May is one of the warmer months of the year in Dover, with average highs near 22.1°C and lows around 11.7°C (mean 16.9°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 98 mm of rainfall and 79% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Dover. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Dover was 2004 — when the month averaged 19.9°C — while the coldest was 1992 at 14.3°C. Typical May days reach 22.1°C with nights near 11.7°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Dover, averaging 98 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1990 with 196 mm, while the driest was 1986 at 27 mm.
Relative humidity in Dover during May averages 79%. The most humid May was 2003 at 85%, and the least humid was 2006 at 68%.
May receives about 5.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Dover. The sunniest May was 2007 at 6.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2003 at 3.7.
Average wind speed in Dover during May is 2.9 m/s. The windiest May was 1997 at 3.7 m/s, while the calmest were 1982 and 2016 at 2.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 16.3°C | 16.1°C | 16.8°C | 18.2°C | 17.2°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg High | 21.7°C | 21.4°C | 22.1°C | 23.1°C | 22.2°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg Low | 11.0°C | 10.7°C | 11.5°C | 13.2°C | 12.2°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 115 mm | 96 mm | 95 mm | 96 mm | 83 mm | -32 mm |
May temperatures in Dover have risen by about 1.2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 2.1°C (1983) to a record high of 33.1°C (2006).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 98 mm, with a wettest year of 196 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.3°C per decade while lows rose 0.6°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A good time to visit Dover
May is a good time to visit Dover, with days averaging 22.1°C and nights around 11.7°C (mean 16.9°C, warmer than Dover's yearly average) and higher rainfall. June and September 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 | 22.9°C | 18.4°C | 13.8°C | 28.2°C | 9.7°C | 156 mm | 78% | 3.1 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2024 | 23.2°C | 18.5°C | 13.8°C | 28.9°C | 7.0°C | 74 mm | 83% | 2.6 m/s | 5 |
| 2023 | 21.4°C | 16.1°C | 10.8°C | 27.2°C | 5.5°C | 40 mm | 76% | 2.6 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2022 | 22.9°C | 17.9°C | 13.0°C | 33.0°C | 5.9°C | 101 mm | 79% | 3.2 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2021 | 22.4°C | 17.0°C | 11.6°C | 30.8°C | 5.7°C | 71 mm | 73% | 2.8 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2020 | 20.5°C | 15.4°C | 10.4°C | 26.8°C | 2.2°C | 56 mm | 76% | 3.5 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2019 | 23.8°C | 19.1°C | 14.4°C | 29.8°C | 6.6°C | 120 mm | 82% | 3 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2018 | 24.6°C | 19.6°C | 14.5°C | 28.6°C | 5.8°C | 174 mm | 83% | 2.6 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2017 | 21.5°C | 16.8°C | 12.1°C | 30.1°C | 6.0°C | 154 mm | 78% | 3.4 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2016 | 20.3°C | 15.8°C | 11.4°C | 28.6°C | 4.1°C | 157 mm | 83% | 2.4 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2015 | 24.3°C | 19.1°C | 13.9°C | 29.5°C | 7.5°C | 32 mm | 79% | 2.8 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2014 | 22.5°C | 17.5°C | 12.6°C | 27.3°C | 6.7°C | 78 mm | 81% | 2.6 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2013 | 21.8°C | 16.9°C | 12.0°C | 30.0°C | 3.4°C | 65 mm | 80% | 3.3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2012 | 24.8°C | 19.6°C | 14.4°C | 32.2°C | 8.3°C | 65 mm | 78% | 2.8 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2011 | 23.7°C | 18.9°C | 14.0°C | 32.3°C | 7.0°C | 56 mm | 80% | 2.7 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2010 | 23.5°C | 18.2°C | 12.9°C | 30.6°C | 4.3°C | 62 mm | 78% | 2.9 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2009 | 22.1°C | 17.6°C | 13.0°C | 27.0°C | 6.5°C | 132 mm | 82% | 2.8 m/s | 5 |
| 2008 | 21.5°C | 16.0°C | 10.5°C | 27.5°C | 6.2°C | 152 mm | 79% | 3.2 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2007 | 22.7°C | 17.1°C | 11.5°C | 29.8°C | 4.8°C | 31 mm | 77% | 2.6 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2006 | 23.7°C | 17.7°C | 11.7°C | 33.1°C | 5.8°C | 42 mm | 68% | 2.8 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2005 | 19.4°C | 14.4°C | 9.3°C | 25.1°C | 3.5°C | 96 mm | 78% | 2.6 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2004 🔥 | 24.7°C | 19.9°C | 15.1°C | 29.5°C | 6.5°C | 89 mm | 82% | 2.7 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2003 | 19.3°C | 14.7°C | 10.1°C | 25.1°C | 5.6°C | 148 mm | 85% | 2.8 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2002 | 23.0°C | 16.9°C | 10.9°C | 30.8°C | 4.6°C | 80 mm | 72% | 3.1 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2001 | 22.3°C | 16.8°C | 11.3°C | 27.8°C | 4.6°C | 99 mm | 76% | 2.6 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2000 | 22.5°C | 17.3°C | 12.0°C | 30.2°C | 4.9°C | 82 mm | 79% | 2.9 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1999 | 22.8°C | 16.9°C | 11.1°C | 31.9°C | 4.5°C | 36 mm | 72% | 3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1998 | 22.3°C | 17.4°C | 12.6°C | 29.6°C | 4.3°C | 113 mm | 83% | 2.8 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1997 | 20.2°C | 14.6°C | 9.0°C | 28.4°C | 3.5°C | 70 mm | 74% | 3.7 m/s | 6 |
| 1996 | 20.2°C | 15.3°C | 10.4°C | 30.2°C | 2.6°C | 136 mm | 81% | 2.8 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1995 | 21.5°C | 16.1°C | 10.6°C | 28.1°C | 4.4°C | 105 mm | 76% | 2.9 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1994 | 20.2°C | 14.6°C | 9.0°C | 28.1°C | 4.9°C | 79 mm | 77% | 3.3 m/s | 6 |
| 1993 | 22.3°C | 16.8°C | 11.4°C | 26.8°C | 6.6°C | 83 mm | 80% | 2.6 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1992 ❄️ | 19.7°C | 14.3°C | 8.8°C | 29.0°C | 3.5°C | 99 mm | 78% | 2.9 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1991 | 24.7°C | 19.2°C | 13.6°C | 32.7°C | 6.0°C | 46 mm | 78% | 2.5 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1990 🌧️ | 20.3°C | 15.4°C | 10.6°C | 26.0°C | 7.0°C | 196 mm | 79% | 3.2 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1989 | 20.6°C | 15.7°C | 10.9°C | 28.3°C | 5.0°C | 155 mm | 82% | 3 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1988 | 21.2°C | 16.1°C | 11.0°C | 29.8°C | 4.5°C | 117 mm | 82% | 2.7 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1987 | 21.5°C | 16.1°C | 10.6°C | 31.1°C | 4.5°C | 89 mm | 82% | 2.7 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1986 | 23.2°C | 17.3°C | 11.4°C | 30.9°C | 2.2°C | 27 mm | 72% | 2.8 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1985 | 22.8°C | 17.4°C | 12.1°C | 28.4°C | 5.4°C | 130 mm | 74% | 3.1 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1984 | 20.4°C | 15.5°C | 10.5°C | 27.3°C | 4.4°C | 175 mm | 82% | 3.3 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1983 | 20.7°C | 15.5°C | 10.3°C | 26.4°C | 2.1°C | 156 mm | 81% | 3.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 23.1°C | 17.5°C | 12.0°C | 28.1°C | 6.3°C | 73 mm | 79% | 2.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 21.6°C | 15.9°C | 10.3°C | 28.9°C | 3.1°C | 117 mm | 77% | 3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 22.1°C with lows near 11.7°C (mean 16.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 98 mm of rainfall in Dover, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 196 mm in 1990.
The hottest May reached 33.1°C in 2006. The coldest dipped to 2.1°C in 1983.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.2°C. Daytime highs moved from 21.7°C to 22.6°C and overnight lows from 11°C to 12.6°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Dover and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 22.1°C daytime highs and 11.7°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Dover, averaging 16.9°C.
For May in Dover, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 22.1°C and lows of 11.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 79% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 2.9 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 3.7 m/s (1997).
The wettest May on record was 1990 with 196 mm. On average, May sees 98 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 Dover 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.
