May is one of the warmer months of the year in Penticton, with average highs near 14.2°C and lows around 1.8°C (mean 8°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 59 mm of rainfall and 70% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Penticton. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Penticton was 2023 — when the month averaged 12.8°C — while the coldest was 1984 at 4°C. Typical May days reach 14.2°C with nights near 1.8°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
May is a relatively wet time of year in Penticton, averaging 59 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1990 with 126 mm, while the driest was 1992 at 21 mm.
Relative humidity in Penticton during May averages 70%. The most humid May was 1990 at 78%, and the least humid was 1992 at 62%.
May receives about 5.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Penticton. The sunniest May was 2007 at 6.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1996 and 2022 at 4.6.
Average wind speed in Penticton during May is 0.3 m/s. The windiest Mays were 2021, 2022 and 2023, among others at 0.3 m/s, while the calmest were 2016, 2024 and 2025, among others at 0.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 7.3°C | 8.2°C | 7.8°C | 8.6°C | 8.2°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg High | 13.5°C | 14.4°C | 14.1°C | 14.8°C | 14.4°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg Low | 1.1°C | 1.9°C | 1.5°C | 2.4°C | 2.0°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg Rain | 56 mm | 62 mm | 50 mm | 62 mm | 65 mm | +9 mm |
May temperatures in Penticton have risen by about 1.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -5.6°C (1985) to a record high of 28.2°C (1986).
Rainfall in May is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 59 mm, with a wettest year of 126 mm.
A good time to visit Penticton
May is a good time to visit Penticton, with days averaging 14.2°C and nights around 1.8°C (mean 8°C, warmer than Penticton's yearly average) and moderate rainfall. August and July 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 | 14.6°C | 7.9°C | 1.3°C | 24.0°C | -3.8°C | 69 mm | 74% | 0.2 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2024 | 13.1°C | 6.9°C | 0.7°C | 23.6°C | -4.1°C | 57 mm | 74% | 0.2 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2023 🔥 | 19.1°C | 12.8°C | 6.5°C | 25.7°C | 0.5°C | 78 mm | 72% | 0.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2022 | 11.3°C | 5.8°C | 0.3°C | 17.7°C | -3.1°C | 55 mm | 74% | 0.3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2021 | 14.4°C | 8.0°C | 1.5°C | 24.2°C | -3.8°C | 23 mm | 68% | 0.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2020 | 14.0°C | 8.0°C | 1.9°C | 22.2°C | -3.8°C | 106 mm | 74% | 0.3 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2019 | 16.4°C | 9.8°C | 3.3°C | 23.2°C | -2.4°C | 45 mm | 71% | 0.3 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2018 | 18.0°C | 11.5°C | 5.1°C | 24.5°C | 0.4°C | 52 mm | 73% | 0.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2017 | 14.9°C | 8.9°C | 2.9°C | 25.1°C | -3.7°C | 89 mm | 73% | 0.3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2016 | 15.8°C | 9.4°C | 3.1°C | 23.2°C | -0.4°C | 61 mm | 71% | 0.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2015 | 16.3°C | 9.7°C | 3.2°C | 23.3°C | -3.7°C | 52 mm | 68% | 0.3 m/s | 6 |
| 2014 | 14.2°C | 8.3°C | 2.4°C | 21.6°C | -2.2°C | 61 mm | 71% | 0.3 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2013 | 15.7°C | 9.2°C | 2.7°C | 24.2°C | -5.2°C | 66 mm | 70% | 0.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2012 | 13.3°C | 7.0°C | 0.7°C | 24.4°C | -3.7°C | 27 mm | 66% | 0.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2011 | 11.7°C | 5.9°C | 0.1°C | 17.7°C | -3.7°C | 89 mm | 75% | 0.3 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2010 | 11.2°C | 5.9°C | 0.5°C | 20.3°C | -3.2°C | 79 mm | 73% | 0.3 m/s | 5 |
| 2009 | 14.4°C | 7.7°C | 1.0°C | 25.0°C | -2.9°C | 36 mm | 67% | 0.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2008 | 14.9°C | 8.2°C | 1.5°C | 26.4°C | -4.9°C | 38 mm | 70% | 0.3 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2007 | 15.2°C | 8.4°C | 1.5°C | 24.6°C | -3.3°C | 23 mm | 66% | 0.3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2006 | 14.9°C | 8.6°C | 2.4°C | 27.5°C | -5.5°C | 62 mm | 67% | 0.3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2005 | 15.5°C | 9.5°C | 3.5°C | 26.8°C | -1.6°C | 49 mm | 68% | 0.3 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2004 | 13.8°C | 8.1°C | 2.4°C | 21.8°C | -0.5°C | 84 mm | 72% | 0.3 m/s | 5 |
| 2003 | 12.7°C | 6.7°C | 0.8°C | 24.2°C | -4.5°C | 38 mm | 71% | 0.3 m/s | 5 |
| 2002 | 11.9°C | 6.1°C | 0.3°C | 19.0°C | -5.4°C | 80 mm | 71% | 0.3 m/s | 5 |
| 2001 | 15.4°C | 8.2°C | 1.0°C | 27.1°C | -4.8°C | 38 mm | 63% | 0.3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2000 | 12.4°C | 6.5°C | 0.5°C | 19.1°C | -3.6°C | 56 mm | 69% | 0.3 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1999 | 11.5°C | 5.3°C | -1.0°C | 24.8°C | -5.0°C | 53 mm | 69% | 0.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1998 | 16.4°C | 10.0°C | 3.5°C | 23.0°C | -0.2°C | 85 mm | 72% | 0.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1997 | 14.8°C | 8.6°C | 2.3°C | 23.4°C | -2.4°C | 68 mm | 72% | 0.3 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1996 | 10.2°C | 5.1°C | 0.0°C | 19.1°C | -4.3°C | 89 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1995 | 15.6°C | 8.9°C | 2.1°C | 24.8°C | -3.0°C | 35 mm | 67% | 0.3 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1994 | 15.3°C | 8.8°C | 2.2°C | 23.7°C | -2.8°C | 39 mm | 68% | 0.3 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1993 | 18.5°C | 11.6°C | 4.7°C | 28.0°C | -3.2°C | 39 mm | 66% | 0.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1992 | 16.8°C | 9.8°C | 2.8°C | 25.9°C | -2.5°C | 21 mm | 62% | 0.3 m/s | 6 |
| 1991 | 12.8°C | 7.0°C | 1.1°C | 19.1°C | -1.8°C | 67 mm | 76% | 0.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1990 🌧️ | 11.9°C | 6.8°C | 1.7°C | 21.6°C | -2.1°C | 126 mm | 78% | 0.2 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1989 | 13.4°C | 7.3°C | 1.2°C | 20.7°C | -2.7°C | 84 mm | 72% | 0.3 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1988 | 14.3°C | 7.7°C | 1.0°C | 24.3°C | -3.9°C | 54 mm | 68% | 0.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1987 | 15.6°C | 8.7°C | 1.7°C | 25.0°C | -3.5°C | 39 mm | 64% | 0.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1986 | 13.5°C | 7.4°C | 1.2°C | 28.2°C | -4.4°C | 46 mm | 71% | 0.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1985 | 15.1°C | 8.5°C | 1.9°C | 23.7°C | -5.6°C | 58 mm | 70% | 0.3 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1984 ❄️ | 9.4°C | 4.0°C | -1.3°C | 20.3°C | -4.2°C | 63 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 5 |
| 1983 | 15.2°C | 9.1°C | 3.0°C | 27.9°C | -3.0°C | 37 mm | 69% | 0.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 12.3°C | 6.0°C | -0.3°C | 21.4°C | -4.4°C | 39 mm | 72% | 0.3 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 12.8°C | 7.1°C | 1.3°C | 21.1°C | -3.7°C | 85 mm | 76% | 0.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 14.2°C with lows near 1.8°C (mean 8°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 59 mm of rainfall in Penticton, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 126 mm in 1990.
The hottest May reached 28.2°C in 1986. The coldest dipped to -5.6°C in 1985.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.4°C. Daytime highs moved from 13°C to 14.5°C and overnight lows from 0.9°C to 2.1°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Penticton and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 14.2°C daytime highs and 1.8°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Penticton, averaging 8°C.
For May in Penticton, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 14.2°C and lows of 1.8°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 70% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in May is 0.3 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 0.3 m/s (1981).
The wettest May on record was 1990 with 126 mm. On average, May sees 59 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 Penticton 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.
