May is one of the warmer months of the year in Tucson, with average highs near 32°C and lows around 14.7°C (mean 23.4°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 5 mm of rainfall and 24% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Tucson. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Tucson was 1984 — when the month averaged 26.4°C — while the coldest was 1995 at 20°C. Typical May days reach 32°C with nights near 14.7°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
May is one of the drier months in Tucson, averaging 5 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1992 with 35 mm, while the driest were 2018, 2021 and 2022, among others at 0 mm.
Relative humidity in Tucson during May averages 24%. The most humid May was 1992 at 42%, and the least humid was 2002 at 14%.
May receives about 8 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Tucson. The sunniest Mays were 2010, 2012 and 2022 at 8.6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1992 at 6.4.
Average wind speed in Tucson during May is 2.8 m/s. The windiest Mays were 1990, 1991 and 2008 at 3.3 m/s, while the calmest was 1992 at 2.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 23.1°C | 22.6°C | 24.4°C | 22.7°C | 24.3°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg High | 31.7°C | 31.2°C | 33.2°C | 31.3°C | 33.1°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg Low | 14.5°C | 14.1°C | 15.6°C | 14.0°C | 15.5°C | +1°C |
| Avg Rain | 8 mm | 8 mm | 6 mm | 2 mm | 2 mm | -6 mm |
May temperatures in Tucson have risen by about 0.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 4°C (1988) to a record high of 42.2°C (2000).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 5 mm, with a wettest year of 35 mm.
One of the best times to visit Tucson
May is one of the best times to visit Tucson. Expect days averaging 32°C and nights around 14.7°C (mean 23.4°C) — warmer than Tucson's yearly average — with low rainfall (5 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 | 32.3°C | 23.8°C | 15.2°C | 38.6°C | 7.3°C | 3 mm | 21% | 2.9 m/s | 7.8 |
| 2024 | 32.5°C | 23.7°C | 14.9°C | 38.3°C | 11.0°C | 0 mm | 22% | 2.6 m/s | 8.5 |
| 2023 | 31.9°C | 23.5°C | 15.1°C | 35.3°C | 8.7°C | 5 mm | 25% | 2.9 m/s | 8.1 |
| 2022 | 34.1°C | 24.8°C | 15.5°C | 39.0°C | 10.9°C | 0 mm | 16% | 3.1 m/s | 8.6 |
| 2021 | 33.3°C | 24.2°C | 15.1°C | 36.7°C | 11.0°C | 0 mm | 17% | 2.9 m/s | 8.5 |
| 2020 | 34.6°C | 25.8°C | 17.0°C | 42.2°C | 12.0°C | 2 mm | 22% | 2.7 m/s | 8.3 |
| 2019 | 28.0°C | 20.3°C | 12.5°C | 34.7°C | 7.6°C | 5 mm | 31% | 2.7 m/s | 7.7 |
| 2018 | 33.4°C | 24.6°C | 15.8°C | 38.5°C | 8.8°C | 0 mm | 18% | 3.1 m/s | 8.5 |
| 2017 | 31.8°C | 23.3°C | 14.8°C | 38.5°C | 7.6°C | 3 mm | 22% | 3 m/s | 8.1 |
| 2016 | 30.9°C | 22.3°C | 13.7°C | 37.2°C | 9.0°C | 1 mm | 26% | 2.9 m/s | 8.3 |
| 2015 | 29.3°C | 21.2°C | 13.1°C | 39.1°C | 7.6°C | 9 mm | 31% | 2.9 m/s | 7.6 |
| 2014 | 32.3°C | 23.7°C | 15.0°C | 39.2°C | 8.5°C | 0 mm | 18% | 3.1 m/s | 8.1 |
| 2013 | 32.6°C | 23.8°C | 14.9°C | 36.3°C | 11.1°C | 1 mm | 21% | 3.2 m/s | 8.3 |
| 2012 | 34.0°C | 24.7°C | 15.5°C | 40.2°C | 10.1°C | 4 mm | 16% | 3.2 m/s | 8.6 |
| 2011 | 30.4°C | 21.7°C | 12.9°C | 37.6°C | 5.0°C | 0 mm | 19% | 3.1 m/s | 8.5 |
| 2010 | 30.6°C | 21.4°C | 12.2°C | 37.0°C | 5.2°C | 0 mm | 23% | 2.8 m/s | 8.6 |
| 2009 | 33.8°C | 25.5°C | 17.2°C | 37.9°C | 14.9°C | 18 mm | 25% | 2.4 m/s | 7.5 |
| 2008 | 30.0°C | 21.4°C | 12.9°C | 38.8°C | 8.4°C | 10 mm | 24% | 3.3 m/s | 8 |
| 2007 | 33.2°C | 24.3°C | 15.5°C | 38.2°C | 7.3°C | 3 mm | 21% | 2.7 m/s | 8.2 |
| 2006 | 33.9°C | 25.1°C | 16.2°C | 37.6°C | 10.3°C | 1 mm | 17% | 2.6 m/s | 8.4 |
| 2005 | 32.2°C | 24.1°C | 15.9°C | 42.0°C | 9.9°C | 13 mm | 28% | 2.4 m/s | 8.1 |
| 2004 | 33.2°C | 24.2°C | 15.2°C | 36.5°C | 9.6°C | 0 mm | 18% | 3 m/s | 8.4 |
| 2003 | 33.3°C | 24.3°C | 15.4°C | 40.2°C | 9.0°C | 6 mm | 19% | 2.7 m/s | 8.1 |
| 2002 | 33.0°C | 23.6°C | 14.2°C | 40.7°C | 8.6°C | 0 mm | 14% | 2.7 m/s | 8.5 |
| 2001 | 34.3°C | 25.5°C | 16.7°C | 39.6°C | 7.0°C | 7 mm | 24% | 2.5 m/s | 8.2 |
| 2000 | 35.1°C | 26.0°C | 16.9°C | 42.2°C | 10.3°C | 0 mm | 16% | 2.7 m/s | 8.4 |
| 1999 | 31.5°C | 22.5°C | 13.4°C | 37.5°C | 5.7°C | 0 mm | 20% | 3.1 m/s | 8.3 |
| 1998 | 29.3°C | 20.5°C | 11.8°C | 35.5°C | 6.4°C | 0 mm | 34% | 2.8 m/s | 8.3 |
| 1997 | 34.5°C | 26.2°C | 17.9°C | 39.7°C | 12.7°C | 11 mm | 23% | 2.6 m/s | 7.7 |
| 1996 | 34.4°C | 25.1°C | 15.8°C | 40.8°C | 9.4°C | 0 mm | 18% | 3 m/s | 8.5 |
| 1995 ❄️ | 28.1°C | 20.0°C | 12.0°C | 34.5°C | 5.1°C | 3 mm | 34% | 2.9 m/s | 7.7 |
| 1994 | 30.9°C | 22.5°C | 14.1°C | 38.6°C | 10.6°C | 11 mm | 26% | 2.6 m/s | 7.3 |
| 1993 | 31.7°C | 23.2°C | 14.8°C | 36.5°C | 10.2°C | 13 mm | 35% | 2.5 m/s | 7.8 |
| 1992 🌧️ | 30.5°C | 23.0°C | 15.5°C | 34.7°C | 10.8°C | 35 mm | 42% | 2.3 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1991 | 30.1°C | 21.1°C | 12.1°C | 36.3°C | 7.0°C | 1 mm | 26% | 3.3 m/s | 7.8 |
| 1990 | 30.7°C | 22.1°C | 13.4°C | 38.3°C | 7.9°C | 3 mm | 22% | 3.3 m/s | 7.7 |
| 1989 | 33.0°C | 24.2°C | 15.5°C | 40.0°C | 9.1°C | 4 mm | 21% | 2.9 m/s | 7.9 |
| 1988 | 31.2°C | 22.6°C | 13.9°C | 37.8°C | 4.0°C | 0 mm | 24% | 2.8 m/s | 7.2 |
| 1987 | 29.5°C | 21.7°C | 14.0°C | 33.3°C | 9.0°C | 19 mm | 35% | 2.5 m/s | 7.2 |
| 1986 | 32.6°C | 23.8°C | 15.0°C | 38.3°C | 9.2°C | 12 mm | 22% | 2.9 m/s | 7.8 |
| 1985 | 31.7°C | 23.3°C | 15.0°C | 35.9°C | 9.0°C | 0 mm | 29% | 2.8 m/s | 7.7 |
| 1984 🔥 | 35.4°C | 26.4°C | 17.4°C | 41.0°C | 9.5°C | 6 mm | 24% | 2.8 m/s | 7.5 |
| 1983 | 30.6°C | 21.8°C | 13.0°C | 39.2°C | 5.3°C | 3 mm | 31% | 2.7 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 30.8°C | 22.0°C | 13.2°C | 37.8°C | 6.8°C | 14 mm | 26% | 2.9 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 30.7°C | 22.2°C | 13.6°C | 35.1°C | 10.3°C | 16 mm | 29% | 2.8 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 32°C with lows near 14.7°C (mean 23.4°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 5 mm of rainfall in Tucson, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 35 mm in 1992.
The hottest May reached 42.2°C in 2000. The coldest dipped to 4°C in 1988.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 0.9°C. Daytime highs moved from 31.8°C to 32.8°C and overnight lows from 14.4°C to 15.2°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Tucson and one of the drier months, so plan for around 32°C daytime highs and 14.7°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Tucson, averaging 23.4°C.
For May in Tucson, pack light, breathable clothing and sun protection, with typical highs of 32°C and lows of 14.7°C.
Relative humidity in May averages 24% — relatively dry.
Average wind speed in May is 2.8 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 3.3 m/s (1990).
The wettest May on record was 1992 with 35 mm. On average, May sees 5 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 Tucson 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.
