May is one of the warmer months of the year in Kendal, with average highs near 13.1°C and lows around 5.2°C (mean 9.2°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 80 mm of rainfall and 85% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Kendal. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Kendal was 2024 — when the month averaged 12.1°C — while the coldest was 1996 at 6.6°C. Typical May days reach 13.1°C with nights near 5.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
May is one of the drier months in Kendal, averaging 80 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1986 with 154 mm, while the driest was 1991 at 26 mm.
Relative humidity in Kendal during May averages 85%. The most humid May was 1986 at 89%, and the least humid was 2025 at 80%.
May receives about 4.8 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Kendal. The sunniest May was 2025 at 6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1993 at 3.9.
Average wind speed in Kendal during May is 3.3 m/s. The windiest May was 1986 at 4.8 m/s, while the calmest was 1990 at 2.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 8.5°C | 9.0°C | 9.4°C | 9.1°C | 10.2°C | +1.7°C |
| Avg High | 12.4°C | 13.1°C | 13.2°C | 13.0°C | 14.3°C | +1.9°C |
| Avg Low | 4.6°C | 4.9°C | 5.6°C | 5.2°C | 6.1°C | +1.5°C |
| Avg Rain | 78 mm | 74 mm | 88 mm | 81 mm | 78 mm | 0 mm |
May temperatures in Kendal have risen by about 1.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -2.4°C (2012) to a record high of 24.1°C (2012).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 80 mm, with a wettest year of 154 mm.
A good time to visit Kendal
May is a good time to visit Kendal, with days averaging 13.1°C and nights around 5.2°C (mean 9.2°C, warmer than Kendal's yearly average) and moderate 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 | 15.5°C | 10.7°C | 5.9°C | 20.1°C | 1.6°C | 55 mm | 80% | 3.3 m/s | 6 |
| 2024 🔥 | 15.8°C | 12.1°C | 8.3°C | 19.6°C | 5.0°C | 116 mm | 88% | 2.7 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2023 | 15.3°C | 10.8°C | 6.4°C | 19.0°C | 3.7°C | 47 mm | 85% | 2.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2022 | 13.5°C | 10.2°C | 6.9°C | 17.6°C | 5.1°C | 85 mm | 87% | 3.5 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2021 | 11.3°C | 7.7°C | 4.1°C | 19.1°C | -1.6°C | 135 mm | 86% | 2.7 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2020 | 14.1°C | 9.5°C | 4.9°C | 20.8°C | -1.4°C | 30 mm | 81% | 3.3 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2019 | 12.7°C | 8.7°C | 4.8°C | 19.4°C | 0.2°C | 69 mm | 83% | 2.8 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2018 | 15.5°C | 10.7°C | 5.9°C | 21.1°C | -0.7°C | 50 mm | 84% | 2.9 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2017 | 15.0°C | 10.6°C | 6.2°C | 23.1°C | 1.1°C | 61 mm | 84% | 3.3 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2016 | 13.8°C | 9.7°C | 5.5°C | 20.0°C | 0.0°C | 46 mm | 85% | 3.4 m/s | 5 |
| 2015 | 10.7°C | 7.5°C | 4.4°C | 15.3°C | -2.4°C | 136 mm | 86% | 4.1 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2014 | 13.0°C | 9.7°C | 6.4°C | 19.3°C | 0.0°C | 112 mm | 87% | 3.2 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2013 | 11.7°C | 8.1°C | 4.5°C | 18.8°C | 0.2°C | 100 mm | 86% | 3.8 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2012 | 13.2°C | 8.9°C | 4.6°C | 24.1°C | -2.4°C | 85 mm | 85% | 2.9 m/s | 5 |
| 2011 | 12.3°C | 9.0°C | 5.7°C | 16.2°C | -0.9°C | 113 mm | 85% | 4.7 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2010 | 12.1°C | 8.0°C | 3.9°C | 22.2°C | -1.6°C | 41 mm | 84% | 2.6 m/s | 5 |
| 2009 | 12.6°C | 9.1°C | 5.6°C | 21.3°C | 1.6°C | 103 mm | 86% | 4.2 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2008 | 15.3°C | 10.7°C | 6.2°C | 21.4°C | 1.0°C | 38 mm | 83% | 3.4 m/s | 5 |
| 2007 | 12.6°C | 9.1°C | 5.6°C | 17.0°C | 3.4°C | 84 mm | 85% | 3.6 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2006 | 13.0°C | 9.2°C | 5.3°C | 19.6°C | 1.7°C | 136 mm | 85% | 3.6 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2005 | 12.0°C | 8.4°C | 4.9°C | 15.7°C | 0.6°C | 80 mm | 84% | 3.7 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2004 | 13.7°C | 9.7°C | 5.7°C | 17.7°C | 2.1°C | 52 mm | 85% | 2.6 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2003 | 12.5°C | 9.4°C | 6.4°C | 21.8°C | 1.8°C | 134 mm | 88% | 3.8 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2002 | 12.7°C | 9.4°C | 6.1°C | 19.8°C | 1.2°C | 133 mm | 88% | 3.9 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2001 | 14.4°C | 9.8°C | 5.3°C | 20.3°C | -0.4°C | 40 mm | 83% | 2.8 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2000 | 13.4°C | 9.3°C | 5.2°C | 20.3°C | 1.9°C | 77 mm | 85% | 3.2 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1999 | 13.7°C | 10.1°C | 6.4°C | 19.9°C | 3.4°C | 102 mm | 86% | 3.7 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1998 | 14.5°C | 10.4°C | 6.3°C | 21.4°C | 0.2°C | 77 mm | 86% | 3.2 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1997 | 13.2°C | 8.8°C | 4.5°C | 20.7°C | -1.5°C | 98 mm | 85% | 3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1996 ❄️ | 10.3°C | 6.6°C | 2.9°C | 17.3°C | -2.0°C | 74 mm | 84% | 3.6 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1995 | 12.7°C | 8.8°C | 4.9°C | 19.1°C | -1.5°C | 79 mm | 84% | 3.2 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1994 | 11.8°C | 7.8°C | 3.8°C | 17.0°C | 0.0°C | 39 mm | 82% | 3.9 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1993 | 12.3°C | 8.4°C | 4.6°C | 16.9°C | -1.0°C | 141 mm | 87% | 4 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1992 | 14.6°C | 10.2°C | 5.8°C | 21.5°C | 0.6°C | 51 mm | 86% | 3.9 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1991 | 12.8°C | 8.7°C | 4.6°C | 17.5°C | 0.0°C | 26 mm | 84% | 3.1 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1990 | 14.6°C | 9.9°C | 5.3°C | 21.7°C | 1.3°C | 52 mm | 82% | 2.2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1989 | 13.7°C | 9.7°C | 5.6°C | 20.7°C | 0.1°C | 34 mm | 84% | 3.1 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1988 | 13.4°C | 9.3°C | 5.2°C | 18.3°C | 0.5°C | 76 mm | 85% | 2.9 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1987 | 11.4°C | 7.5°C | 3.5°C | 17.2°C | -1.9°C | 53 mm | 85% | 3.4 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1986 🌧️ | 11.3°C | 8.3°C | 5.3°C | 16.8°C | 1.2°C | 154 mm | 89% | 4.8 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1985 | 12.5°C | 8.6°C | 4.7°C | 17.4°C | -0.4°C | 65 mm | 85% | 3.2 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1984 | 12.8°C | 8.1°C | 3.3°C | 18.1°C | -1.4°C | 30 mm | 80% | 2.5 m/s | 5 |
| 1983 | 10.9°C | 7.6°C | 4.4°C | 14.9°C | 1.4°C | 125 mm | 88% | 3.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 12.6°C | 8.5°C | 4.3°C | 19.9°C | -1.3°C | 51 mm | 83% | 3.5 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 12.7°C | 9.0°C | 5.3°C | 19.6°C | -1.8°C | 115 mm | 88% | 3.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 13.1°C with lows near 5.2°C (mean 9.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 80 mm of rainfall in Kendal, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 154 mm in 1986.
The hottest May reached 24.1°C in 2012. The coldest dipped to -2.4°C in 2012.
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 12.3°C to 14.3°C and overnight lows from 4.4°C to 6.3°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Kendal and one of the drier months, so plan for around 13.1°C daytime highs and 5.2°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Kendal, averaging 9.2°C.
For May in Kendal, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 13.1°C and lows of 5.2°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 85% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 3.3 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 4.8 m/s (1986).
The wettest May on record was 1986 with 154 mm. On average, May sees 80 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 Kendal 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.
