May is one of the warmer months of the year in Shimla, with average highs near 36.1°C and lows around 21.6°C (mean 28.9°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 42 mm of rainfall and 29% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Shimla. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Shimla was 2002 — when the month averaged 31.5°C — while the coldest was 1982 at 23.2°C. Typical May days reach 36.1°C with nights near 21.6°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
May is one of the drier months in Shimla, averaging 42 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1982 with 165 mm, while the driest was 1995 at 0 mm.
Relative humidity in Shimla during May averages 29%. The most humid May was 1982 at 62%, and the least humid was 1988 at 13%.
May receives about 6.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Shimla. The sunniest May was 1998 at 7.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1987 at 5.4.
Average wind speed in Shimla during May is 2.3 m/s. The windiest Mays were 1991, 1992 and 2003, among others at 2.7 m/s, while the calmest was 1982 at 1.7 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 28.3°C | 29.1°C | 29.4°C | 29.3°C | 27.5°C | -0.8°C |
| Avg High | 36.0°C | 36.8°C | 36.6°C | 36.4°C | 33.9°C | -2.1°C |
| Avg Low | 20.7°C | 21.4°C | 22.2°C | 22.3°C | 21.0°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 41 mm | 20 mm | 45 mm | 34 mm | 84 mm | +43 mm |
May temperatures in Shimla have fallen by about 0.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 12.9°C (1987) to a record high of 44°C (1988).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 42 mm, with a wettest year of 165 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs fell about 0.4°C per decade while lows rose 0.2°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A good time to visit Shimla
May is a good time to visit Shimla, with days averaging 36.1°C and nights around 21.6°C (mean 28.9°C, warmer than Shimla's yearly average) and moderate rainfall. October and April 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 | 33.9°C | 28.1°C | 22.2°C | 38.0°C | 19.0°C | 97 mm | 45% | 2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2024 | 36.8°C | 29.5°C | 22.2°C | 42.0°C | 14.1°C | 14 mm | 30% | 2.3 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2023 | 30.8°C | 24.8°C | 18.7°C | 38.3°C | 15.3°C | 137 mm | 50% | 2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2022 | 35.8°C | 29.2°C | 22.6°C | 40.6°C | 17.7°C | 79 mm | 33% | 2.1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2021 | 33.2°C | 26.8°C | 20.3°C | 37.8°C | 16.9°C | 84 mm | 41% | 1.9 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2020 | 33.1°C | 26.6°C | 20.1°C | 39.1°C | 17.1°C | 93 mm | 45% | 2.1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2019 | 34.9°C | 27.8°C | 20.7°C | 40.6°C | 17.7°C | 37 mm | 35% | 2.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2018 | 36.1°C | 28.9°C | 21.7°C | 39.7°C | 17.7°C | 41 mm | 29% | 2.3 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2017 | 36.0°C | 29.4°C | 22.8°C | 39.3°C | 17.7°C | 61 mm | 35% | 2.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2016 | 36.3°C | 29.6°C | 23.0°C | 41.0°C | 20.3°C | 78 mm | 35% | 2.4 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2015 | 36.1°C | 29.5°C | 22.8°C | 39.8°C | 18.6°C | 13 mm | 30% | 2.2 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2014 | 34.5°C | 28.0°C | 21.5°C | 39.9°C | 17.4°C | 33 mm | 36% | 2.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2013 | 37.8°C | 30.6°C | 23.3°C | 42.7°C | 18.5°C | 7 mm | 21% | 2.5 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2012 | 36.4°C | 28.9°C | 21.5°C | 41.8°C | 14.5°C | 3 mm | 22% | 2.3 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2011 | 37.2°C | 29.9°C | 22.6°C | 40.5°C | 18.5°C | 51 mm | 29% | 2.2 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2010 | 38.3°C | 30.8°C | 23.3°C | 43.1°C | 20.6°C | 13 mm | 20% | 2.6 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2009 | 36.5°C | 29.2°C | 21.9°C | 40.5°C | 18.5°C | 34 mm | 26% | 2.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2008 | 34.2°C | 27.7°C | 21.2°C | 40.0°C | 19.1°C | 130 mm | 37% | 2 m/s | 6 |
| 2007 | 36.2°C | 29.3°C | 22.4°C | 39.7°C | 20.3°C | 15 mm | 29% | 2.2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2006 | 37.0°C | 30.2°C | 23.4°C | 39.7°C | 21.3°C | 71 mm | 32% | 1.9 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2005 | 35.2°C | 28.1°C | 20.9°C | 38.6°C | 17.7°C | 7 mm | 26% | 2.4 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2004 | 36.5°C | 29.0°C | 21.6°C | 40.7°C | 13.3°C | 54 mm | 29% | 2.4 m/s | 7.4 |
| 2003 | 36.3°C | 28.5°C | 20.6°C | 40.2°C | 14.3°C | 14 mm | 19% | 2.7 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2002 🔥 | 39.5°C | 31.5°C | 23.6°C | 42.5°C | 18.0°C | 20 mm | 18% | 2.5 m/s | 7.3 |
| 2001 | 36.8°C | 29.5°C | 22.2°C | 42.0°C | 20.3°C | 74 mm | 31% | 2.1 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2000 | 38.2°C | 31.0°C | 23.9°C | 41.2°C | 19.5°C | 34 mm | 26% | 2.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1999 | 38.0°C | 30.3°C | 22.7°C | 40.5°C | 19.7°C | 4 mm | 19% | 2.4 m/s | 6 |
| 1998 | 38.0°C | 29.9°C | 21.8°C | 42.9°C | 16.9°C | 22 mm | 23% | 2.5 m/s | 7.5 |
| 1997 | 33.3°C | 26.1°C | 18.8°C | 38.1°C | 13.7°C | 71 mm | 32% | 1.9 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1996 | 35.7°C | 28.1°C | 20.6°C | 40.0°C | 17.4°C | 30 mm | 26% | 2.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1995 | 37.2°C | 29.6°C | 21.9°C | 41.0°C | 17.9°C | 0 mm | 22% | 2.4 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1994 | 37.8°C | 29.8°C | 21.9°C | 42.1°C | 17.1°C | 19 mm | 22% | 2.5 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1993 | 37.9°C | 29.8°C | 21.8°C | 41.8°C | 17.2°C | 26 mm | 23% | 2.4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1992 | 35.7°C | 28.0°C | 20.3°C | 39.6°C | 16.5°C | 18 mm | 25% | 2.7 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1991 | 37.5°C | 29.6°C | 21.6°C | 39.9°C | 17.8°C | 1 mm | 19% | 2.7 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1990 | 37.1°C | 29.6°C | 22.2°C | 41.2°C | 16.8°C | 12 mm | 26% | 2.1 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1989 | 37.3°C | 29.0°C | 20.7°C | 41.3°C | 15.2°C | 22 mm | 17% | 2.6 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1988 | 40.0°C | 31.3°C | 22.6°C | 44.0°C | 19.5°C | 2 mm | 13% | 2.7 m/s | 7 |
| 1987 | 32.6°C | 25.5°C | 18.5°C | 38.5°C | 12.9°C | 77 mm | 37% | 2.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1986 | 36.0°C | 27.9°C | 19.9°C | 39.7°C | 14.2°C | 33 mm | 23% | 2.6 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1985 | 37.5°C | 29.7°C | 21.8°C | 41.0°C | 18.4°C | 22 mm | 17% | 2.5 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1984 | 39.6°C | 31.1°C | 22.5°C | 43.2°C | 16.6°C | 1 mm | 16% | 2.6 m/s | 7.4 |
| 1983 | 34.8°C | 27.8°C | 20.8°C | 38.4°C | 16.5°C | 10 mm | 33% | 2.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 ❄️ 🌧️ | 28.7°C | 23.2°C | 17.8°C | 34.6°C | 13.0°C | 165 mm | 62% | 1.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 37.3°C | 29.4°C | 21.6°C | 41.2°C | 19.0°C | 42 mm | 27% | 2.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 36.1°C with lows near 21.6°C (mean 28.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 42 mm of rainfall in Shimla, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 165 mm in 1982.
The hottest May reached 44°C in 1988. The coldest dipped to 12.9°C in 1987.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have fallen by about 0.5°C — but days and nights have moved in opposite directions. Overnight lows rose from 20.9°C to 21.2°C while daytime highs eased from 35.6°C to 34.1°C, narrowing the gap between day and night.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Shimla and one of the drier months, so plan for around 36.1°C daytime highs and 21.6°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 11th coolest month in Shimla, averaging 28.9°C.
For May in Shimla, pack light, breathable clothing and sun protection, with typical highs of 36.1°C and lows of 21.6°C.
Relative humidity in May averages 29% — relatively dry.
Average wind speed in May is 2.3 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 2.7 m/s (1988).
The wettest May on record was 1982 with 165 mm. On average, May sees 42 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 Shimla 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.
