May is one of the warmer months of the year in Newark, with average highs near 21.9°C and lows around 11.2°C (mean 16.5°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 100 mm of rainfall and 79% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Newark. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Newark was 2004 — when the month averaged 19.6°C — while the coldest were 1997 and 2005 at 14.1°C. Typical May days reach 21.9°C with nights near 11.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Newark, averaging 100 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1989 with 189 mm, while the driest was 2023 at 20 mm.
Relative humidity in Newark during May averages 79%. The most humid May was 2003 at 84%, and the least humid was 2006 at 70%.
May receives about 5.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Newark. The sunniest May was 2007 at 6.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2003 at 3.7.
Average wind speed in Newark during May is 2.5 m/s. The windiest May was 1997 at 3.2 m/s, while the calmest were 1982 and 2016 at 2.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 15.9°C | 15.7°C | 16.5°C | 17.7°C | 16.9°C | +1°C |
| Avg High | 21.4°C | 21.2°C | 21.9°C | 22.8°C | 22.0°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg Low | 10.5°C | 10.2°C | 11.0°C | 12.7°C | 11.6°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 124 mm | 97 mm | 92 mm | 100 mm | 85 mm | -39 mm |
May temperatures in Newark have risen by about 1.3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 1.4°C (1983) to a record high of 32.7°C (2022).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 100 mm, with a wettest year of 189 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 Newark
May is a good time to visit Newark, with days averaging 21.9°C and nights around 11.2°C (mean 16.5°C, warmer than Newark'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 | 22.6°C | 17.8°C | 13.0°C | 27.9°C | 8.2°C | 173 mm | 79% | 2.8 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2024 | 23.1°C | 18.4°C | 13.6°C | 28.9°C | 6.4°C | 71 mm | 83% | 2.3 m/s | 5 |
| 2023 | 21.5°C | 15.8°C | 10.1°C | 27.0°C | 4.5°C | 20 mm | 74% | 2.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2022 | 22.9°C | 17.6°C | 12.4°C | 32.7°C | 5.7°C | 110 mm | 79% | 2.7 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2021 | 22.0°C | 16.5°C | 11.0°C | 30.5°C | 4.9°C | 77 mm | 74% | 2.5 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2020 | 20.2°C | 15.0°C | 9.7°C | 26.8°C | 1.5°C | 60 mm | 77% | 3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2019 | 23.1°C | 18.3°C | 13.5°C | 29.2°C | 5.5°C | 136 mm | 82% | 2.6 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2018 | 24.3°C | 19.2°C | 14.1°C | 28.9°C | 5.1°C | 152 mm | 83% | 2.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2017 | 21.2°C | 16.2°C | 11.3°C | 30.3°C | 4.7°C | 155 mm | 78% | 2.9 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2016 | 20.2°C | 15.7°C | 11.1°C | 28.7°C | 3.4°C | 151 mm | 82% | 2.1 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2015 | 24.4°C | 18.9°C | 13.5°C | 29.7°C | 7.2°C | 36 mm | 79% | 2.3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2014 | 22.0°C | 16.9°C | 11.7°C | 27.2°C | 5.9°C | 85 mm | 81% | 2.3 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2013 | 21.8°C | 16.6°C | 11.4°C | 30.8°C | 2.4°C | 70 mm | 79% | 2.7 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2012 | 24.3°C | 19.2°C | 14.2°C | 32.0°C | 7.2°C | 73 mm | 79% | 2.4 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2011 | 23.2°C | 18.4°C | 13.5°C | 31.8°C | 6.5°C | 73 mm | 82% | 2.4 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2010 | 23.3°C | 17.8°C | 12.4°C | 30.4°C | 3.2°C | 74 mm | 78% | 2.6 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2009 | 21.9°C | 17.1°C | 12.2°C | 26.9°C | 5.3°C | 123 mm | 81% | 2.4 m/s | 5 |
| 2008 | 20.9°C | 15.4°C | 9.9°C | 26.5°C | 5.1°C | 136 mm | 79% | 2.8 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2007 | 22.8°C | 17.0°C | 11.2°C | 29.7°C | 3.7°C | 38 mm | 77% | 2.2 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2006 | 23.0°C | 17.0°C | 11.0°C | 32.4°C | 5.3°C | 45 mm | 70% | 2.5 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2005 | 19.4°C | 14.1°C | 8.8°C | 25.4°C | 2.9°C | 65 mm | 78% | 2.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2004 🔥 | 24.6°C | 19.6°C | 14.6°C | 29.9°C | 5.7°C | 96 mm | 82% | 2.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2003 | 19.1°C | 14.5°C | 9.9°C | 25.0°C | 5.1°C | 135 mm | 84% | 2.5 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2002 | 22.6°C | 16.4°C | 10.2°C | 30.6°C | 3.1°C | 94 mm | 71% | 2.7 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2001 | 22.3°C | 16.6°C | 10.9°C | 29.2°C | 3.9°C | 101 mm | 76% | 2.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2000 | 22.3°C | 16.9°C | 11.4°C | 30.1°C | 4.3°C | 86 mm | 80% | 2.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1999 | 22.7°C | 16.6°C | 10.4°C | 31.2°C | 3.8°C | 53 mm | 73% | 2.6 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1998 | 22.3°C | 17.3°C | 12.3°C | 30.1°C | 4.3°C | 122 mm | 82% | 2.5 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1997 ❄️ | 19.9°C | 14.1°C | 8.4°C | 28.1°C | 2.5°C | 73 mm | 74% | 3.2 m/s | 6 |
| 1996 | 19.9°C | 14.8°C | 9.7°C | 30.3°C | 2.2°C | 119 mm | 81% | 2.5 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1995 | 21.2°C | 15.6°C | 10.1°C | 27.7°C | 3.4°C | 102 mm | 76% | 2.6 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1994 | 20.0°C | 14.2°C | 8.4°C | 28.5°C | 4.0°C | 87 mm | 78% | 2.9 m/s | 6 |
| 1993 | 22.0°C | 16.5°C | 11.0°C | 27.3°C | 6.3°C | 67 mm | 79% | 2.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1992 | 19.8°C | 14.2°C | 8.5°C | 29.0°C | 2.5°C | 105 mm | 77% | 2.5 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1991 | 24.5°C | 18.8°C | 13.1°C | 31.4°C | 5.2°C | 49 mm | 79% | 2.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1990 | 20.0°C | 14.9°C | 9.8°C | 25.6°C | 5.3°C | 188 mm | 79% | 2.9 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1989 🌧️ | 20.2°C | 15.3°C | 10.5°C | 27.9°C | 4.7°C | 189 mm | 83% | 2.7 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1988 | 21.1°C | 15.9°C | 10.7°C | 29.4°C | 4.2°C | 138 mm | 82% | 2.4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1987 | 21.2°C | 15.7°C | 10.2°C | 31.1°C | 3.5°C | 90 mm | 81% | 2.4 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1986 | 22.8°C | 16.9°C | 10.9°C | 30.4°C | 1.5°C | 31 mm | 74% | 2.4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1985 | 22.4°C | 16.9°C | 11.4°C | 27.7°C | 4.2°C | 139 mm | 75% | 2.7 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1984 | 20.1°C | 15.0°C | 9.9°C | 27.0°C | 3.4°C | 166 mm | 82% | 2.9 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1983 | 20.2°C | 14.9°C | 9.6°C | 25.2°C | 1.4°C | 162 mm | 81% | 2.7 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 22.7°C | 17.0°C | 11.4°C | 27.9°C | 5.8°C | 88 mm | 79% | 2.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 21.7°C | 15.7°C | 9.7°C | 28.6°C | 2.3°C | 113 mm | 76% | 2.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 21.9°C with lows near 11.2°C (mean 16.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 100 mm of rainfall in Newark, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 189 mm in 1989.
The hottest May reached 32.7°C in 2022. The coldest dipped to 1.4°C in 1983.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.3°C. Daytime highs moved from 21.4°C to 22.4°C and overnight lows from 10.4°C to 12°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Newark and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 21.9°C daytime highs and 11.2°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Newark, averaging 16.5°C.
For May in Newark, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 21.9°C and lows of 11.2°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 79% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 2.5 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 3.2 m/s (1997).
The wettest May on record was 1989 with 189 mm. On average, May sees 100 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 Newark 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.
