May is one of the warmer months of the year in Wilkes Barre, with average highs near 19.8°C and lows around 8.2°C (mean 14°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 110 mm of rainfall and 79% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Wilkes Barre. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Wilkes Barre was 2012 — when the month averaged 17°C — while the coldest was 1997 at 11°C. Typical May days reach 19.8°C with nights near 8.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
May is a relatively wet time of year in Wilkes Barre, averaging 110 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1989 with 242 mm, while the driest was 2023 at 15 mm.
Relative humidity in Wilkes Barre during May averages 79%. The most humid May was 2011 at 85%, and the least humid was 1999 at 72%.
May receives about 5.2 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Wilkes Barre. The sunniest May was 2023 at 6.6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1989 and 2003 at 4.2.
Average wind speed in Wilkes Barre during May is 0.1 m/s. The windiest Mays were 2023, 2024 and 2025, among others at 0.1 m/s, while the calmest were 2014, 2019 and 2020, among others at 0 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 13.5°C | 13.3°C | 13.8°C | 15.3°C | 14.2°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg High | 19.4°C | 19.3°C | 19.6°C | 20.8°C | 19.9°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg Low | 7.6°C | 7.4°C | 8.0°C | 9.7°C | 8.5°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg Rain | 130 mm | 93 mm | 96 mm | 118 mm | 114 mm | -16 mm |
May temperatures in Wilkes Barre have risen by about 1.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of -2.9°C (2020) to a record high of 30.7°C (2018).
Rainfall in May is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 110 mm, with a wettest year of 242 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.3°C per decade while lows rose 0.5°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A good time to visit Wilkes Barre
May is a good time to visit Wilkes Barre, with days averaging 19.8°C and nights around 8.2°C (mean 14°C, warmer than Wilkes Barre'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 | 19.4°C | 14.4°C | 9.3°C | 25.3°C | 3.6°C | 238 mm | 82% | 0.1 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2024 | 21.3°C | 16.2°C | 11.0°C | 30.1°C | 3.4°C | 107 mm | 82% | 0.1 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2023 | 20.0°C | 13.3°C | 6.6°C | 26.4°C | -0.9°C | 15 mm | 72% | 0.1 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2022 | 21.3°C | 15.3°C | 9.3°C | 29.1°C | 0.0°C | 131 mm | 80% | 0.1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2021 | 19.5°C | 13.7°C | 7.8°C | 28.9°C | 1.1°C | 120 mm | 77% | 0.1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2020 | 17.7°C | 12.2°C | 6.7°C | 27.0°C | -2.9°C | 75 mm | 78% | 0 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2019 | 20.3°C | 15.0°C | 9.6°C | 26.6°C | 3.1°C | 208 mm | 83% | 0 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2018 | 22.3°C | 16.8°C | 11.3°C | 30.7°C | 2.3°C | 144 mm | 82% | 0.1 m/s | 5 |
| 2017 | 18.3°C | 13.1°C | 7.8°C | 28.8°C | 1.2°C | 124 mm | 80% | 0.1 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2016 | 18.9°C | 13.7°C | 8.5°C | 28.9°C | -0.1°C | 100 mm | 80% | 0.1 m/s | 5 |
| 2015 | 23.3°C | 16.9°C | 10.6°C | 28.6°C | 1.5°C | 49 mm | 74% | 0.1 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2014 | 20.4°C | 14.5°C | 8.5°C | 26.4°C | 1.9°C | 102 mm | 80% | 0 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2013 | 20.0°C | 14.2°C | 8.4°C | 28.9°C | -1.6°C | 84 mm | 79% | 0.1 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2012 🔥 | 22.2°C | 17.0°C | 11.8°C | 28.6°C | 3.4°C | 159 mm | 82% | 0.1 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2011 | 20.9°C | 16.0°C | 11.0°C | 29.0°C | 2.4°C | 135 mm | 85% | 0 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2010 | 21.3°C | 15.4°C | 9.6°C | 29.8°C | -0.9°C | 78 mm | 78% | 0 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2009 | 19.8°C | 14.2°C | 8.5°C | 26.0°C | 2.5°C | 135 mm | 79% | 0.1 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2008 | 17.7°C | 11.9°C | 6.2°C | 26.0°C | -2.4°C | 98 mm | 79% | 0.1 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2007 | 21.5°C | 14.8°C | 8.0°C | 29.5°C | 1.5°C | 47 mm | 75% | 0.1 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2006 | 20.0°C | 14.1°C | 8.1°C | 29.4°C | 1.1°C | 77 mm | 77% | 0.1 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2005 | 17.7°C | 11.7°C | 5.8°C | 25.5°C | -0.7°C | 38 mm | 77% | 0.1 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2004 | 22.2°C | 16.8°C | 11.3°C | 27.7°C | 2.2°C | 146 mm | 82% | 0.1 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2003 | 17.6°C | 12.9°C | 8.1°C | 24.1°C | 2.7°C | 110 mm | 83% | 0.1 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2002 | 19.0°C | 12.7°C | 6.4°C | 26.4°C | -0.7°C | 133 mm | 76% | 0 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2001 | 20.6°C | 14.6°C | 8.5°C | 29.2°C | 2.9°C | 68 mm | 75% | 0 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2000 | 19.9°C | 14.3°C | 8.8°C | 28.3°C | 0.9°C | 108 mm | 81% | 0 m/s | 5 |
| 1999 | 21.1°C | 14.6°C | 8.1°C | 29.7°C | 2.8°C | 57 mm | 72% | 0.1 m/s | 6 |
| 1998 | 21.4°C | 16.0°C | 10.6°C | 29.7°C | 3.6°C | 140 mm | 82% | 0.1 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1997 ❄️ | 17.0°C | 11.0°C | 5.0°C | 25.2°C | -1.4°C | 83 mm | 74% | 0 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1996 | 17.6°C | 11.9°C | 6.2°C | 28.1°C | -2.1°C | 82 mm | 81% | 0.1 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1995 | 18.2°C | 12.6°C | 6.9°C | 25.8°C | -0.2°C | 69 mm | 79% | 0.1 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1994 | 18.3°C | 12.0°C | 5.8°C | 27.2°C | 0.1°C | 82 mm | 77% | 0.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1993 | 19.9°C | 13.8°C | 7.7°C | 26.7°C | 2.7°C | 48 mm | 78% | 0.1 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1992 | 18.6°C | 12.5°C | 6.5°C | 27.2°C | 0.9°C | 123 mm | 78% | 0.1 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1991 | 22.7°C | 16.7°C | 10.7°C | 27.8°C | 2.3°C | 69 mm | 80% | 0.1 m/s | 6 |
| 1990 | 17.7°C | 12.1°C | 6.6°C | 22.9°C | 0.0°C | 182 mm | 79% | 0 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1989 🌧️ | 18.1°C | 12.9°C | 7.6°C | 27.1°C | 1.3°C | 242 mm | 84% | 0.1 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1988 | 19.8°C | 13.9°C | 8.1°C | 27.1°C | 1.4°C | 144 mm | 81% | 0.1 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1987 | 19.9°C | 13.8°C | 7.7°C | 28.5°C | -0.1°C | 64 mm | 81% | 0 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1986 | 20.7°C | 14.7°C | 8.8°C | 27.1°C | -1.8°C | 71 mm | 78% | 0.1 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1985 | 20.3°C | 14.2°C | 8.0°C | 26.0°C | -1.5°C | 138 mm | 78% | 0 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1984 | 17.6°C | 12.1°C | 6.6°C | 24.6°C | 0.6°C | 198 mm | 82% | 0 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1983 | 17.7°C | 11.9°C | 6.2°C | 23.3°C | -1.8°C | 119 mm | 82% | 0.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 20.5°C | 14.5°C | 8.5°C | 25.7°C | 2.7°C | 96 mm | 80% | 0.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 20.0°C | 13.3°C | 6.6°C | 25.9°C | -1.1°C | 100 mm | 75% | 0.1 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 19.8°C with lows near 8.2°C (mean 14°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 110 mm of rainfall in Wilkes Barre, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 242 mm in 1989.
The hottest May reached 30.7°C in 2018. The coldest dipped to -2.9°C in 2020.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.4°C. Daytime highs moved from 19.2°C to 20.3°C and overnight lows from 7.2°C to 8.8°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Wilkes Barre and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 19.8°C daytime highs and 8.2°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Wilkes Barre, averaging 14°C.
For May in Wilkes Barre, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 19.8°C and lows of 8.2°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 79% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 0.1 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 0.1 m/s (1981).
The wettest May on record was 1989 with 242 mm. On average, May sees 110 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 Wilkes Barre 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.
