May is one of the warmer months of the year in Shimla, with average highs near 40.4°C and lows around 17.3°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 2010 — when the month averaged 31.8°C — while the coldest was 1982 at 23.8°C. Typical May days reach 40.4°C with nights near 17.3°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 28.2°C | 28.9°C | 29.4°C | 29.5°C | 28.0°C | -0.2°C |
| Avg High | 40.2°C | 40.7°C | 40.5°C | 40.8°C | 39.3°C | -0.9°C |
| Avg Low | 16.1°C | 17.1°C | 18.2°C | 18.2°C | 16.7°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg Rain | 41 mm | 20 mm | 45 mm | 34 mm | 84 mm | +43 mm |
May temperatures in Shimla have stayed relatively stable across the record.
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 0.1°C per decade while lows rose 0.3°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 40.4°C and nights around 17.3°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 | High | Low | Avg | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 38.0°C | 19.0°C | 28.5°C | 97 mm | 45% | 2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2024 | 42.0°C | 14.1°C | 28.0°C | 14 mm | 30% | 2.3 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2023 | 38.3°C | 15.3°C | 26.8°C | 137 mm | 50% | 2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2022 | 40.6°C | 17.7°C | 29.2°C | 79 mm | 33% | 2.1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2021 | 37.8°C | 16.9°C | 27.3°C | 84 mm | 41% | 1.9 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2020 | 39.1°C | 17.1°C | 28.1°C | 93 mm | 45% | 2.1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2019 | 40.6°C | 17.7°C | 29.2°C | 37 mm | 35% | 2.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2018 | 39.7°C | 17.7°C | 28.7°C | 41 mm | 29% | 2.3 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2017 | 39.3°C | 17.7°C | 28.5°C | 61 mm | 35% | 2.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2016 | 41.0°C | 20.3°C | 30.6°C | 78 mm | 35% | 2.4 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2015 | 39.8°C | 18.6°C | 29.2°C | 13 mm | 30% | 2.2 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2014 | 39.9°C | 17.4°C | 28.6°C | 33 mm | 36% | 2.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2013 | 42.7°C | 18.5°C | 30.6°C | 7 mm | 21% | 2.5 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2012 | 41.8°C | 14.5°C | 28.1°C | 3 mm | 22% | 2.3 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2011 | 40.5°C | 18.5°C | 29.5°C | 51 mm | 29% | 2.2 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2010 🔥 | 43.1°C | 20.6°C | 31.8°C | 13 mm | 20% | 2.6 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2009 | 40.5°C | 18.5°C | 29.5°C | 34 mm | 26% | 2.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2008 | 40.0°C | 19.1°C | 29.5°C | 130 mm | 37% | 2 m/s | 6 |
| 2007 | 39.7°C | 20.3°C | 30.0°C | 15 mm | 29% | 2.2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2006 | 39.7°C | 21.3°C | 30.5°C | 71 mm | 32% | 1.9 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2005 | 38.6°C | 17.7°C | 28.1°C | 7 mm | 26% | 2.4 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2004 | 40.7°C | 13.3°C | 27.0°C | 54 mm | 29% | 2.4 m/s | 7.4 |
| 2003 | 40.2°C | 14.3°C | 27.3°C | 14 mm | 19% | 2.7 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2002 | 42.5°C | 18.0°C | 30.2°C | 20 mm | 18% | 2.5 m/s | 7.3 |
| 2001 | 42.0°C | 20.3°C | 31.2°C | 74 mm | 31% | 2.1 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2000 | 41.2°C | 19.5°C | 30.3°C | 34 mm | 26% | 2.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1999 | 40.5°C | 19.7°C | 30.1°C | 4 mm | 19% | 2.4 m/s | 6 |
| 1998 | 42.9°C | 16.9°C | 29.9°C | 22 mm | 23% | 2.5 m/s | 7.5 |
| 1997 | 38.1°C | 13.7°C | 25.9°C | 71 mm | 32% | 1.9 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1996 | 40.0°C | 17.4°C | 28.7°C | 30 mm | 26% | 2.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1995 | 41.0°C | 17.9°C | 29.5°C | 0 mm | 22% | 2.4 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1994 | 42.1°C | 17.1°C | 29.6°C | 19 mm | 22% | 2.5 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1993 | 41.8°C | 17.2°C | 29.5°C | 26 mm | 23% | 2.4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1992 | 39.6°C | 16.5°C | 28.1°C | 18 mm | 25% | 2.7 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1991 | 39.9°C | 17.8°C | 28.9°C | 1 mm | 19% | 2.7 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1990 | 41.2°C | 16.8°C | 29.0°C | 12 mm | 26% | 2.1 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1989 | 41.3°C | 15.2°C | 28.2°C | 22 mm | 17% | 2.6 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1988 | 44.0°C | 19.5°C | 31.7°C | 2 mm | 13% | 2.7 m/s | 7 |
| 1987 | 38.5°C | 12.9°C | 25.7°C | 77 mm | 37% | 2.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1986 | 39.7°C | 14.2°C | 27.0°C | 33 mm | 23% | 2.6 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1985 | 41.0°C | 18.4°C | 29.7°C | 22 mm | 17% | 2.5 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1984 | 43.2°C | 16.6°C | 29.9°C | 1 mm | 16% | 2.6 m/s | 7.4 |
| 1983 | 38.4°C | 16.5°C | 27.4°C | 10 mm | 33% | 2.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 ❄️ 🌧️ | 34.6°C | 13.0°C | 23.8°C | 165 mm | 62% | 1.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 41.2°C | 19.0°C | 30.1°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 40.4°C with lows near 17.3°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 0.2°C. Daytime highs moved from 39.7°C to 39.3°C and overnight lows from 16.7°C to 16.6°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Shimla and one of the drier months, so plan for around 40.4°C daytime highs and 17.3°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 10th coolest month in Shimla, averaging 28.9°C.
For May in Shimla, pack light, breathable clothing and sun protection, with typical highs of 40.4°C and lows of 17.3°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.
