May is one of the warmer months of the year in Reading, with average highs near 21°C and lows around 9.3°C (mean 15.2°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 109 mm of rainfall and 78% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Reading. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Reading was 2015 — when the month averaged 18.4°C — while the coldest was 1997 at 12.3°C. Typical May days reach 21°C with nights near 9.3°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
May is a relatively wet time of year in Reading, averaging 109 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1989 with 247 mm, while the driest was 2023 at 10 mm.
Relative humidity in Reading during May averages 78%. The most humid May was 2011 at 84%, and the least humid was 2023 at 69%.
May receives about 5.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Reading. The sunniest May was 2007 at 6.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2003 at 3.8.
Average wind speed in Reading during May is 0.3 m/s. The windiest Mays were 2023, 2024 and 2025, among others at 0.3 m/s, while the calmest were 2023, 2024 and 2025, among others at 0.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 14.5°C | 14.5°C | 15.0°C | 16.5°C | 15.4°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg High | 20.5°C | 20.5°C | 20.9°C | 22.1°C | 21.2°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg Low | 8.5°C | 8.4°C | 9.0°C | 10.8°C | 9.6°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 130 mm | 94 mm | 93 mm | 119 mm | 110 mm | -20 mm |
May temperatures in Reading have risen by about 1.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -2.2°C (2020) to a record high of 33°C (2006).
Rainfall in May is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 109 mm, with a wettest year of 247 mm.
A good time to visit Reading
May is a good time to visit Reading, with days averaging 21°C and nights around 9.3°C (mean 15.2°C, warmer than Reading's yearly average) and higher rainfall. August and July 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 | 21.2°C | 15.9°C | 10.6°C | 27.1°C | 4.9°C | 231 mm | 80% | 0.3 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2024 | 22.5°C | 17.4°C | 12.2°C | 29.4°C | 6.6°C | 102 mm | 82% | 0.3 m/s | 5 |
| 2023 | 21.6°C | 14.6°C | 7.7°C | 28.1°C | 0.3°C | 10 mm | 69% | 0.3 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2022 | 22.3°C | 16.2°C | 10.2°C | 30.3°C | 2.2°C | 142 mm | 80% | 0.3 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2021 | 20.8°C | 14.8°C | 8.8°C | 30.3°C | 1.4°C | 107 mm | 75% | 0.3 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2020 | 18.8°C | 13.3°C | 7.8°C | 27.6°C | -2.2°C | 70 mm | 78% | 0.3 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2019 | 21.8°C | 16.5°C | 11.2°C | 27.5°C | 4.1°C | 191 mm | 82% | 0.3 m/s | 5 |
| 2018 | 24.0°C | 18.3°C | 12.5°C | 31.1°C | 2.5°C | 148 mm | 82% | 0.3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2017 | 19.9°C | 14.3°C | 8.8°C | 30.3°C | 1.5°C | 125 mm | 78% | 0.3 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2016 | 20.0°C | 14.7°C | 9.4°C | 30.5°C | 0.6°C | 108 mm | 80% | 0.3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2015 🔥 | 24.8°C | 18.4°C | 11.9°C | 30.4°C | 3.1°C | 63 mm | 73% | 0.3 m/s | 6 |
| 2014 | 21.2°C | 15.4°C | 9.5°C | 28.0°C | 3.5°C | 104 mm | 80% | 0.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2013 | 21.0°C | 15.2°C | 9.3°C | 30.4°C | -1.0°C | 79 mm | 79% | 0.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2012 | 23.7°C | 18.3°C | 12.9°C | 29.9°C | 4.1°C | 154 mm | 81% | 0.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2011 | 22.0°C | 16.9°C | 11.8°C | 31.4°C | 3.9°C | 132 mm | 84% | 0.3 m/s | 5 |
| 2010 | 22.7°C | 16.7°C | 10.7°C | 33.0°C | 0.2°C | 83 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2009 | 20.7°C | 15.3°C | 9.9°C | 26.8°C | 5.4°C | 145 mm | 79% | 0.3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2008 | 19.1°C | 13.2°C | 7.4°C | 27.1°C | 0.9°C | 103 mm | 79% | 0.3 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2007 | 23.0°C | 16.1°C | 9.2°C | 31.3°C | 2.4°C | 44 mm | 74% | 0.3 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2006 | 21.1°C | 15.1°C | 9.0°C | 33.0°C | 2.3°C | 67 mm | 75% | 0.3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2005 | 18.7°C | 12.6°C | 6.5°C | 26.5°C | -0.3°C | 38 mm | 76% | 0.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2004 | 23.6°C | 18.2°C | 12.7°C | 28.4°C | 2.6°C | 127 mm | 82% | 0.3 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2003 | 18.5°C | 13.8°C | 9.0°C | 24.6°C | 3.5°C | 118 mm | 84% | 0.3 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2002 | 20.7°C | 14.2°C | 7.6°C | 28.8°C | 0.0°C | 118 mm | 74% | 0.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2001 | 22.1°C | 15.7°C | 9.3°C | 30.8°C | 2.9°C | 69 mm | 73% | 0.3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2000 | 21.4°C | 15.6°C | 9.7°C | 29.1°C | 1.2°C | 103 mm | 80% | 0.3 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1999 | 22.7°C | 15.9°C | 9.0°C | 31.5°C | 3.8°C | 50 mm | 71% | 0.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1998 | 22.3°C | 16.9°C | 11.4°C | 31.7°C | 5.4°C | 135 mm | 82% | 0.3 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1997 ❄️ | 18.5°C | 12.3°C | 6.0°C | 27.1°C | -0.7°C | 82 mm | 73% | 0.3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1996 | 18.8°C | 13.0°C | 7.3°C | 28.9°C | -0.8°C | 83 mm | 81% | 0.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1995 | 19.9°C | 14.0°C | 8.1°C | 27.6°C | 0.1°C | 81 mm | 78% | 0.3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1994 | 19.2°C | 12.8°C | 6.5°C | 28.0°C | 1.0°C | 84 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1993 | 21.1°C | 15.1°C | 9.1°C | 27.5°C | 4.2°C | 54 mm | 78% | 0.3 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1992 | 19.5°C | 13.3°C | 7.2°C | 28.4°C | 1.4°C | 118 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1991 | 24.0°C | 17.9°C | 11.7°C | 30.1°C | 3.7°C | 70 mm | 79% | 0.3 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1990 | 19.0°C | 13.3°C | 7.7°C | 24.3°C | 2.6°C | 179 mm | 79% | 0.3 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1989 🌧️ | 19.1°C | 13.7°C | 8.4°C | 27.5°C | 2.2°C | 247 mm | 83% | 0.3 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1988 | 20.9°C | 15.0°C | 9.2°C | 28.1°C | 2.2°C | 155 mm | 81% | 0.3 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1987 | 21.0°C | 14.8°C | 8.6°C | 29.8°C | 0.5°C | 78 mm | 81% | 0.3 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1986 | 21.8°C | 15.6°C | 9.4°C | 28.4°C | -1.6°C | 60 mm | 78% | 0.3 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1985 | 21.6°C | 15.4°C | 9.1°C | 27.1°C | -0.2°C | 140 mm | 77% | 0.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1984 | 18.6°C | 13.1°C | 7.6°C | 25.4°C | 0.9°C | 178 mm | 82% | 0.3 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1983 | 18.8°C | 13.1°C | 7.3°C | 24.3°C | -0.5°C | 124 mm | 81% | 0.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 21.7°C | 15.7°C | 9.6°C | 26.4°C | 3.2°C | 100 mm | 79% | 0.3 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 21.0°C | 14.3°C | 7.5°C | 27.8°C | -0.6°C | 88 mm | 74% | 0.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 21°C with lows near 9.3°C (mean 15.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 109 mm of rainfall in Reading, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 247 mm in 1989.
The hottest May reached 33°C in 2006. The coldest dipped to -2.2°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 20.3°C to 21.7°C and overnight lows from 8.2°C to 9.9°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Reading and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 21°C daytime highs and 9.3°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Reading, averaging 15.2°C.
For May in Reading, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 21°C and lows of 9.3°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 78% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 0.3 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 0.3 m/s (1981).
The wettest May on record was 1989 with 247 mm. On average, May sees 109 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 Reading 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.
