May is one of the warmer months of the year in Richmond, with average highs near 30.1°C and lows around 20.1°C (mean 25.1°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 123 mm of rainfall and 77% relative humidity across the period.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Richmond. Across 45 years of records, the warmest May in Richmond was 2022 — when the month averaged 28.3°C — while the coldest was 1993 at 22.3°C. Typical May days reach 30.1°C with nights near 20.1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
May is a relatively wet time of year in Richmond, averaging 123 mm of rainfall. The wettest May on record was 2015 with 284 mm, while the driest was 1998 at 2 mm.
Relative humidity in Richmond during May averages 77%. The most humid May was 1991 at 87%, and the least humid was 2011 at 63%.
May receives about 5.9 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Richmond. The sunniest May was 2022 at 6.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2024 at 4.8.
Average wind speed in Richmond during May is 2.8 m/s. The windiest May was 2011 at 3.9 m/s, while the calmest were 1987 and 2023 at 2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 24.3°C | 24.7°C | 25.3°C | 25.4°C | 26.2°C | +1.9°C |
| Avg High | 29.3°C | 29.4°C | 30.4°C | 30.5°C | 31.0°C | +1.7°C |
| Avg Low | 19.2°C | 19.9°C | 20.2°C | 20.2°C | 21.3°C | +2.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 124 mm | 126 mm | 97 mm | 131 mm | 150 mm | +27 mm |
May temperatures in Richmond have risen by about 2.3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
May has ranged from a record low of 7.3°C (2013) to a record high of 39.3°C (1998).
Rainfall in May is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 123 mm, with a wettest year of 284 mm.
One of the best times to visit Richmond
May is one of the best times to visit Richmond. Expect days averaging 30.1°C and nights around 20.1°C (mean 25.1°C) — warmer than Richmond's yearly average — with higher rainfall (123 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 | 31.9°C | 26.6°C | 21.3°C | 36.4°C | 14.3°C | 136 mm | 75% | 3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2024 | 31.1°C | 27.0°C | 22.8°C | 37.1°C | 19.3°C | 168 mm | 83% | 2.8 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2023 | 29.5°C | 25.1°C | 20.6°C | 32.3°C | 15.1°C | 143 mm | 81% | 2 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2022 🔥 | 34.3°C | 28.3°C | 22.3°C | 38.2°C | 18.2°C | 62 mm | 70% | 3.2 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2021 | 28.7°C | 24.7°C | 20.6°C | 32.7°C | 15.3°C | 265 mm | 83% | 3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2020 | 30.6°C | 25.2°C | 19.9°C | 34.5°C | 14.2°C | 127 mm | 75% | 2.7 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2019 | 29.6°C | 25.5°C | 21.3°C | 33.2°C | 15.0°C | 181 mm | 82% | 3.2 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2018 | 33.8°C | 27.5°C | 21.3°C | 37.7°C | 16.0°C | 46 mm | 69% | 2.6 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2017 | 30.5°C | 24.8°C | 19.1°C | 33.8°C | 11.2°C | 101 mm | 72% | 3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2016 | 28.4°C | 24.2°C | 20.0°C | 31.7°C | 12.2°C | 228 mm | 84% | 2.5 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2015 🌧️ | 28.1°C | 24.7°C | 21.4°C | 30.1°C | 12.6°C | 284 mm | 87% | 2.7 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2014 | 29.8°C | 24.2°C | 18.5°C | 33.2°C | 11.2°C | 190 mm | 71% | 3.2 m/s | 6 |
| 2013 | 29.8°C | 24.3°C | 18.7°C | 35.2°C | 7.3°C | 62 mm | 72% | 3.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2012 | 30.4°C | 25.4°C | 20.3°C | 35.4°C | 15.7°C | 109 mm | 77% | 2.4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2011 | 33.0°C | 26.8°C | 20.5°C | 38.9°C | 10.4°C | 18 mm | 63% | 3.9 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2010 | 31.6°C | 26.3°C | 20.9°C | 36.1°C | 13.9°C | 92 mm | 74% | 2.7 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2009 | 30.7°C | 25.5°C | 20.2°C | 33.8°C | 12.8°C | 33 mm | 75% | 2.5 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2008 | 31.4°C | 25.9°C | 20.3°C | 35.9°C | 13.8°C | 47 mm | 72% | 3.2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2007 | 27.5°C | 23.6°C | 19.6°C | 30.3°C | 15.0°C | 150 mm | 83% | 2.4 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2006 | 32.0°C | 26.1°C | 20.2°C | 36.5°C | 13.3°C | 104 mm | 70% | 2.9 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2005 | 29.5°C | 24.1°C | 18.8°C | 36.4°C | 9.6°C | 111 mm | 76% | 2.1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2004 | 28.4°C | 23.9°C | 19.5°C | 34.5°C | 10.3°C | 178 mm | 83% | 3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2003 | 31.8°C | 26.5°C | 21.2°C | 36.6°C | 17.2°C | 4 mm | 76% | 2.8 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2002 | 31.6°C | 26.0°C | 20.4°C | 35.0°C | 11.7°C | 74 mm | 70% | 3.3 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2001 | 30.1°C | 25.1°C | 20.1°C | 33.8°C | 14.7°C | 93 mm | 77% | 2.8 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2000 | 30.8°C | 26.2°C | 21.6°C | 34.5°C | 16.6°C | 172 mm | 79% | 3 m/s | 6 |
| 1999 | 31.4°C | 26.0°C | 20.5°C | 35.7°C | 13.9°C | 122 mm | 74% | 2.6 m/s | 6 |
| 1998 | 34.2°C | 27.4°C | 20.5°C | 39.3°C | 16.4°C | 2 mm | 70% | 2.9 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1997 | 27.4°C | 23.0°C | 18.6°C | 31.2°C | 11.9°C | 150 mm | 85% | 2.2 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1996 | 33.1°C | 27.4°C | 21.7°C | 38.2°C | 12.9°C | 19 mm | 71% | 3.7 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1995 | 29.4°C | 24.7°C | 20.0°C | 31.9°C | 12.3°C | 192 mm | 81% | 3 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1994 | 28.6°C | 24.2°C | 19.7°C | 32.7°C | 12.9°C | 149 mm | 81% | 2.1 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1993 ❄️ | 26.8°C | 22.3°C | 17.7°C | 30.2°C | 10.3°C | 174 mm | 84% | 2.7 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1992 | 26.5°C | 22.4°C | 18.3°C | 30.0°C | 8.9°C | 182 mm | 84% | 2.2 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1991 | 28.2°C | 24.6°C | 21.0°C | 32.1°C | 12.0°C | 168 mm | 87% | 2.7 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1990 | 28.4°C | 24.6°C | 20.8°C | 31.9°C | 13.2°C | 107 mm | 84% | 3.1 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1989 | 31.3°C | 26.1°C | 21.0°C | 35.2°C | 15.3°C | 162 mm | 77% | 3.1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1988 | 30.7°C | 24.2°C | 17.7°C | 34.6°C | 12.5°C | 25 mm | 68% | 2.7 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1987 | 28.1°C | 24.1°C | 20.2°C | 30.8°C | 16.5°C | 158 mm | 84% | 2 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1986 | 29.2°C | 24.2°C | 19.1°C | 32.6°C | 12.4°C | 135 mm | 77% | 2.9 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1985 | 29.1°C | 24.1°C | 19.2°C | 35.6°C | 13.5°C | 56 mm | 78% | 2.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1984 | 30.2°C | 24.7°C | 19.1°C | 36.0°C | 10.6°C | 112 mm | 72% | 3.1 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1983 | 28.6°C | 23.6°C | 18.5°C | 32.4°C | 11.9°C | 122 mm | 79% | 2.9 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 27.9°C | 23.7°C | 19.4°C | 32.5°C | 10.8°C | 170 mm | 83% | 2.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 28.9°C | 23.8°C | 18.7°C | 33.5°C | 9.0°C | 173 mm | 77% | 2.8 m/s | — |
Actual recorded May data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in May is around 30.1°C with lows near 20.1°C (mean 25.1°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
May averages 123 mm of rainfall in Richmond, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 284 mm in 2015.
The hottest May reached 39.3°C in 1998. The coldest dipped to 7.3°C in 2013.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average May temperatures have risen by about 2.3°C. Daytime highs moved from 28.9°C to 31.1°C and overnight lows from 19°C to 21.5°C over the same span.
May is one of the warmer months of the year in Richmond and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 30.1°C daytime highs and 20.1°C at night.
Not quite — May is the 8th coolest month in Richmond, averaging 25.1°C.
For May in Richmond, pack light, breathable clothing and sun protection, with typical highs of 30.1°C and lows of 20.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in May averages 77% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in May is 2.8 m/s. The windiest May on record averaged 3.9 m/s (2011).
The wettest May on record was 2015 with 284 mm. On average, May sees 123 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 Richmond 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.
