New York

What's the weather like in New York in May?

New York has a continental climate due to its location on the east coast of the United States; summer’s getting closer in May and the weather’s getting better. There’s rain all year round in New York, and May’s one of the wettest months, but you'll still get plenty of warm and sunny weather if you're going to the city in at this time.

Climatic influences

New York has four fairly distinct seasons; spring’s heading towards summer in May and things are getting nice and warm after the cold winter. The Appalachian Mountains help keep some warmth in, while offshore winds stop the Atlantic making things cooler. The city’s skyscrapers and tall buildings also help to keep some warmth in and winds at bay.

Averages

The average high temperature in New York during May is 20ºC, although it gets quite cold at night and cools to 12ºC. The usual sea temperature’s 12ºC, while humidity’s low and rainfall’s normally 114mm over 15 rainy days. You can still expect 14 hours of daylight with eight hours of sunshine each day and UV levels will be high so take some sun cream with you. The sun sets just before 8pm at the start of the month, gradually getting earlier.