May is one of the warmer months of the year in Halifax, with average highs near 11.8°C and lows around 5.2°C (mean 8.5°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 93 mm of rainfall and 85% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Halifax. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Halifax was 2012 — when the month averaged 10.5°C — while the coldest were 1997 and 2005 at 6.8°C. Typical May days reach 11.8°C with nights near 5.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Halifax, averaging 93 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2005 with 323 mm, while the driest was 2014 at 33 mm.
Relative humidity in Halifax during May averages 85%. The most humid May was 2011 at 92%, and the least humid was 1991 at 81%.
May receives about 5.2 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Halifax. The sunniest May was 1999 at 6.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2011 at 3.7.
Average wind speed in Halifax during May is 2 m/s. The windiest May was 2005 at 2.5 m/s, while the calmest was 1999 at 1.6 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 8.6°C | 8.1°C | 8.0°C | 9.0°C | 8.9°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg High | 11.9°C | 11.6°C | 11.2°C | 12.1°C | 12.2°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg Low | 5.2°C | 4.6°C | 4.8°C | 5.8°C | 5.5°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 86 mm | 88 mm | 114 mm | 84 mm | 93 mm | +7 mm |
May temperatures in Halifax have risen by about 0.7°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -1.4°C (1991) to a record high of 23.2°C (1992).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 93 mm, with a wettest year of 323 mm.
A good time to visit Halifax
May is a good time to visit Halifax, with days averaging 11.8°C and nights around 5.2°C (mean 8.5°C, warmer than Halifax's yearly average) and higher 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 | 12.4°C | 9.3°C | 6.2°C | 18.9°C | 2.5°C | 112 mm | 87% | 2.1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2024 | 12.6°C | 9.5°C | 6.4°C | 18.5°C | 2.3°C | 81 mm | 87% | 1.8 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2023 | 11.8°C | 8.2°C | 4.6°C | 19.3°C | 1.3°C | 56 mm | 82% | 2.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2022 | 13.0°C | 9.4°C | 5.8°C | 22.0°C | 0.0°C | 79 mm | 83% | 2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2021 | 12.1°C | 8.9°C | 5.7°C | 16.6°C | 2.7°C | 98 mm | 84% | 2.3 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2020 | 11.3°C | 7.9°C | 4.4°C | 18.0°C | 1.1°C | 129 mm | 83% | 2.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2019 | 9.9°C | 7.0°C | 4.0°C | 17.2°C | 1.2°C | 118 mm | 85% | 2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2018 | 13.3°C | 9.5°C | 5.6°C | 19.0°C | 2.2°C | 78 mm | 82% | 2 m/s | 6 |
| 2017 | 11.5°C | 8.5°C | 5.5°C | 21.8°C | 1.5°C | 170 mm | 87% | 2.1 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2016 | 12.4°C | 9.3°C | 6.2°C | 20.1°C | 2.8°C | 112 mm | 86% | 1.9 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2015 | 12.8°C | 9.1°C | 5.4°C | 17.0°C | 0.1°C | 52 mm | 84% | 2.1 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2014 | 11.2°C | 8.0°C | 4.9°C | 16.9°C | 1.7°C | 33 mm | 85% | 1.7 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2013 | 12.1°C | 9.0°C | 6.0°C | 20.9°C | 1.1°C | 83 mm | 88% | 2.2 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2012 🔥 | 13.7°C | 10.5°C | 7.2°C | 19.3°C | 2.2°C | 58 mm | 85% | 2 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2011 | 11.5°C | 9.0°C | 6.5°C | 18.1°C | 3.8°C | 96 mm | 92% | 2.1 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2010 | 12.9°C | 9.7°C | 6.5°C | 19.6°C | 3.7°C | 39 mm | 83% | 2.1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2009 | 12.2°C | 9.1°C | 5.9°C | 20.0°C | 3.8°C | 78 mm | 88% | 2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2008 | 10.8°C | 7.7°C | 4.6°C | 15.2°C | 1.8°C | 98 mm | 85% | 2.4 m/s | 5 |
| 2007 | 11.2°C | 7.6°C | 4.1°C | 19.4°C | 1.0°C | 82 mm | 84% | 1.9 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2006 | 12.0°C | 9.1°C | 6.1°C | 18.8°C | 3.3°C | 114 mm | 88% | 2.1 m/s | 5 |
| 2005 🌧️ | 9.3°C | 6.8°C | 4.2°C | 13.9°C | 0.4°C | 323 mm | 88% | 2.5 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2004 | 11.0°C | 7.6°C | 4.3°C | 14.5°C | 1.1°C | 73 mm | 85% | 1.9 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2003 | 11.0°C | 7.6°C | 4.2°C | 19.9°C | 0.3°C | 62 mm | 85% | 1.8 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2002 | 11.0°C | 7.8°C | 4.6°C | 16.7°C | 1.2°C | 70 mm | 84% | 2.2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2001 | 12.7°C | 9.0°C | 5.3°C | 20.4°C | -1.2°C | 131 mm | 84% | 1.9 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2000 | 11.2°C | 8.0°C | 4.8°C | 14.7°C | 1.2°C | 105 mm | 84% | 2.1 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1999 | 13.8°C | 10.1°C | 6.3°C | 19.2°C | 1.5°C | 47 mm | 83% | 1.6 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1998 | 13.4°C | 9.9°C | 6.3°C | 18.4°C | 1.9°C | 59 mm | 85% | 1.8 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1997 ❄️ | 9.9°C | 6.8°C | 3.7°C | 17.0°C | -0.7°C | 74 mm | 85% | 2.2 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1996 | 10.5°C | 7.2°C | 4.0°C | 16.4°C | -1.1°C | 107 mm | 84% | 1.9 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1995 | 10.4°C | 7.0°C | 3.5°C | 15.4°C | -1.1°C | 59 mm | 85% | 1.8 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1994 | 11.2°C | 7.9°C | 4.6°C | 14.8°C | 2.1°C | 150 mm | 87% | 2.3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1993 | 11.9°C | 8.5°C | 5.1°C | 17.3°C | -0.7°C | 72 mm | 87% | 1.9 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1992 | 11.6°C | 7.6°C | 3.5°C | 23.2°C | -0.5°C | 45 mm | 84% | 1.7 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1991 | 12.5°C | 8.8°C | 5.1°C | 21.6°C | -1.4°C | 103 mm | 81% | 1.9 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1990 | 10.5°C | 7.2°C | 4.0°C | 16.6°C | 0.8°C | 162 mm | 86% | 2.2 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1989 | 13.3°C | 9.9°C | 6.5°C | 19.6°C | 3.0°C | 91 mm | 88% | 1.9 m/s | 5 |
| 1988 | 12.1°C | 8.7°C | 5.2°C | 20.1°C | 1.0°C | 61 mm | 87% | 2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1987 | 11.8°C | 8.2°C | 4.5°C | 19.0°C | 1.3°C | 58 mm | 82% | 2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1986 | 11.9°C | 8.4°C | 4.8°C | 18.2°C | -0.5°C | 74 mm | 85% | 2.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1985 | 11.1°C | 7.6°C | 4.0°C | 16.9°C | -0.6°C | 83 mm | 85% | 2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1984 | 11.6°C | 8.7°C | 5.7°C | 17.4°C | 2.5°C | 134 mm | 87% | 2.2 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1983 | 11.6°C | 8.7°C | 5.8°C | 16.5°C | 0.9°C | 112 mm | 88% | 2.2 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 11.6°C | 8.2°C | 4.7°C | 17.9°C | 2.1°C | 54 mm | 86% | 2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 12.1°C | 8.8°C | 5.6°C | 19.0°C | 0.2°C | 105 mm | 87% | 2.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 11.8°C with lows near 5.2°C (mean 8.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 93 mm of rainfall in Halifax, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 323 mm in 2005.
The hottest May reached 23.2°C in 1992. The coldest dipped to -1.4°C in 1991.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 0.7°C. Daytime highs moved from 11.6°C to 12.4°C and overnight lows from 5.2°C to 5.7°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Halifax and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 11.8°C daytime highs and 5.2°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 7th coolest month in Halifax, averaging 8.5°C.
For May in Halifax, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 11.8°C and lows of 5.2°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 85% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 2 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 2.5 m/s (2005).
The wettest May on record was 2005 with 323 mm. On average, May sees 93 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 Halifax 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.
