May is one of the warmer months of the year in Fort McMurray, with average highs near 15.2°C and lows around 2.6°C (mean 8.9°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 64 mm of rainfall and 71% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Fort McMurray. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Fort McMurray was 2023 — when the month averaged 13.6°C — while the coldest was 2004 at 4.6°C. Typical May days reach 15.2°C with nights near 2.6°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
May is a relatively wet time of year in Fort McMurray, averaging 64 mm of rainfall. The wettest Mays on record were 1989 and 2024 with 128 mm, while the driest was 2011 at 19 mm.
Relative humidity in Fort McMurray during May averages 71%. The most humid May was 2024 at 82%, and the least humid was 2002 at 55%.
May receives about 5.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Fort McMurray. The sunniest May was 2015 at 6.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2024 at 4.6.
Average wind speed in Fort McMurray during May is 0.1 m/s. The windiest Mays were 2023, 2024 and 2025, among others at 0.1 m/s, while the calmest were 2023, 2024 and 2025, among others at 0.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 8.9°C | 9.2°C | 8.0°C | 9.7°C | 8.9°C | 0°C |
| Avg High | 15.2°C | 15.6°C | 14.2°C | 16.1°C | 14.7°C | -0.5°C |
| Avg Low | 2.6°C | 2.7°C | 1.8°C | 3.2°C | 3.2°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg Rain | 79 mm | 49 mm | 64 mm | 54 mm | 83 mm | +4 mm |
May temperatures in Fort McMurray have risen by about 0.8°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -10.2°C (2005) to a record high of 30.3°C (1986).
Rainfall in May is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 64 mm, with a wettest year of 128 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0°C per decade while lows rose 0.2°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A good time to visit Fort McMurray
May is a good time to visit Fort McMurray, with days averaging 15.2°C and nights around 2.6°C (mean 8.9°C, warmer than Fort McMurray's yearly average) and moderate 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 | 17.0°C | 10.9°C | 4.8°C | 27.0°C | -3.7°C | 77 mm | 76% | 0.1 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2024 | 12.7°C | 7.6°C | 2.4°C | 22.5°C | -2.6°C | 128 mm | 82% | 0.1 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2023 🔥 | 20.2°C | 13.6°C | 7.1°C | 28.3°C | -0.9°C | 38 mm | 74% | 0.1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2022 | 11.6°C | 6.6°C | 1.7°C | 18.6°C | -4.1°C | 100 mm | 81% | 0.1 m/s | 5 |
| 2021 | 13.1°C | 7.1°C | 1.2°C | 20.2°C | -6.7°C | 88 mm | 78% | 0.1 m/s | 6 |
| 2020 | 13.3°C | 7.6°C | 1.9°C | 21.1°C | -5.4°C | 66 mm | 77% | 0.1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2019 | 13.8°C | 7.4°C | 1.0°C | 27.3°C | -8.8°C | 56 mm | 74% | 0.1 m/s | 6 |
| 2018 | 18.6°C | 12.0°C | 5.4°C | 28.8°C | -3.2°C | 32 mm | 70% | 0.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2017 | 15.5°C | 9.7°C | 3.9°C | 27.5°C | -0.5°C | 100 mm | 76% | 0.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2016 | 18.4°C | 11.9°C | 5.4°C | 29.4°C | -2.4°C | 47 mm | 70% | 0.1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2015 | 16.0°C | 8.8°C | 1.5°C | 25.8°C | -5.3°C | 42 mm | 64% | 0.1 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2014 | 11.7°C | 6.6°C | 1.4°C | 22.8°C | -5.1°C | 92 mm | 78% | 0.1 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2013 | 18.3°C | 11.3°C | 4.2°C | 24.0°C | -9.9°C | 30 mm | 70% | 0.1 m/s | 6 |
| 2012 | 16.5°C | 9.9°C | 3.4°C | 24.0°C | -3.1°C | 24 mm | 62% | 0.1 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2011 | 17.8°C | 10.8°C | 3.8°C | 25.4°C | -0.9°C | 19 mm | 61% | 0.1 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2010 | 14.0°C | 8.2°C | 2.4°C | 23.2°C | -4.4°C | 92 mm | 75% | 0.1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2009 | 12.4°C | 6.1°C | -0.2°C | 20.4°C | -7.3°C | 59 mm | 71% | 0.1 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2008 | 15.6°C | 9.1°C | 2.5°C | 23.2°C | -5.3°C | 37 mm | 70% | 0.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2007 | 15.3°C | 9.3°C | 3.2°C | 25.1°C | -3.6°C | 39 mm | 70% | 0.1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2006 | 15.8°C | 10.3°C | 4.8°C | 23.4°C | -2.2°C | 91 mm | 75% | 0.1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2005 | 14.7°C | 8.2°C | 1.7°C | 24.9°C | -10.2°C | 53 mm | 72% | 0.1 m/s | 6 |
| 2004 ❄️ | 10.1°C | 4.6°C | -0.8°C | 20.7°C | -8.4°C | 108 mm | 72% | 0.1 m/s | 5 |
| 2003 | 14.8°C | 8.7°C | 2.5°C | 27.8°C | -5.8°C | 85 mm | 70% | 0.1 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2002 | 13.5°C | 6.5°C | -0.4°C | 22.3°C | -9.6°C | 25 mm | 55% | 0.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2001 | 16.1°C | 9.6°C | 3.1°C | 24.1°C | -3.3°C | 84 mm | 67% | 0.1 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2000 | 13.4°C | 7.3°C | 1.1°C | 19.5°C | -4.7°C | 57 mm | 68% | 0.1 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1999 | 14.5°C | 8.7°C | 2.9°C | 27.9°C | -3.8°C | 62 mm | 68% | 0.1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1998 | 19.2°C | 12.0°C | 4.8°C | 28.2°C | -2.5°C | 35 mm | 64% | 0.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1997 | 13.9°C | 8.1°C | 2.3°C | 24.1°C | -3.2°C | 65 mm | 73% | 0.1 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1996 | 11.9°C | 6.3°C | 0.6°C | 21.0°C | -8.7°C | 54 mm | 72% | 0.1 m/s | 5 |
| 1995 | 16.8°C | 9.3°C | 1.8°C | 30.3°C | -5.6°C | 22 mm | 61% | 0.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1994 | 15.6°C | 9.6°C | 3.5°C | 25.8°C | -4.3°C | 63 mm | 71% | 0.1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1993 | 16.2°C | 9.2°C | 2.2°C | 27.9°C | -4.8°C | 65 mm | 68% | 0.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1992 | 14.3°C | 8.0°C | 1.7°C | 23.8°C | -3.5°C | 40 mm | 68% | 0.1 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1991 | 17.7°C | 10.9°C | 4.1°C | 26.8°C | -4.5°C | 38 mm | 65% | 0.1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1990 | 16.2°C | 9.4°C | 2.7°C | 25.9°C | -4.4°C | 47 mm | 71% | 0.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1989 🌧️ | 14.4°C | 8.3°C | 2.2°C | 25.1°C | -4.5°C | 128 mm | 74% | 0.1 m/s | 5 |
| 1988 | 16.2°C | 9.7°C | 3.1°C | 23.5°C | -5.0°C | 78 mm | 69% | 0.1 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1987 | 16.2°C | 9.8°C | 3.4°C | 24.7°C | -6.1°C | 46 mm | 69% | 0.1 m/s | 5 |
| 1986 | 16.3°C | 10.1°C | 3.8°C | 30.3°C | -5.6°C | 56 mm | 73% | 0.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1985 | 16.2°C | 9.7°C | 3.1°C | 25.2°C | -2.2°C | 108 mm | 74% | 0.1 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1984 | 12.4°C | 7.0°C | 1.7°C | 20.3°C | -4.3°C | 126 mm | 74% | 0.1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1983 | 12.5°C | 6.1°C | -0.2°C | 23.6°C | -6.5°C | 71 mm | 71% | 0.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 14.3°C | 8.3°C | 2.2°C | 24.1°C | -8.9°C | 72 mm | 73% | 0.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 17.9°C | 10.8°C | 3.7°C | 25.9°C | -5.3°C | 29 mm | 66% | 0.1 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 15.2°C with lows near 2.6°C (mean 8.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 64 mm of rainfall in Fort McMurray, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 128 mm in 1989.
The hottest May reached 30.3°C in 1986. The coldest dipped to -10.2°C in 2005.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 0.8°C. Daytime highs moved from 14.7°C to 14.9°C and overnight lows from 2.1°C to 3.4°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Fort McMurray and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 15.2°C daytime highs and 2.6°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Fort McMurray, averaging 8.9°C.
For May in Fort McMurray, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 15.2°C and lows of 2.6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 71% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in May is 0.1 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 0.1 m/s (1981).
The wettest May on record was 1989 with 128 mm. On average, May sees 64 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 Fort McMurray 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.
