May is one of the cooler months of the year in Thames, with average highs near 16.8°C and lows around 12.3°C (mean 14.6°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 107 mm of rainfall and 83% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Thames. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Thames was 2016 — when the month averaged 16.5°C — while the coldest was 1992 at 12.1°C. Typical May days reach 16.8°C with nights near 12.3°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
May is a relatively wet time of year in Thames, averaging 107 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2023 with 257 mm, while the driest was 2007 at 17 mm.
Relative humidity in Thames during May averages 83%. The most humid May was 2023 at 88%, and the least humid was 1994 at 80%.
May receives about 2.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Thames. The sunniest May was 1985 at 2.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2001 at 2.
Average wind speed in Thames during May is 3 m/s. The windiest May was 1994 at 4 m/s, while the calmest were 2007, 2008 and 2014, among others at 2.5 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 14.1°C | 14.2°C | 14.8°C | 14.8°C | 14.9°C | +0.8°C |
| Avg High | 16.4°C | 16.4°C | 16.9°C | 17.2°C | 17.1°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg Low | 11.8°C | 11.9°C | 12.6°C | 12.4°C | 12.7°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg Rain | 98 mm | 81 mm | 108 mm | 105 mm | 163 mm | +65 mm |
May temperatures in Thames have risen by about 1°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 5.2°C (1989) to a record high of 21.5°C (2016).
Rainfall in May is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 107 mm, with a wettest year of 257 mm.
A good time to visit Thames
May is a good time to visit Thames, with days averaging 16.8°C and nights around 12.3°C (mean 14.6°C, close to Thames's yearly average) and higher rainfall. February and January 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 | 17.6°C | 15.2°C | 12.9°C | 19.8°C | 9.5°C | 156 mm | 83% | 2.7 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2024 | 15.9°C | 13.5°C | 11.2°C | 18.6°C | 5.5°C | 144 mm | 83% | 2.8 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2023 🌧️ | 17.3°C | 15.6°C | 13.8°C | 20.5°C | 7.9°C | 257 mm | 88% | 3.3 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2022 | 17.8°C | 15.6°C | 13.4°C | 20.5°C | 8.6°C | 152 mm | 83% | 2.8 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2021 | 17.0°C | 14.8°C | 12.6°C | 19.9°C | 8.0°C | 89 mm | 82% | 2.8 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2020 | 16.9°C | 14.7°C | 12.5°C | 19.8°C | 7.7°C | 182 mm | 82% | 2.9 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2019 | 18.0°C | 15.5°C | 13.0°C | 20.2°C | 9.3°C | 55 mm | 80% | 2.6 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2018 | 17.1°C | 14.8°C | 12.4°C | 20.3°C | 5.8°C | 83 mm | 83% | 2.9 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2017 | 16.5°C | 14.0°C | 11.6°C | 19.2°C | 6.7°C | 122 mm | 81% | 2.7 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2016 🔥 | 18.8°C | 16.5°C | 14.1°C | 21.5°C | 10.4°C | 111 mm | 84% | 3 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2015 | 16.8°C | 14.4°C | 12.0°C | 20.4°C | 8.2°C | 76 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2014 | 17.0°C | 14.4°C | 11.8°C | 20.5°C | 6.3°C | 52 mm | 81% | 2.5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2013 | 17.0°C | 14.7°C | 12.4°C | 19.6°C | 5.5°C | 166 mm | 85% | 2.8 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2012 | 16.0°C | 13.4°C | 10.8°C | 18.6°C | 5.2°C | 73 mm | 82% | 2.9 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2011 | 17.6°C | 15.6°C | 13.6°C | 20.3°C | 8.4°C | 148 mm | 85% | 3 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2010 | 16.9°C | 14.8°C | 12.6°C | 19.8°C | 8.9°C | 163 mm | 81% | 2.9 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2009 | 15.0°C | 12.6°C | 10.1°C | 18.9°C | 5.2°C | 106 mm | 84% | 3.2 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2008 | 16.1°C | 13.9°C | 11.6°C | 17.7°C | 9.1°C | 107 mm | 80% | 2.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2007 | 18.2°C | 15.7°C | 13.3°C | 21.4°C | 9.9°C | 17 mm | 82% | 2.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2006 | 16.6°C | 14.4°C | 12.2°C | 19.4°C | 6.8°C | 128 mm | 85% | 3 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2005 | 17.6°C | 15.5°C | 13.3°C | 19.9°C | 8.7°C | 171 mm | 87% | 2.9 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2004 | 16.8°C | 14.8°C | 12.8°C | 20.0°C | 8.5°C | 175 mm | 86% | 2.9 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2003 | 17.3°C | 15.2°C | 13.2°C | 19.4°C | 7.6°C | 87 mm | 82% | 2.8 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2002 | 17.0°C | 15.1°C | 13.2°C | 19.4°C | 9.3°C | 55 mm | 80% | 3.8 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2001 | 17.0°C | 15.1°C | 13.2°C | 20.4°C | 7.8°C | 156 mm | 85% | 3.5 m/s | 2 |
| 2000 | 17.5°C | 15.3°C | 13.1°C | 20.0°C | 10.7°C | 75 mm | 83% | 2.9 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1999 | 17.7°C | 15.2°C | 12.6°C | 19.8°C | 8.3°C | 43 mm | 81% | 2.6 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1998 | 17.3°C | 15.0°C | 12.6°C | 19.4°C | 8.3°C | 52 mm | 82% | 3.3 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1997 | 16.8°C | 14.8°C | 12.9°C | 18.9°C | 11.1°C | 118 mm | 83% | 2.5 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1996 | 16.1°C | 13.6°C | 11.2°C | 18.7°C | 6.4°C | 117 mm | 81% | 3.3 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1995 | 16.8°C | 14.7°C | 12.5°C | 19.6°C | 9.4°C | 127 mm | 83% | 3 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1994 | 17.1°C | 14.7°C | 12.3°C | 20.0°C | 7.1°C | 26 mm | 80% | 4 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1993 | 16.0°C | 13.8°C | 11.5°C | 18.2°C | 6.7°C | 20 mm | 81% | 3.1 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1992 ❄️ | 14.2°C | 12.1°C | 10.0°C | 18.0°C | 6.2°C | 103 mm | 84% | 3.2 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1991 | 15.4°C | 13.2°C | 11.0°C | 17.3°C | 8.6°C | 48 mm | 84% | 2.8 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1990 | 16.6°C | 14.5°C | 12.5°C | 18.9°C | 9.7°C | 157 mm | 81% | 3.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1989 | 16.4°C | 14.1°C | 11.8°C | 21.1°C | 5.2°C | 128 mm | 84% | 2.8 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1988 | 16.9°C | 14.7°C | 12.4°C | 19.7°C | 9.3°C | 114 mm | 86% | 2.9 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1987 | 16.5°C | 13.9°C | 11.4°C | 17.9°C | 8.1°C | 79 mm | 82% | 2.5 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1986 | 16.8°C | 14.5°C | 12.2°C | 18.6°C | 7.7°C | 162 mm | 82% | 2.9 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1985 | 16.0°C | 13.7°C | 11.5°C | 19.2°C | 7.0°C | 105 mm | 81% | 2.7 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1984 | 16.3°C | 14.1°C | 12.0°C | 19.4°C | 6.0°C | 88 mm | 81% | 3.1 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1983 | 15.7°C | 13.3°C | 10.9°C | 19.3°C | 6.7°C | 73 mm | 83% | 3.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 16.5°C | 14.1°C | 11.7°C | 18.8°C | 9.1°C | 76 mm | 81% | 3.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 16.7°C | 14.4°C | 12.1°C | 20.4°C | 8.8°C | 57 mm | 81% | 2.7 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 16.8°C with lows near 12.3°C (mean 14.6°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 107 mm of rainfall in Thames, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 257 mm in 2023.
The hottest May reached 21.5°C in 2016. The coldest dipped to 5.2°C in 1989.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1°C. Daytime highs moved from 16.2°C to 17.1°C and overnight lows from 11.6°C to 12.8°C over the same span.
May is one of the cooler months of the year in Thames and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 16.8°C daytime highs and 12.3°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 6th coolest month in Thames, averaging 14.6°C.
For May in Thames, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 16.8°C and lows of 12.3°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 83% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 3 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 4 m/s (1994).
The wettest May on record was 2023 with 257 mm. On average, May sees 107 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 Thames 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.
