May is one of the warmer months of the year in Canmore, with average highs near 8.7°C and lows around -1.8°C (mean 3.5°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 84 mm of rainfall and 75% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Canmore. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Canmore was 2023 — when the month averaged 8.8°C — while the coldest was 2002 at -0.7°C. Typical May days reach 8.7°C with nights near -1.8°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
May is a relatively wet time of year in Canmore, averaging 84 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1990 with 155 mm, while the driest was 1987 at 21 mm.
Relative humidity in Canmore during May averages 75%. The most humid May was 2011 at 87%, and the least humid was 1987 at 65%.
May receives about 5.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Canmore. The sunniest Mays were 2015, 2023 and 2025 at 6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2004 at 4.7.
Average wind speed in Canmore during May is 0.4 m/s. The windiest Mays were 2022, 2023 and 2025, among others at 0.4 m/s, while the calmest were 2016, 2019 and 2024, 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 | 3.7°C | 4.0°C | 2.9°C | 3.0°C | 3.8°C | +0.1°C |
| Avg High | 9.2°C | 9.6°C | 8.0°C | 8.1°C | 9.0°C | -0.2°C |
| Avg Low | -1.8°C | -1.6°C | -2.2°C | -2.0°C | -1.3°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg Rain | 72 mm | 91 mm | 78 mm | 85 mm | 99 mm | +27 mm |
May temperatures in Canmore have risen by about 1°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -14.9°C (2002) to a record high of 24.1°C (1993).
Rainfall in May is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 84 mm, with a wettest year of 155 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs fell about 0.1°C per decade while lows rose 0.1°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A good time to visit Canmore
May is a good time to visit Canmore, with days averaging 8.7°C and nights around -1.8°C (mean 3.5°C, warmer than Canmore's yearly average) and higher rainfall. July and August are marginally more temperate, but May still suits most travellers.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11.1°C | 5.3°C | -0.5°C | 21.4°C | -4.5°C | 63 mm | 73% | 0.4 m/s | 6 |
| 2024 | 7.2°C | 2.4°C | -2.3°C | 17.1°C | -9.9°C | 95 mm | 81% | 0.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2023 🔥 | 14.9°C | 8.8°C | 2.7°C | 21.2°C | -3.6°C | 80 mm | 72% | 0.4 m/s | 6 |
| 2022 | 4.3°C | 0.2°C | -3.8°C | 12.5°C | -9.8°C | 152 mm | 85% | 0.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2021 | 8.8°C | 3.5°C | -1.9°C | 17.4°C | -6.0°C | 118 mm | 72% | 0.4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2020 | 7.7°C | 2.7°C | -2.3°C | 18.0°C | -7.2°C | 84 mm | 80% | 0.4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2019 | 9.4°C | 4.2°C | -1.0°C | 19.9°C | -7.3°C | 93 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2018 | 11.5°C | 6.1°C | 0.7°C | 19.3°C | -6.8°C | 82 mm | 78% | 0.4 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2017 | 7.9°C | 3.2°C | -1.6°C | 19.5°C | -11.0°C | 64 mm | 80% | 0.4 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2016 | 11.2°C | 5.1°C | -1.0°C | 17.8°C | -6.0°C | 91 mm | 72% | 0.3 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2015 | 10.5°C | 4.7°C | -1.2°C | 18.1°C | -5.4°C | 52 mm | 69% | 0.4 m/s | 6 |
| 2014 | 5.2°C | 0.9°C | -3.4°C | 13.7°C | -12.1°C | 123 mm | 85% | 0.4 m/s | 5 |
| 2013 | 8.8°C | 3.7°C | -1.4°C | 15.9°C | -14.8°C | 112 mm | 78% | 0.4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2012 | 6.0°C | 1.2°C | -3.6°C | 15.3°C | -10.8°C | 54 mm | 79% | 0.4 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2011 | 4.6°C | 0.0°C | -4.5°C | 12.9°C | -12.1°C | 105 mm | 87% | 0.4 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2010 | 6.2°C | 1.3°C | -3.5°C | 14.8°C | -9.9°C | 78 mm | 75% | 0.4 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2009 | 7.4°C | 2.4°C | -2.6°C | 17.4°C | -9.5°C | 61 mm | 74% | 0.4 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2008 | 8.0°C | 3.1°C | -1.7°C | 18.8°C | -9.4°C | 97 mm | 80% | 0.4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2007 | 9.2°C | 3.7°C | -1.7°C | 20.3°C | -7.7°C | 84 mm | 74% | 0.4 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2006 | 9.9°C | 4.8°C | -0.2°C | 20.4°C | -6.3°C | 73 mm | 72% | 0.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2005 | 10.8°C | 4.8°C | -1.3°C | 20.1°C | -9.9°C | 64 mm | 74% | 0.3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2004 | 7.0°C | 2.4°C | -2.3°C | 14.6°C | -7.7°C | 121 mm | 79% | 0.3 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2003 | 7.4°C | 2.5°C | -2.4°C | 20.0°C | -7.2°C | 78 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 5 |
| 2002 ❄️ | 4.0°C | -0.7°C | -5.4°C | 16.5°C | -14.9°C | 92 mm | 87% | 0.4 m/s | 5 |
| 2001 | 9.3°C | 3.7°C | -1.8°C | 20.0°C | -8.0°C | 53 mm | 70% | 0.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2000 | 6.9°C | 2.0°C | -2.9°C | 12.2°C | -6.6°C | 60 mm | 74% | 0.4 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1999 | 6.4°C | 1.4°C | -3.6°C | 19.3°C | -9.5°C | 66 mm | 75% | 0.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1998 | 13.3°C | 7.1°C | 1.0°C | 18.9°C | -3.1°C | 116 mm | 71% | 0.4 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1997 | 8.7°C | 3.1°C | -2.4°C | 17.0°C | -8.2°C | 67 mm | 76% | 0.4 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1996 | 5.4°C | 0.5°C | -4.4°C | 14.4°C | -12.3°C | 99 mm | 81% | 0.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1995 | 10.2°C | 4.4°C | -1.3°C | 20.2°C | -6.9°C | 83 mm | 69% | 0.4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1994 | 10.4°C | 4.7°C | -1.0°C | 17.7°C | -4.5°C | 52 mm | 71% | 0.4 m/s | 5 |
| 1993 | 13.6°C | 7.1°C | 0.6°C | 24.1°C | -4.2°C | 99 mm | 71% | 0.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1992 | 11.0°C | 4.7°C | -1.6°C | 20.3°C | -7.7°C | 76 mm | 67% | 0.4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1991 | 8.3°C | 3.3°C | -1.7°C | 15.9°C | -8.3°C | 95 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 5 |
| 1990 🌧️ | 8.3°C | 3.5°C | -1.3°C | 17.2°C | -6.7°C | 155 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 5 |
| 1989 | 8.9°C | 3.4°C | -2.1°C | 16.8°C | -5.8°C | 49 mm | 69% | 0.4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1988 | 11.0°C | 5.0°C | -0.9°C | 23.0°C | -7.7°C | 56 mm | 67% | 0.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1987 | 11.2°C | 5.1°C | -1.0°C | 18.7°C | -6.1°C | 21 mm | 65% | 0.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1986 | 10.3°C | 4.7°C | -0.8°C | 23.7°C | -10.1°C | 74 mm | 73% | 0.4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1985 | 11.1°C | 5.2°C | -0.7°C | 18.7°C | -7.1°C | 93 mm | 71% | 0.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1984 | 5.8°C | 1.1°C | -3.6°C | 15.6°C | -7.2°C | 91 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1983 | 9.8°C | 4.2°C | -1.4°C | 22.4°C | -7.9°C | 45 mm | 73% | 0.4 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 5.5°C | 0.3°C | -4.9°C | 16.4°C | -12.2°C | 63 mm | 82% | 0.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 8.9°C | 4.0°C | -1.0°C | 15.3°C | -6.7°C | 150 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 8.7°C with lows near -1.8°C (mean 3.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 84 mm of rainfall in Canmore, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 155 mm in 1990.
The hottest May reached 24.1°C in 1993. The coldest dipped to -14.9°C in 2002.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1°C. Daytime highs moved from 8.2°C to 9.3°C and overnight lows from -2.3°C to -1.2°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Canmore and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 8.7°C daytime highs and -1.8°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Canmore, averaging 3.5°C.
For May in Canmore, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 8.7°C and lows of -1.8°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 75% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 0.4 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 0.4 m/s (1982).
The wettest May on record was 1990 with 155 mm. On average, May sees 84 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 Canmore 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.
