m/s3 m/s
Avg. water temperature
+61°F+63°F+65°F
Humidity
70%72%75%
Air pressure
1015 HPa1013 HPa1012 HPa
Sunny days
743
Cloudy days
152124
Rainy days
873
Snowy days
000

May weather is still as good as in April. The temperature levels stay the same in the area of +68°F for average maximum temperature during the day. As May arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 27 mm to 10 mm. Humidity rises from 70% to 72%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during May, staying around 3 m/s. The days becoming less sunny, going from 7 sunny days in April to 4 in May.

June brings much the same weather, it remains good.

Wind

Wind speed in San Diego 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 San Diego is gradually decreasing during May, going from 4 m/s to 3 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during May in San Diego based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 16% chance of rain on an average day in May, with total rainfall of approximately 11 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 7 mm, which is considered light rain. On average, there are about 5 rainy days during May, so prepare to bring an umbrella.
Here’s how May is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
San Diego wettest month is February, where a typical day has a 34% chance of precipitation and 84 mm of rainfall per day. July, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 6% chance of precipitation and 2 mm of rainfall per day.

How was the weather last May in San Diego?

This is the weather in San Diego in May 2023:
1 May
☁️
+62°F
2 May
☁️
+63°F
3 May
☁️
+63°F
4 May
☁️
+64°F
5 May
☁️
+64°F
6 May
☀️
+65°F
7 May
☁️
+68°F
8 May
☁️
+67°F
9 May
☁️
+65°F
10 May
☁️
+64°F
11 May
☁️
+66°F
12 May
☁️
+65°F
13 May
☁️
+66°F
14 May
☁️
+65°F
15 May
☁️
+67°F
16 May
☁️
+69°F
17 May
☁️
+66°F
18 May
☁️
+67°F
19 May
☁️
+66°F
20 May
☁️
+66°F
21 May
☁️
+69°F
22 May
☁️
+63°F
23 May
☁️
+64°F
24 May
☁️
+65°F
25 May
☁️
+66°F
26 May
☁️
+67°F
27 May
☁️
+67°F
28 May
☁️
+66°F
29 May
☁️
+63°F
30 May
☁️
+64°F
31 May
☁️
+64°F
In May 2023 San Diego had 1 sunny days, 30 cloudy days, and 0 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +64°F, with an absolute maximum of +70°F and a minimum of +63°F. The average humidity was 78%, with a maximum of 100% and a minimum of 62%. The average wind speed was 3 m/s, with a maximum of 7 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in May?

Climate Change Over the Years

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

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

The average temperature was the lowest in 2001 (+67°F) and the highest in 2014 (+74°F). The driest year was 2002 with only 156 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2023 with 1311 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in San Diego in May:

Is May a good time to visit San Diego?

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

Can you sunbathe in San Diego in May?

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

Can you swim in San Diego in May?

In general, you can swim in San Diego in May, if you want to, at an average water temperature of +63°F. But it will feel quite cool, and some precautions are necessary to ensure your comfort and safety.

Is San Diego rainy in May?

San Diego is usually dry in May. Plan your packing around outdoor activities and exploring.

Is it sunny in San Diego in May?

Usually, it’s not very sunny in San Diego 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 San Diego

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in San Diego, 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.