May is one of the warmer months of the year in Ithaca, with average highs near 18.8°C and lows around 7.2°C (mean 13°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 92 mm of rainfall and 78% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Ithaca. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Ithaca was 2012 — when the month averaged 16.2°C — while the coldest was 1997 at 9.5°C. Typical May days reach 18.8°C with nights near 7.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Ithaca, averaging 92 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1989 with 171 mm, while the driest was 2005 at 23 mm.
Relative humidity in Ithaca during May averages 78%. The most humid May was 2011 at 86%, and the least humid was 1999 at 71%.
May receives about 5.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Ithaca. The sunniest May was 2023 at 6.6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1984 and 2025 at 4.2.
Average wind speed in Ithaca during May is 0.2 m/s. The windiest Mays were 2022, 2023 and 2024, among others at 0.2 m/s, while the calmest were 2019, 2020 and 2025, among others at 0.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 12.6°C | 12.3°C | 12.7°C | 14.2°C | 13.2°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg High | 18.4°C | 18.2°C | 18.5°C | 19.9°C | 18.9°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg Low | 6.7°C | 6.5°C | 6.8°C | 8.5°C | 7.6°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg Rain | 98 mm | 83 mm | 93 mm | 101 mm | 84 mm | -13 mm |
May temperatures in Ithaca have risen by about 1.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -3.7°C (2020) to a record high of 34°C (2006).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 92 mm, with a wettest year of 171 mm.
A good time to visit Ithaca
May is a good time to visit Ithaca, with days averaging 18.8°C and nights around 7.2°C (mean 13°C, warmer than Ithaca's yearly average) and higher rainfall. July and August 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 | 17.2°C | 12.6°C | 7.9°C | 26.5°C | 1.7°C | 167 mm | 85% | 0.1 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2024 | 20.9°C | 15.6°C | 10.4°C | 29.2°C | 4.5°C | 84 mm | 79% | 0.2 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2023 | 18.9°C | 12.4°C | 5.9°C | 29.6°C | -0.7°C | 28 mm | 71% | 0.2 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2022 | 20.8°C | 14.6°C | 8.4°C | 29.1°C | -1.5°C | 60 mm | 78% | 0.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2021 | 18.5°C | 12.6°C | 6.8°C | 28.3°C | -1.0°C | 96 mm | 76% | 0.2 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2020 | 17.1°C | 11.6°C | 6.0°C | 29.6°C | -3.7°C | 70 mm | 79% | 0.1 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2019 | 18.3°C | 12.7°C | 7.2°C | 25.5°C | 2.3°C | 132 mm | 83% | 0.1 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2018 | 21.7°C | 15.9°C | 10.0°C | 28.5°C | 0.1°C | 85 mm | 81% | 0.1 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2017 | 17.1°C | 12.1°C | 7.1°C | 27.1°C | -2.2°C | 139 mm | 82% | 0.2 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2016 | 18.5°C | 12.8°C | 7.2°C | 30.3°C | 0.0°C | 60 mm | 76% | 0.2 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2015 | 22.2°C | 15.9°C | 9.5°C | 29.6°C | -1.6°C | 88 mm | 74% | 0.2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2014 | 19.2°C | 13.6°C | 7.9°C | 25.5°C | 2.0°C | 102 mm | 80% | 0.2 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2013 | 19.8°C | 13.9°C | 8.0°C | 29.4°C | -2.1°C | 93 mm | 77% | 0.2 m/s | 6 |
| 2012 🔥 | 21.9°C | 16.2°C | 10.4°C | 29.1°C | 2.9°C | 102 mm | 78% | 0.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2011 | 19.6°C | 14.7°C | 9.7°C | 28.2°C | 1.2°C | 140 mm | 86% | 0.1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2010 | 20.8°C | 14.6°C | 8.4°C | 30.0°C | -1.3°C | 68 mm | 74% | 0.2 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2009 | 19.0°C | 12.9°C | 6.8°C | 25.8°C | -0.8°C | 115 mm | 75% | 0.2 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2008 | 16.6°C | 10.7°C | 4.8°C | 24.2°C | -3.1°C | 56 mm | 77% | 0.2 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2007 | 20.2°C | 13.4°C | 6.7°C | 30.9°C | 0.0°C | 39 mm | 72% | 0.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2006 | 19.3°C | 13.4°C | 7.4°C | 34.0°C | -1.5°C | 80 mm | 76% | 0.2 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2005 | 16.5°C | 10.7°C | 4.9°C | 23.7°C | -2.2°C | 23 mm | 76% | 0.2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2004 | 20.5°C | 15.0°C | 9.4°C | 27.4°C | 0.2°C | 154 mm | 82% | 0.1 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2003 | 17.1°C | 12.2°C | 7.2°C | 23.2°C | 0.8°C | 118 mm | 82% | 0.2 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2002 | 16.9°C | 11.0°C | 5.1°C | 24.8°C | -1.6°C | 132 mm | 77% | 0.2 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2001 | 19.8°C | 13.8°C | 7.8°C | 27.6°C | 0.9°C | 53 mm | 74% | 0.2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2000 | 19.0°C | 13.6°C | 8.2°C | 27.0°C | 0.9°C | 160 mm | 82% | 0.1 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1999 | 20.9°C | 14.3°C | 7.6°C | 30.6°C | 2.1°C | 42 mm | 71% | 0.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1998 | 20.7°C | 15.3°C | 9.9°C | 27.6°C | 3.1°C | 104 mm | 80% | 0.2 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1997 ❄️ | 15.0°C | 9.5°C | 4.0°C | 22.9°C | -2.8°C | 80 mm | 76% | 0.2 m/s | 5 |
| 1996 | 16.3°C | 10.8°C | 5.2°C | 27.1°C | -3.5°C | 102 mm | 79% | 0.2 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1995 | 17.6°C | 11.7°C | 5.7°C | 25.6°C | -1.9°C | 51 mm | 75% | 0.2 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1994 | 16.7°C | 10.6°C | 4.6°C | 25.9°C | -1.7°C | 68 mm | 78% | 0.2 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1993 | 18.5°C | 12.4°C | 6.4°C | 27.4°C | 1.3°C | 52 mm | 77% | 0.2 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1992 | 18.2°C | 11.9°C | 5.6°C | 27.7°C | -2.0°C | 119 mm | 77% | 0.2 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1991 | 21.7°C | 15.7°C | 9.8°C | 27.3°C | -0.3°C | 64 mm | 79% | 0.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1990 | 16.2°C | 11.0°C | 5.9°C | 22.9°C | -0.7°C | 147 mm | 80% | 0.2 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1989 🌧️ | 16.9°C | 12.0°C | 7.0°C | 26.1°C | -0.1°C | 171 mm | 83% | 0.2 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1988 | 19.4°C | 13.2°C | 7.1°C | 28.0°C | 0.5°C | 85 mm | 78% | 0.2 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1987 | 19.7°C | 13.3°C | 6.8°C | 28.3°C | -1.3°C | 47 mm | 77% | 0.2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1986 | 19.9°C | 14.2°C | 8.5°C | 26.7°C | -2.2°C | 92 mm | 78% | 0.1 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1985 | 19.4°C | 13.5°C | 7.5°C | 26.1°C | -2.2°C | 72 mm | 75% | 0.2 m/s | 6 |
| 1984 | 15.4°C | 10.2°C | 4.9°C | 24.3°C | -1.0°C | 168 mm | 82% | 0.2 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1983 | 16.0°C | 10.6°C | 5.1°C | 22.4°C | -3.6°C | 93 mm | 80% | 0.2 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 19.9°C | 13.8°C | 7.7°C | 26.3°C | 1.2°C | 92 mm | 79% | 0.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 18.9°C | 12.4°C | 5.9°C | 25.6°C | -2.1°C | 60 mm | 73% | 0.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 18.8°C with lows near 7.2°C (mean 13°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 92 mm of rainfall in Ithaca, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 171 mm in 1989.
The hottest May reached 34°C in 2006. The coldest dipped to -3.7°C in 2020.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.5°C. Daytime highs moved from 17.9°C to 19.3°C and overnight lows from 6.2°C to 7.9°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Ithaca and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 18.8°C daytime highs and 7.2°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Ithaca, averaging 13°C.
For May in Ithaca, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 18.8°C and lows of 7.2°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 78% — 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 1989 with 171 mm. On average, May sees 92 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 Ithaca 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.
