May is one of the warmer months of the year in Leh, with average highs near 7.6°C and lows around -4.2°C (mean 1.7°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 20 mm of rainfall and 49% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Leh. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Leh was 2000 — when the month averaged 4.7°C — while the coldest was 2023 at -2°C. Typical May days reach 7.6°C with nights near -4.2°C. The long-term May temperature trend is broadly flat.
May is about average for rainfall in Leh, averaging 20 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2023 with 72 mm, while the driest was 1991 at 2 mm.
Relative humidity in Leh during May averages 49%. The most humid May was 2023 at 66%, and the least humid was 2000 at 36%.
May receives about 7 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Leh. The sunniest May was 2024 at 8.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2005 and 2021 at 6.3.
Average wind speed in Leh during May is 2.4 m/s. The windiest May was 1993 at 3.1 m/s, while the calmest were 2021, 2024 and 2025, among others at 1.9 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 1.1°C | 1.9°C | 2.3°C | 1.8°C | 1.0°C | -0.1°C |
| Avg High | 7.2°C | 8.2°C | 8.5°C | 7.4°C | 6.2°C | -1°C |
| Avg Low | -4.9°C | -4.5°C | -3.9°C | -3.8°C | -4.2°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg Rain | 22 mm | 14 mm | 13 mm | 22 mm | 34 mm | +12 mm |
May temperatures in Leh have fallen by about 0.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -13.9°C (1982) to a record high of 16.2°C (1993).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 20 mm, with a wettest year of 72 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs fell about 0.3°C per decade while lows rose 0.2°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A good time to visit Leh
May is a good time to visit Leh, with days averaging 7.6°C and nights around -4.2°C (mean 1.7°C, warmer than Leh's yearly average) and low 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 | 9.0°C | 3.5°C | -2.0°C | 14.8°C | -4.0°C | 26 mm | 53% | 1.9 m/s | 7.1 |
| 2024 | 6.9°C | 1.2°C | -4.4°C | 11.8°C | -13.4°C | 17 mm | 57% | 1.9 m/s | 8.2 |
| 2023 ❄️ 🌧️ | 2.7°C | -2.0°C | -6.7°C | 7.9°C | -13.8°C | 72 mm | 66% | 2.2 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2022 | 8.5°C | 2.9°C | -2.8°C | 11.8°C | -5.0°C | 23 mm | 53% | 2.1 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2021 | 5.1°C | 0.2°C | -4.7°C | 10.5°C | -9.0°C | 43 mm | 64% | 1.9 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2020 | 4.9°C | 0.3°C | -4.4°C | 10.3°C | -8.6°C | 25 mm | 64% | 2 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2019 | 4.9°C | 0.1°C | -4.8°C | 10.5°C | -8.2°C | 27 mm | 60% | 2 m/s | 7.1 |
| 2018 | 6.6°C | 0.9°C | -4.8°C | 12.6°C | -8.8°C | 29 mm | 51% | 2.6 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2017 | 7.2°C | 2.4°C | -2.5°C | 12.4°C | -7.5°C | 25 mm | 58% | 1.9 m/s | 7.1 |
| 2016 | 8.3°C | 2.7°C | -2.8°C | 11.8°C | -4.9°C | 37 mm | 57% | 2.3 m/s | 7.4 |
| 2015 | 7.4°C | 2.0°C | -3.3°C | 11.8°C | -7.0°C | 12 mm | 52% | 2.5 m/s | 7 |
| 2014 | 6.8°C | 1.5°C | -3.7°C | 11.0°C | -8.6°C | 15 mm | 53% | 2.5 m/s | 7 |
| 2013 | 7.9°C | 2.2°C | -3.6°C | 14.1°C | -5.8°C | 15 mm | 47% | 2.6 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2012 | 7.2°C | 1.1°C | -5.0°C | 12.7°C | -7.7°C | 10 mm | 46% | 2.5 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2011 | 9.9°C | 3.3°C | -3.3°C | 13.1°C | -5.7°C | 10 mm | 40% | 2.3 m/s | 7.6 |
| 2010 | 7.7°C | 1.7°C | -4.3°C | 12.8°C | -7.1°C | 43 mm | 51% | 2.7 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2009 | 7.2°C | 1.3°C | -4.5°C | 12.4°C | -6.8°C | 11 mm | 45% | 2.5 m/s | 7.3 |
| 2008 | 8.5°C | 2.5°C | -3.5°C | 13.8°C | -5.3°C | 20 mm | 45% | 2.1 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2007 | 8.3°C | 2.6°C | -3.2°C | 13.2°C | -5.3°C | 13 mm | 48% | 2 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2006 | 11.0°C | 4.4°C | -2.1°C | 14.2°C | -4.6°C | 9 mm | 42% | 2.3 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2005 | 5.8°C | 0.3°C | -5.2°C | 9.0°C | -6.8°C | 14 mm | 52% | 2.7 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2004 | 7.9°C | 1.6°C | -4.7°C | 13.5°C | -12.7°C | 10 mm | 46% | 2.4 m/s | 7.6 |
| 2003 | 5.2°C | -0.3°C | -5.9°C | 13.3°C | -10.3°C | 16 mm | 48% | 2.6 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2002 | 9.0°C | 2.5°C | -4.0°C | 13.2°C | -6.7°C | 6 mm | 39% | 2.8 m/s | 7 |
| 2001 | 10.3°C | 3.6°C | -3.1°C | 14.3°C | -5.5°C | 12 mm | 36% | 2.3 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2000 🔥 | 11.9°C | 4.7°C | -2.5°C | 16.2°C | -5.3°C | 18 mm | 36% | 2.3 m/s | 7.1 |
| 1999 | 9.4°C | 2.9°C | -3.7°C | 14.4°C | -6.8°C | 7 mm | 40% | 2.5 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1998 | 9.8°C | 2.9°C | -4.0°C | 15.4°C | -6.4°C | 8 mm | 42% | 2.8 m/s | 7.7 |
| 1997 | 5.6°C | 0.2°C | -5.3°C | 9.5°C | -9.3°C | 16 mm | 51% | 2.4 m/s | 7.4 |
| 1996 | 6.3°C | 0.5°C | -5.3°C | 12.7°C | -8.1°C | 33 mm | 53% | 2.8 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1995 | 8.8°C | 2.4°C | -4.1°C | 12.3°C | -8.2°C | 12 mm | 46% | 2.4 m/s | 7.1 |
| 1994 | 8.0°C | 1.8°C | -4.3°C | 11.7°C | -8.8°C | 22 mm | 50% | 2.5 m/s | 7.3 |
| 1993 | 9.2°C | 2.4°C | -4.4°C | 16.2°C | -8.1°C | 6 mm | 46% | 3.1 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1992 | 6.7°C | 0.6°C | -5.5°C | 12.3°C | -9.0°C | 17 mm | 50% | 2.5 m/s | 7 |
| 1991 | 8.4°C | 1.7°C | -4.9°C | 12.5°C | -6.9°C | 2 mm | 44% | 3 m/s | 7 |
| 1990 | 9.8°C | 3.3°C | -3.1°C | 15.3°C | -6.1°C | 13 mm | 44% | 2.1 m/s | 7.3 |
| 1989 | 6.9°C | 0.9°C | -5.1°C | 11.3°C | -8.1°C | 17 mm | 43% | 2.7 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1988 | 8.6°C | 2.0°C | -4.6°C | 14.2°C | -6.6°C | 8 mm | 44% | 2.7 m/s | 7.3 |
| 1987 | 4.7°C | -0.8°C | -6.4°C | 12.9°C | -10.9°C | 47 mm | 53% | 2.4 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1986 | 5.3°C | 0.1°C | -5.2°C | 11.9°C | -8.5°C | 10 mm | 48% | 2.3 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1985 | 7.3°C | 1.3°C | -4.7°C | 12.9°C | -8.7°C | 20 mm | 49% | 2.5 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1984 | 9.5°C | 2.6°C | -4.3°C | 15.2°C | -8.9°C | 11 mm | 46% | 2.6 m/s | 7.5 |
| 1983 | 7.8°C | 1.7°C | -4.4°C | 12.9°C | -8.4°C | 18 mm | 51% | 2.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 5.3°C | -0.3°C | -5.8°C | 11.7°C | -13.9°C | 37 mm | 54% | 2.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 9.1°C | 2.8°C | -3.6°C | 13.2°C | -5.6°C | 34 mm | 48% | 2.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 7.6°C with lows near -4.2°C (mean 1.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 20 mm of rainfall in Leh, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 72 mm in 2023.
The hottest May reached 16.2°C in 1993. The coldest dipped to -13.9°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have fallen by about 0.4°C — but days and nights have moved in opposite directions. Overnight lows rose from -4.6°C to -4.1°C while daytime highs eased from 7.8°C to 6.4°C, narrowing the gap between day and night.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Leh and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 7.6°C daytime highs and -4.2°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Leh, averaging 1.7°C.
For May in Leh, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 7.6°C and lows of -4.2°C.
Relative humidity in May averages 49% — relatively dry.
Average wind speed in May is 2.4 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 3.1 m/s (1993).
The wettest May on record was 2023 with 72 mm. On average, May sees 20 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 Leh 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.
