May is one of the cooler months of the year in Richmond, with average highs near 18.1°C and lows around 8.3°C (mean 13.2°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 75 mm of rainfall and 78% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Richmond. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Richmond was 2016 — when the month averaged 15.8°C — while the coldest was 2011 at 11.5°C. Typical May days reach 18.1°C with nights near 8.3°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
May is one of the drier months in Richmond, averaging 75 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1998 with 232 mm, while the driest was 2018 at 7 mm.
Relative humidity in Richmond during May averages 78%. The most humid May was 1989 at 91%, and the least humid was 2016 at 58%.
May receives about 3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Richmond. The sunniest Mays were 2004, 2012 and 2018 at 3.4 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1989 at 2.4.
Average wind speed in Richmond during May is 0.3 m/s. The windiest Mays were 2018, 2020 and 2023, among others at 0.4 m/s, while the calmest were 2022, 2024 and 2025, among others at 0.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 13.0°C | 13.3°C | 13.3°C | 13.5°C | 12.9°C | -0.1°C |
| Avg High | 17.8°C | 17.9°C | 18.3°C | 18.9°C | 17.5°C | -0.3°C |
| Avg Low | 8.3°C | 8.7°C | 8.2°C | 8.1°C | 8.3°C | 0°C |
| Avg Rain | 83 mm | 100 mm | 79 mm | 44 mm | 65 mm | -18 mm |
May temperatures in Richmond have risen by about 0.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 0.2°C (1987) to a record high of 27.3°C (2016).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 75 mm, with a wettest year of 232 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.2°C per decade while lows rose 0°C per decade, widening the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Richmond
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of December and February tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Richmond. That said, May — with days averaging 18.1°C and nights around 8.3°C (mean 13.2°C) and moderate rainfall (75 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18.2°C | 14.0°C | 9.8°C | 23.4°C | 6.6°C | 150 mm | 85% | 0.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2024 | 17.4°C | 13.3°C | 9.1°C | 20.5°C | 4.1°C | 77 mm | 86% | 0.3 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2023 | 18.2°C | 12.4°C | 6.6°C | 22.4°C | 3.2°C | 20 mm | 68% | 0.4 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2022 | 17.2°C | 13.1°C | 8.9°C | 23.0°C | 3.3°C | 58 mm | 87% | 0.3 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2021 | 17.3°C | 12.8°C | 8.2°C | 21.8°C | 2.4°C | 41 mm | 82% | 0.3 m/s | 3 |
| 2020 | 16.5°C | 11.9°C | 7.3°C | 21.7°C | 3.4°C | 43 mm | 80% | 0.4 m/s | 3 |
| 2019 | 20.7°C | 14.7°C | 8.7°C | 26.4°C | 2.8°C | 10 mm | 65% | 0.3 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2018 | 20.6°C | 14.4°C | 8.2°C | 26.3°C | 5.3°C | 7 mm | 61% | 0.4 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2017 | 18.8°C | 13.4°C | 8.0°C | 21.5°C | 2.0°C | 11 mm | 76% | 0.3 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2016 🔥 | 22.0°C | 15.8°C | 9.6°C | 27.3°C | 1.9°C | 11 mm | 58% | 0.4 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2015 | 17.1°C | 12.7°C | 8.3°C | 21.4°C | 4.2°C | 53 mm | 82% | 0.3 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2014 | 19.6°C | 14.3°C | 9.1°C | 25.1°C | 4.7°C | 23 mm | 74% | 0.3 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2013 | 18.3°C | 13.0°C | 7.8°C | 25.7°C | 4.2°C | 69 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2012 | 17.4°C | 11.9°C | 6.4°C | 23.3°C | 3.7°C | 30 mm | 76% | 0.3 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2011 ❄️ | 16.3°C | 11.5°C | 6.7°C | 21.3°C | 1.7°C | 111 mm | 79% | 0.3 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2010 | 18.2°C | 13.1°C | 8.0°C | 24.9°C | 3.8°C | 113 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2009 | 17.7°C | 13.3°C | 8.8°C | 21.3°C | 5.5°C | 115 mm | 81% | 0.3 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2008 | 18.3°C | 12.7°C | 7.2°C | 20.5°C | 3.7°C | 9 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2007 | 19.7°C | 14.4°C | 9.1°C | 23.8°C | 3.7°C | 42 mm | 75% | 0.3 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2006 | 18.8°C | 13.1°C | 7.4°C | 24.0°C | 3.3°C | 37 mm | 68% | 0.3 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2005 | 18.8°C | 13.7°C | 8.5°C | 24.8°C | 5.2°C | 69 mm | 74% | 0.3 m/s | 3 |
| 2004 | 20.4°C | 14.1°C | 7.8°C | 23.5°C | 3.7°C | 14 mm | 60% | 0.3 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2003 | 17.3°C | 13.3°C | 9.3°C | 21.9°C | 4.8°C | 201 mm | 85% | 0.3 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2002 | 17.6°C | 13.0°C | 8.5°C | 23.1°C | 3.9°C | 75 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2001 | 16.5°C | 12.1°C | 7.7°C | 20.6°C | 4.3°C | 182 mm | 85% | 0.3 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2000 | 17.8°C | 12.8°C | 7.9°C | 22.9°C | 3.5°C | 42 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1999 | 18.8°C | 13.7°C | 8.6°C | 21.1°C | 1.6°C | 32 mm | 80% | 0.3 m/s | 3 |
| 1998 🌧️ | 17.2°C | 13.0°C | 8.9°C | 19.6°C | 2.3°C | 232 mm | 82% | 0.3 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1997 | 18.1°C | 13.7°C | 9.4°C | 24.6°C | 2.7°C | 121 mm | 82% | 0.3 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1996 | 17.9°C | 13.4°C | 8.8°C | 23.3°C | 2.7°C | 130 mm | 84% | 0.3 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1995 | 16.9°C | 13.1°C | 9.3°C | 22.2°C | 5.1°C | 157 mm | 84% | 0.3 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1994 | 18.4°C | 13.1°C | 7.7°C | 25.0°C | 3.9°C | 40 mm | 69% | 0.3 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1993 | 19.1°C | 13.7°C | 8.2°C | 24.4°C | 4.5°C | 21 mm | 73% | 0.3 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1992 | 16.6°C | 12.2°C | 7.8°C | 21.9°C | 2.9°C | 47 mm | 85% | 0.3 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1991 | 18.3°C | 13.6°C | 9.0°C | 25.2°C | 4.2°C | 95 mm | 79% | 0.3 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1990 | 17.2°C | 13.1°C | 9.0°C | 22.2°C | 3.7°C | 121 mm | 88% | 0.3 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1989 | 17.4°C | 13.9°C | 10.3°C | 22.1°C | 3.6°C | 113 mm | 91% | 0.3 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1988 | 17.3°C | 13.1°C | 9.0°C | 22.2°C | 5.6°C | 56 mm | 87% | 0.3 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1987 | 17.9°C | 12.9°C | 7.8°C | 23.5°C | 0.2°C | 68 mm | 76% | 0.3 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1986 | 19.1°C | 13.7°C | 8.4°C | 22.9°C | 4.5°C | 42 mm | 75% | 0.3 m/s | 3 |
| 1985 | 16.8°C | 12.6°C | 8.5°C | 22.6°C | 2.9°C | 101 mm | 88% | 0.3 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1984 | 16.8°C | 12.2°C | 7.5°C | 22.3°C | 4.0°C | 70 mm | 84% | 0.4 m/s | 3 |
| 1983 | 17.0°C | 12.8°C | 8.6°C | 20.8°C | 3.9°C | 139 mm | 85% | 0.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 20.0°C | 13.4°C | 6.9°C | 23.3°C | 1.9°C | 14 mm | 60% | 0.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 17.6°C | 12.6°C | 7.6°C | 22.6°C | 3.7°C | 141 mm | 79% | 0.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 18.1°C with lows near 8.3°C (mean 13.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 75 mm of rainfall in Richmond, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 232 mm in 1998.
The hottest May reached 27.3°C in 2016. The coldest dipped to 0.2°C in 1987.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 0.4°C. Daytime highs moved from 17.6°C to 17.7°C and overnight lows from 7.8°C to 8.5°C over the same span.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Richmond and one of the drier months, so plan for around 18.1°C daytime highs and 8.3°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 4th coolest month in Richmond, averaging 13.2°C.
For May in Richmond, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 18.1°C and lows of 8.3°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 78% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 0.3 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 0.4 m/s (1982).
The wettest May on record was 1998 with 232 mm. On average, May sees 75 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Richmond behaves each May, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for May specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
