May is one of the warmer months of the year in Birmingham, with average highs near 27.1°C and lows around 15.2°C (mean 21.2°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 112 mm of rainfall and 77% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Birmingham. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Birmingham was 2018 — when the month averaged 23.6°C — while the coldest was 1997 at 18.8°C. Typical May days reach 27.1°C with nights near 15.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Birmingham, averaging 112 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2003 with 292 mm, while the driest was 2007 at 20 mm.
Relative humidity in Birmingham during May averages 77%. The most humid May was 1991 at 87%, and the least humid was 2007 at 53%.
May receives about 6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Birmingham. The sunniest May was 2007 at 6.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1991 at 4.6.
Average wind speed in Birmingham during May is 0.2 m/s. The windiest Mays were 2023, 2024 and 2025, among others at 0.2 m/s, while the calmest was 1987 at 0.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 20.7°C | 20.8°C | 21.5°C | 21.6°C | 21.3°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg High | 26.9°C | 26.6°C | 27.5°C | 27.4°C | 27.0°C | +0.1°C |
| Avg Low | 14.5°C | 15.0°C | 15.5°C | 15.7°C | 15.7°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 115 mm | 103 mm | 121 mm | 104 mm | 125 mm | +10 mm |
May temperatures in Birmingham have risen by about 1.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 3.8°C (2013) to a record high of 35.6°C (2006).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 112 mm, with a wettest year of 292 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.2°C per decade while lows rose 0.4°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
One of the best times to visit Birmingham
May is one of the best times to visit Birmingham. Expect days averaging 27.1°C and nights around 15.2°C (mean 21.2°C) — warmer than Birmingham's yearly average — with higher rainfall (112 mm), so conditions are generally comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor plans.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26.6°C | 21.7°C | 16.8°C | 30.8°C | 8.6°C | 270 mm | 85% | 0.2 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2024 | 29.1°C | 23.5°C | 17.9°C | 32.3°C | 12.5°C | 94 mm | 79% | 0.2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2023 | 26.5°C | 20.9°C | 15.2°C | 33.1°C | 5.4°C | 91 mm | 81% | 0.2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2022 | 28.0°C | 22.2°C | 16.5°C | 31.9°C | 9.7°C | 99 mm | 79% | 0.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2021 | 26.0°C | 20.1°C | 14.1°C | 33.2°C | 8.0°C | 119 mm | 77% | 0.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2020 | 25.5°C | 19.6°C | 13.8°C | 30.1°C | 4.6°C | 76 mm | 81% | 0.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2019 | 28.8°C | 23.1°C | 17.4°C | 34.0°C | 9.7°C | 79 mm | 79% | 0.2 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2018 🔥 | 29.3°C | 23.6°C | 17.8°C | 33.2°C | 11.5°C | 136 mm | 78% | 0.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2017 | 27.1°C | 21.1°C | 15.1°C | 32.1°C | 5.7°C | 155 mm | 76% | 0.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2016 | 26.5°C | 20.6°C | 14.7°C | 33.0°C | 6.5°C | 41 mm | 79% | 0.2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2015 | 27.2°C | 21.6°C | 15.9°C | 30.8°C | 8.1°C | 85 mm | 80% | 0.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2014 | 26.3°C | 20.7°C | 15.1°C | 31.4°C | 7.6°C | 69 mm | 81% | 0.2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2013 | 25.0°C | 19.4°C | 13.7°C | 30.2°C | 3.8°C | 127 mm | 81% | 0.2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2012 | 28.9°C | 22.7°C | 16.5°C | 35.5°C | 10.6°C | 107 mm | 75% | 0.2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2011 | 26.7°C | 20.2°C | 13.7°C | 34.9°C | 4.6°C | 40 mm | 76% | 0.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2010 | 27.9°C | 22.5°C | 17.1°C | 32.8°C | 8.8°C | 200 mm | 81% | 0.2 m/s | 6 |
| 2009 | 25.3°C | 20.8°C | 16.4°C | 31.0°C | 6.7°C | 198 mm | 86% | 0.2 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2008 | 26.4°C | 20.5°C | 14.6°C | 31.8°C | 8.0°C | 147 mm | 79% | 0.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2007 | 30.9°C | 23.4°C | 15.8°C | 34.8°C | 8.9°C | 20 mm | 53% | 0.2 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2006 | 27.3°C | 21.0°C | 14.8°C | 35.6°C | 8.1°C | 88 mm | 77% | 0.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2005 | 25.6°C | 19.5°C | 13.5°C | 30.7°C | 6.0°C | 98 mm | 78% | 0.2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2004 | 29.5°C | 23.4°C | 17.2°C | 33.8°C | 5.2°C | 108 mm | 72% | 0.2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2003 🌧️ | 26.5°C | 21.7°C | 16.8°C | 30.7°C | 9.9°C | 292 mm | 85% | 0.2 m/s | 5 |
| 2002 | 27.1°C | 20.8°C | 14.4°C | 32.5°C | 5.1°C | 105 mm | 75% | 0.2 m/s | 6 |
| 2001 | 26.5°C | 20.7°C | 14.8°C | 29.8°C | 8.9°C | 116 mm | 79% | 0.2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2000 | 30.2°C | 23.3°C | 16.4°C | 35.1°C | 9.3°C | 32 mm | 68% | 0.2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1999 | 26.8°C | 20.5°C | 14.1°C | 29.6°C | 7.2°C | 90 mm | 76% | 0.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1998 | 28.9°C | 22.7°C | 16.4°C | 32.6°C | 8.9°C | 71 mm | 78% | 0.2 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1997 ❄️ | 24.6°C | 18.8°C | 13.0°C | 29.9°C | 6.2°C | 146 mm | 80% | 0.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1996 | 28.2°C | 22.4°C | 16.5°C | 33.9°C | 5.5°C | 63 mm | 80% | 0.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1995 | 27.2°C | 21.6°C | 16.0°C | 31.7°C | 7.4°C | 79 mm | 80% | 0.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1994 | 25.4°C | 19.4°C | 13.4°C | 29.6°C | 7.0°C | 92 mm | 79% | 0.2 m/s | 6.7 |
| 1993 | 25.7°C | 20.3°C | 14.9°C | 30.6°C | 7.5°C | 122 mm | 80% | 0.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1992 | 26.2°C | 19.9°C | 13.6°C | 30.5°C | 5.9°C | 43 mm | 75% | 0.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1991 | 26.8°C | 22.4°C | 18.0°C | 32.1°C | 7.9°C | 224 mm | 87% | 0.2 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1990 | 25.8°C | 19.8°C | 13.8°C | 29.7°C | 7.4°C | 105 mm | 81% | 0.2 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1989 | 25.2°C | 19.5°C | 13.7°C | 32.6°C | 5.5°C | 94 mm | 80% | 0.2 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1988 | 27.9°C | 20.3°C | 12.7°C | 34.7°C | 5.3°C | 64 mm | 64% | 0.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1987 | 27.5°C | 22.3°C | 17.2°C | 30.6°C | 10.7°C | 105 mm | 83% | 0.1 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1986 | 29.3°C | 22.7°C | 16.0°C | 35.4°C | 6.6°C | 127 mm | 63% | 0.2 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1985 | 26.7°C | 20.6°C | 14.5°C | 33.3°C | 9.0°C | 105 mm | 77% | 0.2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1984 | 26.0°C | 19.9°C | 13.8°C | 30.7°C | 6.0°C | 146 mm | 80% | 0.2 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1983 | 25.2°C | 19.6°C | 13.9°C | 28.0°C | 7.6°C | 221 mm | 81% | 0.2 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 27.7°C | 21.8°C | 16.0°C | 31.2°C | 9.3°C | 80 mm | 76% | 0.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 26.7°C | 19.7°C | 12.7°C | 33.6°C | 5.4°C | 91 mm | 69% | 0.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 27.1°C with lows near 15.2°C (mean 21.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 112 mm of rainfall in Birmingham, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 292 mm in 2003.
The hottest May reached 35.6°C in 2006. The coldest dipped to 3.8°C in 2013.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.4°C. Daytime highs moved from 26.5°C to 27.2°C and overnight lows from 14.2°C to 16.1°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Birmingham and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 27.1°C daytime highs and 15.2°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Birmingham, averaging 21.2°C.
For May in Birmingham, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 27.1°C and lows of 15.2°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 77% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 0.2 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 0.2 m/s (1981).
The wettest May on record was 2003 with 292 mm. On average, May sees 112 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 Birmingham 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.
