May is one of the warmer months of the year in Gravesend, with average highs near 15.9°C and lows around 8.1°C (mean 12°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 50 mm of rainfall and 81% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Gravesend. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Gravesend was 2024 — when the month averaged 13.8°C — while the coldest was 1996 at 9.3°C. Typical May days reach 15.9°C with nights near 8.1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Gravesend, averaging 50 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2006 with 94 mm, while the driest was 2020 at 4 mm.
Relative humidity in Gravesend during May averages 81%. The most humid May was 1981 at 85%, and the least humid was 2020 at 74%.
May receives about 4.9 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Gravesend. The sunniest May was 2020 at 6.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1984 at 4.
Average wind speed in Gravesend during May is 3.6 m/s. The windiest May was 1996 at 4.4 m/s, while the calmest was 2004 at 2.6 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 11.2°C | 11.8°C | 12.4°C | 12.2°C | 12.8°C | +1.6°C |
| Avg High | 14.9°C | 15.8°C | 16.2°C | 16.1°C | 16.8°C | +1.9°C |
| Avg Low | 7.4°C | 7.8°C | 8.6°C | 8.2°C | 8.7°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 55 mm | 39 mm | 62 mm | 49 mm | 43 mm | -12 mm |
May temperatures in Gravesend have risen by about 1.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 1.1°C (1981) to a record high of 24.4°C (2005).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 50 mm, with a wettest year of 94 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.5°C per decade while lows rose 0.3°C per decade, widening the gap between day and night.
A good time to visit Gravesend
May is a good time to visit Gravesend, with days averaging 15.9°C and nights around 8.1°C (mean 12°C, warmer than Gravesend's yearly average) and moderate 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 | 17.8°C | 13.5°C | 9.1°C | 22.7°C | 4.9°C | 18 mm | 78% | 3.8 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2024 🔥 | 17.6°C | 13.8°C | 10.0°C | 20.7°C | 6.5°C | 73 mm | 84% | 3 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2023 | 16.6°C | 12.6°C | 8.6°C | 19.6°C | 5.5°C | 37 mm | 81% | 3.6 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2022 | 17.4°C | 13.3°C | 9.2°C | 21.5°C | 6.4°C | 53 mm | 80% | 3.1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2021 | 14.1°C | 10.5°C | 7.0°C | 19.2°C | 2.6°C | 72 mm | 82% | 3.9 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2020 | 17.2°C | 12.8°C | 8.3°C | 24.0°C | 2.7°C | 4 mm | 74% | 3.4 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2019 | 16.1°C | 12.0°C | 7.9°C | 21.5°C | 3.7°C | 34 mm | 77% | 3 m/s | 5 |
| 2018 | 18.2°C | 13.5°C | 8.8°C | 23.0°C | 3.0°C | 41 mm | 80% | 3 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2017 | 17.1°C | 13.3°C | 9.5°C | 22.4°C | 4.9°C | 71 mm | 81% | 3.5 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2016 | 16.5°C | 12.6°C | 8.7°C | 20.4°C | 2.4°C | 46 mm | 80% | 3.6 m/s | 5 |
| 2015 | 15.3°C | 11.5°C | 7.6°C | 18.7°C | 3.9°C | 58 mm | 79% | 4.2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2014 | 16.2°C | 12.6°C | 9.0°C | 20.8°C | 3.2°C | 84 mm | 80% | 3.5 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2013 | 14.3°C | 10.6°C | 6.9°C | 18.5°C | 2.9°C | 55 mm | 81% | 3.9 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2012 | 16.4°C | 12.5°C | 8.6°C | 23.8°C | 3.5°C | 49 mm | 82% | 3.5 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2011 | 16.5°C | 12.6°C | 8.6°C | 19.5°C | 4.1°C | 20 mm | 77% | 4.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2010 | 14.6°C | 10.5°C | 6.4°C | 24.1°C | 2.0°C | 35 mm | 78% | 3.2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2009 | 16.6°C | 12.7°C | 8.9°C | 21.2°C | 4.0°C | 32 mm | 79% | 4.1 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2008 | 17.4°C | 13.5°C | 9.6°C | 22.0°C | 5.2°C | 80 mm | 81% | 3.5 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2007 | 16.1°C | 12.5°C | 8.9°C | 22.6°C | 5.1°C | 92 mm | 82% | 4.1 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2006 🌧️ | 16.4°C | 12.6°C | 8.7°C | 20.8°C | 4.5°C | 94 mm | 81% | 3.8 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2005 | 15.3°C | 11.4°C | 7.5°C | 24.4°C | 2.8°C | 31 mm | 79% | 4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2004 | 16.2°C | 12.1°C | 8.0°C | 21.7°C | 4.9°C | 49 mm | 81% | 2.6 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2003 | 15.9°C | 12.1°C | 8.2°C | 23.3°C | 5.4°C | 50 mm | 82% | 3.6 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2002 | 15.4°C | 12.0°C | 8.7°C | 20.3°C | 4.2°C | 64 mm | 83% | 4.1 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2001 | 16.0°C | 12.1°C | 8.2°C | 21.2°C | 3.3°C | 30 mm | 83% | 3.5 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2000 | 16.2°C | 12.5°C | 8.8°C | 22.7°C | 6.0°C | 93 mm | 83% | 3.6 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1999 | 16.5°C | 12.8°C | 9.1°C | 20.3°C | 6.0°C | 28 mm | 82% | 3.7 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1998 | 16.8°C | 12.9°C | 9.0°C | 21.3°C | 4.7°C | 25 mm | 82% | 3.4 m/s | 6 |
| 1997 | 15.6°C | 11.6°C | 7.5°C | 21.3°C | 1.2°C | 43 mm | 79% | 3.6 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1996 ❄️ | 12.9°C | 9.3°C | 5.6°C | 20.7°C | 1.6°C | 46 mm | 79% | 4.4 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1995 | 15.7°C | 11.4°C | 7.2°C | 23.2°C | 1.6°C | 24 mm | 79% | 3.1 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1994 | 14.6°C | 10.9°C | 7.2°C | 18.5°C | 3.6°C | 88 mm | 83% | 3.4 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1993 | 15.7°C | 11.9°C | 8.1°C | 20.3°C | 4.4°C | 49 mm | 81% | 4.2 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1992 | 17.9°C | 13.5°C | 9.0°C | 24.3°C | 3.5°C | 54 mm | 78% | 3.2 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1991 | 14.5°C | 10.5°C | 6.5°C | 20.6°C | 2.1°C | 22 mm | 78% | 3.2 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1990 | 17.3°C | 12.8°C | 8.3°C | 23.5°C | 5.3°C | 12 mm | 77% | 2.9 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1989 | 17.6°C | 13.0°C | 8.4°C | 23.6°C | 4.7°C | 7 mm | 79% | 3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1988 | 15.6°C | 12.1°C | 8.5°C | 20.9°C | 4.2°C | 52 mm | 83% | 3.4 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1987 | 13.9°C | 10.1°C | 6.2°C | 19.6°C | 2.6°C | 43 mm | 80% | 3.9 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1986 | 14.8°C | 11.2°C | 7.5°C | 18.5°C | 3.9°C | 46 mm | 82% | 4.3 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1985 | 14.8°C | 11.2°C | 7.5°C | 21.1°C | 4.0°C | 60 mm | 83% | 3.6 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1984 | 13.0°C | 9.6°C | 6.1°C | 18.5°C | 3.3°C | 72 mm | 82% | 3.5 m/s | 4 |
| 1983 | 13.5°C | 10.2°C | 7.0°C | 17.4°C | 4.2°C | 77 mm | 84% | 3.6 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 15.7°C | 11.7°C | 7.7°C | 21.2°C | 2.1°C | 41 mm | 80% | 3.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 14.8°C | 11.4°C | 7.9°C | 19.4°C | 1.1°C | 93 mm | 85% | 3.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 15.9°C with lows near 8.1°C (mean 12°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 50 mm of rainfall in Gravesend, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 94 mm in 2006.
The hottest May reached 24.4°C in 2005. The coldest dipped to 1.1°C in 1981.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.9°C. Daytime highs moved from 14.4°C to 16.7°C and overnight lows from 7.2°C to 8.8°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Gravesend and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 15.9°C daytime highs and 8.1°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Gravesend, averaging 12°C.
For May in Gravesend, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 15.9°C and lows of 8.1°C.
Relative humidity in May averages 81% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 3.6 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 4.4 m/s (1996).
The wettest May on record was 2006 with 94 mm. On average, May sees 50 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 Gravesend 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.
