May is one of the warmer months of the year in Salisbury, with average highs near 16.3°C and lows around 7.1°C (mean 11.7°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 57 mm of rainfall and 82% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Salisbury. Across 45 years of records, the warmest Mays in Salisbury were 1989 and 2008 — when the month averaged 13.5°C — while the coldest was 1996 at 8.8°C. Typical May days reach 16.3°C with nights near 7.1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
May is one of the drier months in Salisbury, averaging 57 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2007 with 118 mm, while the driest was 2020 at 5 mm.
Relative humidity in Salisbury during May averages 82%. The most humid May was 1981 at 87%, and the least humid was 2020 at 75%.
May receives about 4.9 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Salisbury. The sunniest May was 2020 at 6.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1984 and 1986 at 4.2.
Average wind speed in Salisbury during May is 3.2 m/s. The windiest May was 1986 at 4 m/s, while the calmest was 2004 at 2.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 11.0°C | 11.6°C | 12.0°C | 11.6°C | 12.3°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg High | 15.4°C | 16.4°C | 16.4°C | 16.3°C | 17.2°C | +1.8°C |
| Avg Low | 6.5°C | 6.8°C | 7.6°C | 7.1°C | 7.4°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg Rain | 59 mm | 48 mm | 69 mm | 54 mm | 55 mm | -4 mm |
May temperatures in Salisbury have risen by about 1.8°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -0.9°C (1982) to a record high of 24.9°C (1992).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 57 mm, with a wettest year of 118 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.4°C per decade while lows rose 0.2°C per decade, widening the gap between day and night.
A good time to visit Salisbury
May is a good time to visit Salisbury, with days averaging 16.3°C and nights around 7.1°C (mean 11.7°C, warmer than Salisbury'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 | 18.5°C | 13.2°C | 7.8°C | 23.0°C | 2.5°C | 26 mm | 79% | 3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2024 | 17.4°C | 13.1°C | 8.8°C | 21.7°C | 5.8°C | 91 mm | 85% | 2.6 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2023 | 17.5°C | 12.5°C | 7.5°C | 20.5°C | 3.9°C | 53 mm | 83% | 3.1 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2022 | 17.4°C | 12.7°C | 8.0°C | 21.1°C | 6.0°C | 51 mm | 82% | 2.7 m/s | 5 |
| 2021 | 14.1°C | 10.0°C | 5.9°C | 21.4°C | 1.0°C | 103 mm | 82% | 3.6 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2020 | 18.1°C | 12.3°C | 6.5°C | 23.6°C | -0.4°C | 5 mm | 75% | 3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2019 | 16.1°C | 11.3°C | 6.5°C | 20.1°C | 0.4°C | 35 mm | 81% | 2.6 m/s | 5 |
| 2018 | 18.4°C | 13.0°C | 7.7°C | 24.0°C | 0.6°C | 44 mm | 81% | 2.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2017 | 17.4°C | 12.8°C | 8.2°C | 23.7°C | 3.8°C | 60 mm | 83% | 3.1 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2016 | 16.8°C | 12.2°C | 7.5°C | 21.2°C | 1.0°C | 60 mm | 82% | 3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2015 | 15.3°C | 11.0°C | 6.7°C | 19.7°C | 3.6°C | 71 mm | 82% | 3.7 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2014 | 15.9°C | 11.9°C | 7.9°C | 21.6°C | 2.2°C | 93 mm | 84% | 3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2013 | 14.4°C | 10.0°C | 5.5°C | 20.1°C | 0.5°C | 58 mm | 82% | 3.4 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2012 | 16.6°C | 12.0°C | 7.5°C | 24.5°C | 1.4°C | 49 mm | 83% | 3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2011 | 16.2°C | 11.7°C | 7.3°C | 19.2°C | 2.5°C | 41 mm | 80% | 3.9 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2010 | 15.5°C | 10.6°C | 5.7°C | 24.0°C | 0.5°C | 29 mm | 80% | 2.6 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2009 | 16.6°C | 12.0°C | 7.5°C | 23.0°C | 3.4°C | 38 mm | 81% | 3.6 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2008 | 18.3°C | 13.5°C | 8.7°C | 24.1°C | 3.0°C | 100 mm | 83% | 2.9 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2007 🌧️ | 16.4°C | 12.0°C | 7.7°C | 22.9°C | 2.8°C | 118 mm | 83% | 3.7 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2006 | 16.2°C | 12.1°C | 7.9°C | 21.1°C | 4.1°C | 93 mm | 84% | 3.5 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2005 | 15.4°C | 10.9°C | 6.3°C | 22.8°C | 1.0°C | 36 mm | 81% | 3.5 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2004 | 16.8°C | 12.3°C | 7.8°C | 22.0°C | 3.6°C | 39 mm | 82% | 2.3 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2003 | 15.5°C | 11.4°C | 7.2°C | 24.4°C | 2.6°C | 56 mm | 84% | 3.4 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2002 | 15.6°C | 11.6°C | 7.7°C | 21.6°C | 2.1°C | 98 mm | 83% | 3.7 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2001 | 17.0°C | 11.9°C | 6.9°C | 22.6°C | 1.6°C | 33 mm | 83% | 3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2000 | 16.3°C | 12.1°C | 7.9°C | 22.2°C | 4.2°C | 82 mm | 85% | 3.3 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1999 | 17.0°C | 12.7°C | 8.3°C | 21.7°C | 5.4°C | 50 mm | 84% | 3.3 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1998 | 17.8°C | 13.1°C | 8.4°C | 23.8°C | 0.9°C | 37 mm | 83% | 2.9 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1997 | 16.1°C | 11.3°C | 6.4°C | 22.6°C | 0.7°C | 59 mm | 81% | 3.3 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1996 ❄️ | 13.3°C | 8.8°C | 4.3°C | 20.2°C | 0.4°C | 65 mm | 81% | 3.9 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1995 | 15.9°C | 11.1°C | 6.3°C | 23.1°C | 0.3°C | 41 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1994 | 14.6°C | 10.4°C | 6.3°C | 18.8°C | 3.2°C | 104 mm | 84% | 3.1 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1993 | 16.0°C | 11.6°C | 7.1°C | 22.3°C | 1.6°C | 66 mm | 83% | 3.8 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1992 | 18.5°C | 13.1°C | 7.7°C | 24.9°C | 1.7°C | 28 mm | 79% | 3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1991 | 15.8°C | 10.9°C | 6.1°C | 22.0°C | 0.2°C | 14 mm | 81% | 2.8 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1990 | 18.5°C | 12.9°C | 7.2°C | 24.4°C | 4.4°C | 14 mm | 77% | 2.6 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1989 🔥 | 19.1°C | 13.5°C | 7.9°C | 24.8°C | 4.1°C | 15 mm | 78% | 2.6 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1988 | 16.3°C | 11.9°C | 7.5°C | 22.2°C | 4.2°C | 54 mm | 82% | 3.1 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1987 | 14.8°C | 10.1°C | 5.3°C | 20.5°C | 0.6°C | 34 mm | 81% | 3.3 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1986 | 14.3°C | 10.4°C | 6.6°C | 19.2°C | 2.2°C | 78 mm | 85% | 4 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1985 | 15.6°C | 11.0°C | 6.5°C | 19.7°C | 2.2°C | 52 mm | 82% | 3.1 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1984 | 14.4°C | 9.9°C | 5.4°C | 20.7°C | 0.1°C | 72 mm | 80% | 3.1 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1983 | 13.5°C | 9.9°C | 6.3°C | 19.4°C | 3.9°C | 84 mm | 86% | 3.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 15.9°C | 11.2°C | 6.4°C | 21.8°C | -0.9°C | 40 mm | 81% | 3 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 14.4°C | 10.7°C | 6.9°C | 20.7°C | 0.4°C | 99 mm | 87% | 3.4 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 16.3°C with lows near 7.1°C (mean 11.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 57 mm of rainfall in Salisbury, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 118 mm in 2007.
The hottest May reached 24.9°C in 1992. The coldest dipped to -0.9°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.8°C. Daytime highs moved from 14.8°C to 17°C and overnight lows from 6.3°C to 7.6°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Salisbury and one of the drier months, so plan for around 16.3°C daytime highs and 7.1°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Salisbury, averaging 11.7°C.
For May in Salisbury, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 16.3°C and lows of 7.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 82% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 3.2 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 4 m/s (1986).
The wettest May on record was 2007 with 118 mm. On average, May sees 57 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 Salisbury 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.
