May is one of the warmer months of the year in Columbia, with average highs near 24.5°C and lows around 13.9°C (mean 19.2°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 126 mm of rainfall and 80% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Columbia. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Columbia was 2018 — when the month averaged 22.2°C — while the coldest was 1997 at 16.8°C. Typical May days reach 24.5°C with nights near 13.9°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
May is a relatively wet time of year in Columbia, averaging 126 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 1983 with 292 mm, while the driest was 2005 at 30 mm.
Relative humidity in Columbia during May averages 80%. The most humid May was 1991 at 86%, and the least humid was 2007 at 64%.
May receives about 5.8 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Columbia. The sunniest May was 2005 at 6.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2025 at 4.8.
Average wind speed in Columbia during May is 1.4 m/s. The windiest May was 1983 at 1.7 m/s, while the calmest were 1987 and 2012 at 1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 18.6°C | 18.9°C | 19.2°C | 20.0°C | 19.3°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg High | 24.2°C | 24.1°C | 24.7°C | 25.1°C | 24.5°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg Low | 13.1°C | 13.6°C | 13.8°C | 14.9°C | 14.2°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 134 mm | 120 mm | 125 mm | 117 mm | 139 mm | +6 mm |
May temperatures in Columbia have risen by about 1.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 1.9°C (2020) to a record high of 33.3°C (2006).
Rainfall in May is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 126 mm, with a wettest year of 292 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.2°C per decade while lows rose 0.4°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
One of the best times to visit Columbia
May is one of the best times to visit Columbia. Expect days averaging 24.5°C and nights around 13.9°C (mean 19.2°C) — warmer than Columbia's yearly average — with higher rainfall (126 mm), so conditions are generally comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor plans.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23.9°C | 19.5°C | 15.1°C | 27.6°C | 7.7°C | 187 mm | 85% | 1.3 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2024 | 26.2°C | 21.2°C | 16.2°C | 30.8°C | 10.2°C | 183 mm | 82% | 1.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2023 | 24.7°C | 19.4°C | 14.1°C | 29.2°C | 4.8°C | 113 mm | 80% | 1.2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2022 | 25.7°C | 20.4°C | 15.1°C | 29.6°C | 8.0°C | 114 mm | 82% | 1.4 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2021 | 23.3°C | 17.8°C | 12.4°C | 29.9°C | 5.8°C | 114 mm | 78% | 1.4 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2020 | 23.0°C | 17.7°C | 12.5°C | 28.4°C | 1.9°C | 125 mm | 83% | 1.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2019 | 26.3°C | 21.2°C | 16.1°C | 30.6°C | 6.6°C | 92 mm | 82% | 1.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2018 🔥 | 27.0°C | 22.2°C | 17.4°C | 30.5°C | 9.0°C | 119 mm | 83% | 1.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2017 | 24.7°C | 19.3°C | 13.9°C | 28.7°C | 4.7°C | 141 mm | 79% | 1.4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2016 | 23.8°C | 18.5°C | 13.2°C | 29.4°C | 4.5°C | 65 mm | 79% | 1.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2015 | 25.0°C | 19.9°C | 14.8°C | 27.8°C | 5.7°C | 120 mm | 81% | 1.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2014 | 24.9°C | 19.7°C | 14.5°C | 29.1°C | 5.6°C | 69 mm | 80% | 1.3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2013 | 23.2°C | 18.4°C | 13.5°C | 28.0°C | 3.6°C | 121 mm | 82% | 1.4 m/s | 6 |
| 2012 | 26.9°C | 21.5°C | 16.1°C | 32.8°C | 9.2°C | 87 mm | 76% | 1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2011 | 24.1°C | 18.8°C | 13.6°C | 32.3°C | 3.3°C | 100 mm | 83% | 1.4 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2010 | 25.4°C | 20.6°C | 15.8°C | 30.4°C | 5.6°C | 255 mm | 83% | 1.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2009 | 23.4°C | 18.9°C | 14.3°C | 28.1°C | 4.2°C | 215 mm | 86% | 1.4 m/s | 5 |
| 2008 | 24.1°C | 18.6°C | 13.1°C | 29.1°C | 6.4°C | 131 mm | 79% | 1.6 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2007 | 27.8°C | 21.2°C | 14.5°C | 31.7°C | 6.4°C | 40 mm | 64% | 1.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2006 | 24.2°C | 18.7°C | 13.3°C | 33.3°C | 5.6°C | 112 mm | 82% | 1.3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2005 | 23.6°C | 17.6°C | 11.6°C | 29.5°C | 3.4°C | 30 mm | 76% | 1.2 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2004 | 25.7°C | 21.1°C | 16.4°C | 29.5°C | 5.4°C | 121 mm | 82% | 1.5 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2003 | 24.1°C | 19.5°C | 15.0°C | 27.9°C | 9.1°C | 259 mm | 85% | 1.6 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2002 | 23.4°C | 17.8°C | 12.2°C | 28.6°C | 3.4°C | 130 mm | 80% | 1.6 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2001 | 24.8°C | 19.1°C | 13.4°C | 28.6°C | 7.8°C | 119 mm | 77% | 1.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2000 | 25.5°C | 20.0°C | 14.6°C | 28.9°C | 7.2°C | 88 mm | 79% | 1.5 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1999 | 24.6°C | 18.8°C | 13.0°C | 27.9°C | 8.1°C | 103 mm | 78% | 1.4 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1998 | 26.1°C | 20.9°C | 15.7°C | 30.0°C | 8.5°C | 91 mm | 81% | 1.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1997 ❄️ | 22.4°C | 16.8°C | 11.1°C | 27.7°C | 4.8°C | 171 mm | 79% | 1.6 m/s | 6 |
| 1996 | 25.5°C | 20.5°C | 15.6°C | 31.3°C | 5.8°C | 91 mm | 83% | 1.5 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1995 | 24.3°C | 19.2°C | 14.1°C | 28.3°C | 5.7°C | 127 mm | 81% | 1.4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1994 | 22.7°C | 16.9°C | 11.1°C | 28.1°C | 4.7°C | 88 mm | 79% | 1.4 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1993 | 23.7°C | 18.7°C | 13.6°C | 28.3°C | 8.2°C | 137 mm | 81% | 1.3 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1992 | 23.2°C | 17.8°C | 12.4°C | 27.9°C | 4.1°C | 61 mm | 78% | 1.3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1991 | 25.5°C | 21.3°C | 17.2°C | 29.5°C | 7.6°C | 207 mm | 86% | 1.2 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1990 | 23.0°C | 17.7°C | 12.4°C | 27.1°C | 6.3°C | 125 mm | 82% | 1.5 m/s | 5 |
| 1989 | 22.6°C | 17.1°C | 11.6°C | 29.4°C | 2.5°C | 132 mm | 80% | 1.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1988 | 24.6°C | 18.2°C | 11.8°C | 32.0°C | 6.1°C | 53 mm | 70% | 1.3 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1987 | 26.1°C | 21.1°C | 16.2°C | 29.7°C | 9.3°C | 70 mm | 82% | 1 m/s | 6 |
| 1986 | 26.1°C | 20.3°C | 14.5°C | 30.4°C | 3.0°C | 145 mm | 71% | 1.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1985 | 24.3°C | 18.9°C | 13.5°C | 29.6°C | 7.2°C | 87 mm | 80% | 1.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1984 | 22.8°C | 17.1°C | 11.4°C | 27.3°C | 4.8°C | 235 mm | 82% | 1.6 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1983 🌧️ | 22.4°C | 17.2°C | 12.0°C | 25.8°C | 5.6°C | 292 mm | 83% | 1.7 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 25.6°C | 20.5°C | 15.4°C | 28.9°C | 8.5°C | 99 mm | 80% | 1.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 23.4°C | 17.3°C | 11.2°C | 29.4°C | 5.2°C | 89 mm | 75% | 1.4 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 24.5°C with lows near 13.9°C (mean 19.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 126 mm of rainfall in Columbia, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 292 mm in 1983.
The hottest May reached 33.3°C in 2006. The coldest dipped to 1.9°C in 2020.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 1.5°C. Daytime highs moved from 23.7°C to 24.8°C and overnight lows from 12.7°C to 14.6°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Columbia and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 24.5°C daytime highs and 13.9°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Columbia, averaging 19.2°C.
For May in Columbia, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 24.5°C and lows of 13.9°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 80% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 1.4 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 1.7 m/s (1983).
The wettest May on record was 1983 with 292 mm. On average, May sees 126 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 Columbia 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.
