May is close to Peterhead's year-round average, with average highs near 10.8°C and lows around 7.1°C (mean 9°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 55 mm of rainfall and 85% relative humidity across the period.
May is close to Peterhead's year-round average. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Peterhead was 2024 — when the month averaged 11.3°C — while the coldest was 1996 at 7°C. Typical May days reach 10.8°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 Peterhead, averaging 55 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1997 with 114 mm, while the driest was 1994 at 17 mm.
Relative humidity in Peterhead during May averages 85%. The most humid May was 2024 at 91%, and the least humid was 2012 at 81%.
May receives about 5.1 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Peterhead. The sunniest May was 1994 at 5.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1993 at 4.3.
Average wind speed in Peterhead during May is 4.1 m/s. The windiest May was 1986 at 5.4 m/s, while the calmest was 2001 at 2.9 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 8.4°C | 8.5°C | 9.2°C | 9.1°C | 9.8°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg High | 10.2°C | 10.3°C | 11.1°C | 10.9°C | 11.7°C | +1.5°C |
| Avg Low | 6.6°C | 6.7°C | 7.4°C | 7.3°C | 8.0°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg Rain | 56 mm | 51 mm | 61 mm | 52 mm | 52 mm | -4 mm |
May temperatures in Peterhead have risen by about 1.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 1.6°C (1982) to a record high of 17.3°C (2001).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 55 mm, with a wettest year of 114 mm.
A good time to visit Peterhead
May is a good time to visit Peterhead, with days averaging 10.8°C and nights around 7.1°C (mean 9°C, close to Peterhead'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 | 12.4°C | 10.3°C | 8.2°C | 16.4°C | 5.9°C | 40 mm | 83% | 4.2 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2024 🔥 | 12.9°C | 11.3°C | 9.7°C | 15.7°C | 7.4°C | 61 mm | 91% | 3.3 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2023 | 11.6°C | 9.7°C | 7.8°C | 14.8°C | 4.3°C | 49 mm | 86% | 3.4 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2022 | 11.9°C | 10.0°C | 8.2°C | 14.9°C | 5.3°C | 50 mm | 86% | 4.5 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2021 | 9.7°C | 8.1°C | 6.6°C | 13.2°C | 3.8°C | 71 mm | 85% | 4.1 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2020 | 11.7°C | 9.5°C | 7.3°C | 15.9°C | 4.0°C | 44 mm | 81% | 4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2019 | 10.4°C | 8.7°C | 7.1°C | 16.2°C | 4.3°C | 92 mm | 82% | 4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2018 | 12.1°C | 10.0°C | 7.8°C | 15.8°C | 3.3°C | 32 mm | 87% | 3.6 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2017 | 11.9°C | 10.1°C | 8.2°C | 17.2°C | 5.9°C | 30 mm | 86% | 4 m/s | 5 |
| 2016 | 11.0°C | 9.3°C | 7.7°C | 13.3°C | 5.3°C | 31 mm | 86% | 4.2 m/s | 5 |
| 2015 | 9.8°C | 8.1°C | 6.3°C | 12.7°C | 3.7°C | 92 mm | 81% | 5.1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2014 | 11.5°C | 9.8°C | 8.1°C | 14.6°C | 4.2°C | 52 mm | 85% | 3.5 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2013 | 10.4°C | 8.5°C | 6.6°C | 14.4°C | 3.7°C | 53 mm | 85% | 4.8 m/s | 5 |
| 2012 | 10.1°C | 8.3°C | 6.5°C | 16.5°C | 3.1°C | 42 mm | 81% | 3.7 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2011 | 11.4°C | 9.6°C | 7.8°C | 12.7°C | 5.9°C | 53 mm | 83% | 5.1 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2010 | 10.3°C | 8.4°C | 6.6°C | 16.9°C | 3.6°C | 46 mm | 82% | 3.6 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2009 | 11.5°C | 9.4°C | 7.4°C | 15.2°C | 5.2°C | 67 mm | 84% | 4.6 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2008 | 11.6°C | 9.8°C | 8.1°C | 15.8°C | 5.4°C | 37 mm | 85% | 3.5 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2007 | 10.7°C | 8.9°C | 7.2°C | 14.2°C | 4.7°C | 77 mm | 82% | 4.3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2006 | 10.2°C | 8.4°C | 6.6°C | 15.1°C | 3.7°C | 72 mm | 85% | 4.6 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2005 | 10.2°C | 8.4°C | 6.7°C | 13.9°C | 4.3°C | 76 mm | 85% | 4.7 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2004 | 11.4°C | 9.7°C | 7.9°C | 15.6°C | 5.3°C | 32 mm | 85% | 3.8 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2003 | 11.2°C | 9.5°C | 7.7°C | 15.6°C | 4.6°C | 67 mm | 85% | 4.5 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2002 | 11.3°C | 9.5°C | 7.7°C | 13.2°C | 4.4°C | 59 mm | 87% | 4.3 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2001 | 12.1°C | 9.9°C | 7.6°C | 17.3°C | 4.2°C | 32 mm | 85% | 2.9 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2000 | 10.7°C | 8.8°C | 6.9°C | 15.4°C | 4.9°C | 92 mm | 87% | 3.6 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1999 | 10.9°C | 9.1°C | 7.3°C | 14.8°C | 5.4°C | 61 mm | 86% | 4.1 m/s | 5 |
| 1998 | 11.2°C | 9.4°C | 7.6°C | 13.2°C | 5.5°C | 29 mm | 86% | 4.2 m/s | 5 |
| 1997 🌧️ | 10.0°C | 8.3°C | 6.6°C | 15.8°C | 2.3°C | 114 mm | 86% | 4.4 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1996 ❄️ | 8.7°C | 7.0°C | 5.4°C | 12.9°C | 3.2°C | 48 mm | 82% | 4.7 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1995 | 10.0°C | 8.2°C | 6.4°C | 14.9°C | 2.5°C | 46 mm | 84% | 4.3 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1994 | 9.6°C | 7.7°C | 5.8°C | 15.0°C | 3.8°C | 17 mm | 82% | 4.4 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1993 | 9.9°C | 8.2°C | 6.5°C | 14.0°C | 4.0°C | 80 mm | 86% | 4.1 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1992 | 11.4°C | 9.4°C | 7.4°C | 13.9°C | 3.5°C | 45 mm | 86% | 4.6 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1991 | 10.3°C | 8.6°C | 6.8°C | 13.8°C | 4.6°C | 34 mm | 85% | 4.2 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1990 | 11.0°C | 9.1°C | 7.3°C | 16.0°C | 5.1°C | 34 mm | 85% | 3.4 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1989 | 11.2°C | 9.1°C | 7.0°C | 14.6°C | 5.1°C | 49 mm | 83% | 4.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1988 | 10.3°C | 8.6°C | 6.9°C | 13.6°C | 4.3°C | 49 mm | 88% | 3.9 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1987 | 9.5°C | 7.6°C | 5.8°C | 14.1°C | 3.3°C | 47 mm | 84% | 4.6 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1986 | 10.3°C | 8.5°C | 6.7°C | 13.4°C | 5.5°C | 86 mm | 87% | 5.4 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1985 | 9.9°C | 8.2°C | 6.4°C | 15.5°C | 4.0°C | 86 mm | 88% | 3.8 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1984 | 9.8°C | 8.0°C | 6.1°C | 12.7°C | 4.1°C | 18 mm | 84% | 4 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1983 | 9.3°C | 7.9°C | 6.5°C | 11.7°C | 4.1°C | 79 mm | 88% | 4.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 10.8°C | 8.5°C | 6.3°C | 15.6°C | 1.6°C | 49 mm | 83% | 3.6 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 10.9°C | 9.2°C | 7.5°C | 15.3°C | 3.1°C | 45 mm | 87% | 4.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 10.8°C with lows near 7.1°C (mean 9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 55 mm of rainfall in Peterhead, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 114 mm in 1997.
The hottest May reached 17.3°C in 2001. The coldest dipped to 1.6°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.5°C. Daytime highs moved from 10.1°C to 11.7°C and overnight lows from 6.6°C to 8.1°C over the same span.
May is close to Peterhead's year-round average and one of the drier months, so plan for around 10.8°C daytime highs and 7.1°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 7th coolest month in Peterhead, averaging 9°C.
For May in Peterhead, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 10.8°C and lows of 7.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 85% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 4.1 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 5.4 m/s (1986).
The wettest May on record was 1997 with 114 mm. On average, May sees 55 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 Peterhead 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.
