May is one of the warmer months of the year in Bakersfield, with average highs near 26°C and lows around 9.9°C (mean 18°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 7 mm of rainfall and 48% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Bakersfield. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Bakersfield was 2001 — when the month averaged 22.5°C — while the coldest was 1998 at 12.5°C. Typical May days reach 26°C with nights near 9.9°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
May is one of the drier months in Bakersfield, averaging 7 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1998 with 58 mm, while the driest were 2012, 2021 and 2022 at 0 mm.
Relative humidity in Bakersfield during May averages 48%. The most humid May was 1998 at 73%, and the least humid was 2014 at 34%.
May receives about 7.7 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Bakersfield. The sunniest Mays were 2012, 2021 and 2022, among others at 8.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1995 at 6.8.
Average wind speed in Bakersfield during May is 2.2 m/s. The windiest May was 1996 at 2.5 m/s, while the calmest were 1992, 1994 and 2001, among others at 1.9 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 17.7°C | 17.1°C | 19.1°C | 17.4°C | 18.7°C | +1°C |
| Avg High | 25.9°C | 24.9°C | 27.6°C | 25.2°C | 26.8°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg Low | 9.5°C | 9.3°C | 10.7°C | 9.6°C | 10.6°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 4 mm | 12 mm | 7 mm | 9 mm | 3 mm | -1 mm |
May temperatures in Bakersfield have risen by about 0.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 0.2°C (1988) to a record high of 42.1°C (2003).
Rainfall in May is one of the drier months, averaging 7 mm, with a wettest year of 58 mm.
One of the best times to visit Bakersfield
May is one of the best times to visit Bakersfield. Expect days averaging 26°C and nights around 9.9°C (mean 18°C) — warmer than Bakersfield's yearly average — with low rainfall (7 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 | 27.4°C | 19.4°C | 11.5°C | 40.6°C | 7.0°C | 1 mm | 48% | 2 m/s | 7.9 |
| 2024 | 25.9°C | 17.7°C | 9.6°C | 35.2°C | 2.8°C | 4 mm | 52% | 2.1 m/s | 8.1 |
| 2023 | 24.9°C | 17.8°C | 10.8°C | 34.3°C | 4.9°C | 10 mm | 63% | 2.1 m/s | 7.5 |
| 2022 | 26.9°C | 18.4°C | 10.0°C | 39.1°C | 0.8°C | 0 mm | 38% | 2.3 m/s | 8.3 |
| 2021 | 28.0°C | 19.3°C | 10.6°C | 37.5°C | 2.9°C | 0 mm | 37% | 2.2 m/s | 8.3 |
| 2020 | 27.6°C | 19.4°C | 11.2°C | 37.9°C | 6.7°C | 3 mm | 48% | 2.1 m/s | 8 |
| 2019 | 22.2°C | 15.6°C | 9.0°C | 29.3°C | 5.7°C | 42 mm | 64% | 2.2 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2018 | 25.8°C | 18.1°C | 10.4°C | 35.9°C | 7.1°C | 2 mm | 52% | 2.2 m/s | 7.8 |
| 2017 | 27.0°C | 19.1°C | 11.2°C | 38.8°C | 4.3°C | 4 mm | 50% | 2.1 m/s | 7.6 |
| 2016 | 25.9°C | 18.0°C | 10.2°C | 36.0°C | 4.3°C | 7 mm | 52% | 2.1 m/s | 7.5 |
| 2015 | 24.6°C | 17.1°C | 9.5°C | 36.7°C | 5.9°C | 12 mm | 50% | 2.1 m/s | 7.4 |
| 2014 | 27.9°C | 19.6°C | 11.3°C | 37.2°C | 4.7°C | 2 mm | 34% | 2.3 m/s | 8 |
| 2013 | 27.2°C | 18.8°C | 10.3°C | 36.2°C | 4.1°C | 6 mm | 38% | 2.4 m/s | 7.8 |
| 2012 | 27.6°C | 18.6°C | 9.6°C | 37.4°C | 4.3°C | 0 mm | 41% | 2.1 m/s | 8.3 |
| 2011 | 21.8°C | 14.5°C | 7.2°C | 33.2°C | 2.1°C | 12 mm | 57% | 2.3 m/s | 7.6 |
| 2010 | 22.3°C | 14.7°C | 7.1°C | 33.2°C | 3.0°C | 6 mm | 56% | 2.4 m/s | 7.7 |
| 2009 | 29.7°C | 21.0°C | 12.4°C | 40.4°C | 8.5°C | 8 mm | 43% | 2.1 m/s | 7.9 |
| 2008 | 26.3°C | 18.0°C | 9.7°C | 37.5°C | 4.7°C | 3 mm | 42% | 2.2 m/s | 7.7 |
| 2007 | 28.1°C | 19.2°C | 10.2°C | 35.7°C | 3.2°C | 1 mm | 36% | 2.1 m/s | 8.2 |
| 2006 | 27.4°C | 19.4°C | 11.5°C | 36.0°C | 6.1°C | 8 mm | 56% | 2 m/s | 7.7 |
| 2005 | 24.9°C | 17.5°C | 10.1°C | 35.7°C | 5.1°C | 26 mm | 61% | 2 m/s | 7.5 |
| 2004 | 27.2°C | 18.8°C | 10.5°C | 36.0°C | 5.7°C | 0 mm | 38% | 2.3 m/s | 8.3 |
| 2003 | 26.9°C | 18.5°C | 10.1°C | 42.1°C | 3.0°C | 16 mm | 48% | 2.2 m/s | 7.4 |
| 2002 | 26.0°C | 17.5°C | 8.9°C | 37.4°C | 3.3°C | 7 mm | 46% | 2.1 m/s | 8 |
| 2001 🔥 | 31.8°C | 22.5°C | 13.3°C | 41.9°C | 6.1°C | 1 mm | 38% | 1.9 m/s | 8.2 |
| 2000 | 27.4°C | 19.0°C | 10.6°C | 38.0°C | 2.0°C | 3 mm | 46% | 2.3 m/s | 7.8 |
| 1999 | 25.2°C | 16.6°C | 8.0°C | 34.0°C | 2.9°C | 0 mm | 49% | 2.3 m/s | 8.2 |
| 1998 ❄️ 🌧️ | 18.3°C | 12.5°C | 6.7°C | 28.1°C | 2.7°C | 58 mm | 73% | 2 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1997 | 30.1°C | 21.8°C | 13.5°C | 35.8°C | 7.2°C | 0 mm | 37% | 2.2 m/s | 8.1 |
| 1996 | 26.3°C | 18.1°C | 9.8°C | 37.5°C | 5.7°C | 3 mm | 46% | 2.5 m/s | 7.9 |
| 1995 | 20.9°C | 14.6°C | 8.2°C | 30.7°C | 2.8°C | 16 mm | 70% | 2.2 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1994 | 24.8°C | 16.9°C | 9.0°C | 36.2°C | 4.4°C | 21 mm | 54% | 1.9 m/s | 7.3 |
| 1993 | 26.5°C | 18.3°C | 10.1°C | 32.6°C | 5.0°C | 1 mm | 53% | 2.4 m/s | 7.6 |
| 1992 | 29.8°C | 21.2°C | 12.7°C | 35.9°C | 7.6°C | 1 mm | 46% | 1.9 m/s | 7.6 |
| 1991 | 21.8°C | 14.2°C | 6.7°C | 29.5°C | 1.8°C | 2 mm | 55% | 2.4 m/s | 7.5 |
| 1990 | 24.8°C | 16.6°C | 8.5°C | 35.6°C | 4.6°C | 12 mm | 43% | 2.3 m/s | 7.5 |
| 1989 | 25.3°C | 17.1°C | 8.8°C | 36.3°C | 4.4°C | 11 mm | 46% | 2.2 m/s | 7.5 |
| 1988 | 24.8°C | 16.7°C | 8.6°C | 36.1°C | 0.2°C | 6 mm | 46% | 2.3 m/s | 7.2 |
| 1987 | 27.6°C | 19.6°C | 11.5°C | 35.6°C | 5.1°C | 4 mm | 41% | 2.1 m/s | 7.2 |
| 1986 | 26.3°C | 17.9°C | 9.5°C | 37.6°C | 3.8°C | 3 mm | 45% | 2.2 m/s | 7.6 |
| 1985 | 25.8°C | 17.2°C | 8.5°C | 34.7°C | 3.7°C | 2 mm | 39% | 2.1 m/s | 7.7 |
| 1984 | 29.3°C | 20.3°C | 11.2°C | 40.9°C | 3.5°C | 0 mm | 36% | 2.4 m/s | 7.7 |
| 1983 | 24.2°C | 16.6°C | 9.0°C | 37.2°C | 3.3°C | 3 mm | 62% | 2.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 25.5°C | 17.4°C | 9.3°C | 36.7°C | 4.0°C | 1 mm | 54% | 1.9 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 24.4°C | 16.7°C | 8.9°C | 31.8°C | 4.1°C | 6 mm | 49% | 2.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 26°C with lows near 9.9°C (mean 18°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 7 mm of rainfall in Bakersfield, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 58 mm in 1998.
The hottest May reached 42.1°C in 2003. The coldest dipped to 0.2°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 25.8°C to 26.6°C and overnight lows from 9.4°C to 10.5°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Bakersfield and one of the drier months, so plan for around 26°C daytime highs and 9.9°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 7th coolest month in Bakersfield, averaging 18°C.
For May in Bakersfield, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 26°C and lows of 9.9°C.
Relative humidity in May averages 48% — relatively dry.
Average wind speed in May is 2.2 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 2.5 m/s (1996).
The wettest May on record was 1998 with 58 mm. On average, May sees 7 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 Bakersfield 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.
