May is one of the warmer months of the year in Lancaster, with average highs near 21.6°C and lows around 10.1°C (mean 15.9°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 105 mm of rainfall and 78% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Lancaster. Across 45 years of records, the warmest Mays in Lancaster were 2004 and 2018 — when the month averaged 19°C — while the coldest was 1997 at 13.2°C. Typical May days reach 21.6°C with nights near 10.1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
May is about average for rainfall in Lancaster, averaging 105 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1989 with 233 mm, while the driest was 2023 at 10 mm.
Relative humidity in Lancaster during May averages 78%. The most humid May was 2003 at 84%, and the least humid was 2023 at 69%.
May receives about 5.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Lancaster. The sunniest May was 2007 at 6.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2003 at 3.8.
Average wind speed in Lancaster during May is 1.1 m/s. The windiest May was 1997 at 1.4 m/s, while the calmest was 2016 at 0.9 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 15.2°C | 15.1°C | 15.7°C | 17.1°C | 16.1°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg High | 21.0°C | 21.0°C | 21.5°C | 22.6°C | 21.8°C | +0.8°C |
| Avg Low | 9.4°C | 9.2°C | 10.0°C | 11.7°C | 10.4°C | +1°C |
| Avg Rain | 129 mm | 95 mm | 93 mm | 111 mm | 100 mm | -29 mm |
May temperatures in Lancaster have risen by about 1.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -1°C (2020) to a record high of 32.5°C (2011).
Rainfall in May is about average for rainfall, averaging 105 mm, with a wettest year of 233 mm.
A good time to visit Lancaster
May is a good time to visit Lancaster, with days averaging 21.6°C and nights around 10.1°C (mean 15.9°C, warmer than Lancaster's yearly average) and higher rainfall. June 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 | 22.1°C | 16.8°C | 11.5°C | 27.9°C | 6.4°C | 207 mm | 79% | 1.2 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2024 | 23.0°C | 18.1°C | 13.1°C | 29.3°C | 6.3°C | 86 mm | 82% | 1 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2023 | 21.8°C | 15.2°C | 8.6°C | 28.5°C | 2.3°C | 10 mm | 69% | 1 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2022 | 22.7°C | 16.9°C | 11.2°C | 32.2°C | 3.2°C | 138 mm | 80% | 1.1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2021 | 21.5°C | 15.5°C | 9.5°C | 30.2°C | 2.7°C | 94 mm | 74% | 1.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2020 | 19.6°C | 14.1°C | 8.6°C | 27.1°C | -1.0°C | 66 mm | 78% | 1.2 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2019 | 22.5°C | 17.4°C | 12.3°C | 28.2°C | 4.7°C | 164 mm | 82% | 1.1 m/s | 5 |
| 2018 | 24.6°C | 19.0°C | 13.5°C | 29.9°C | 3.9°C | 153 mm | 83% | 1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2017 | 20.8°C | 15.3°C | 9.8°C | 31.1°C | 2.1°C | 121 mm | 78% | 1.2 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2016 | 20.1°C | 15.2°C | 10.2°C | 30.0°C | 1.5°C | 124 mm | 81% | 0.9 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2015 | 24.7°C | 18.8°C | 12.8°C | 30.2°C | 4.8°C | 60 mm | 75% | 1 m/s | 6 |
| 2014 | 21.6°C | 15.9°C | 10.3°C | 28.3°C | 4.4°C | 100 mm | 80% | 1 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2013 | 21.6°C | 15.9°C | 10.2°C | 31.2°C | 0.2°C | 77 mm | 79% | 1.1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2012 | 24.2°C | 18.8°C | 13.5°C | 30.7°C | 5.4°C | 112 mm | 80% | 1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2011 | 22.6°C | 17.6°C | 12.6°C | 32.5°C | 4.8°C | 108 mm | 83% | 1.1 m/s | 5 |
| 2010 | 23.2°C | 17.3°C | 11.5°C | 31.8°C | 0.8°C | 87 mm | 78% | 1.1 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2009 | 21.4°C | 16.2°C | 11.0°C | 27.1°C | 6.1°C | 142 mm | 80% | 1.1 m/s | 5 |
| 2008 | 20.0°C | 14.3°C | 8.5°C | 27.0°C | 3.1°C | 123 mm | 79% | 1.2 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2007 | 23.2°C | 16.8°C | 10.4°C | 30.5°C | 3.2°C | 39 mm | 75% | 1 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2006 | 21.7°C | 15.8°C | 9.8°C | 31.7°C | 3.5°C | 56 mm | 73% | 1.1 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2005 | 19.1°C | 13.3°C | 7.5°C | 26.4°C | 0.9°C | 40 mm | 76% | 1.1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2004 🔥 | 24.2°C | 19.0°C | 13.7°C | 28.6°C | 3.3°C | 110 mm | 81% | 1.1 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2003 | 18.8°C | 14.2°C | 9.7°C | 24.9°C | 4.0°C | 132 mm | 84% | 1.1 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2002 | 21.9°C | 15.4°C | 8.9°C | 30.3°C | 1.4°C | 104 mm | 72% | 1.3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2001 | 22.4°C | 16.2°C | 10.0°C | 30.6°C | 3.1°C | 86 mm | 73% | 1.1 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2000 | 22.2°C | 16.3°C | 10.5°C | 29.9°C | 2.3°C | 93 mm | 79% | 1.1 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1999 | 23.0°C | 16.3°C | 9.6°C | 31.5°C | 3.3°C | 50 mm | 71% | 1.1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1998 | 22.4°C | 17.2°C | 11.9°C | 31.3°C | 5.8°C | 136 mm | 82% | 1.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1997 ❄️ | 19.4°C | 13.2°C | 6.9°C | 28.1°C | 0.7°C | 74 mm | 72% | 1.4 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1996 | 19.3°C | 13.9°C | 8.4°C | 29.6°C | 0.8°C | 100 mm | 81% | 1.1 m/s | 5 |
| 1995 | 20.6°C | 14.9°C | 9.1°C | 28.1°C | 2.1°C | 93 mm | 77% | 1.2 m/s | 5 |
| 1994 | 19.5°C | 13.4°C | 7.3°C | 28.5°C | 2.3°C | 88 mm | 77% | 1.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1993 | 21.6°C | 15.8°C | 10.0°C | 27.9°C | 5.3°C | 63 mm | 79% | 1.1 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1992 | 19.7°C | 13.7°C | 7.8°C | 28.7°C | 1.2°C | 110 mm | 77% | 1.1 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1991 | 24.5°C | 18.5°C | 12.5°C | 31.2°C | 4.1°C | 61 mm | 79% | 1.1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1990 | 19.6°C | 14.1°C | 8.5°C | 25.0°C | 3.9°C | 177 mm | 78% | 1.3 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1989 🌧️ | 19.7°C | 14.5°C | 9.3°C | 27.9°C | 3.8°C | 233 mm | 83% | 1.2 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1988 | 21.1°C | 15.5°C | 10.0°C | 29.0°C | 3.5°C | 163 mm | 82% | 1.1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1987 | 21.3°C | 15.3°C | 9.4°C | 30.7°C | 1.8°C | 91 mm | 81% | 1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1986 | 22.3°C | 16.2°C | 10.1°C | 29.3°C | -0.4°C | 44 mm | 77% | 1.1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1985 | 22.1°C | 16.1°C | 10.1°C | 27.5°C | 1.1°C | 141 mm | 76% | 1.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1984 | 19.2°C | 13.8°C | 8.5°C | 26.4°C | 1.9°C | 162 mm | 82% | 1.3 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1983 | 19.5°C | 13.9°C | 8.3°C | 24.8°C | 0.0°C | 137 mm | 81% | 1.2 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 22.3°C | 16.4°C | 10.5°C | 27.1°C | 3.9°C | 97 mm | 79% | 1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 21.5°C | 15.0°C | 8.5°C | 28.5°C | 0.6°C | 92 mm | 74% | 1.1 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 21.6°C with lows near 10.1°C (mean 15.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 105 mm of rainfall in Lancaster, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 233 mm in 1989.
The hottest May reached 32.5°C in 2011. The coldest dipped to -1°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 20.9°C to 22.2°C and overnight lows from 9.2°C to 10.8°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Lancaster and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 21.6°C daytime highs and 10.1°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Lancaster, averaging 15.9°C.
For May in Lancaster, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 21.6°C and lows of 10.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 78% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 1.1 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 1.4 m/s (1997).
The wettest May on record was 1989 with 233 mm. On average, May sees 105 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 Lancaster 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.
