Greater Sudbury weather in May

In May, Greater Sudbury sees average daytime highs of 17°C and overnight lows near 5°C, with 72 mm of precipitation across 10.6 wet days and about 14.8 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 15°C in the first days to 20°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 06 min at the start of May to 15 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Greater Sudbury's 6th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Greater Sudbury's year-round climate.

Daytime high
17°
5th warmest
Overnight low
8th coldest
Precipitation
72 mm
10.6 wet days
Daylight
14 h 48 min
4:57 AM – 7:44 PM
Cloud cover
65%
6th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.75 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.4
out of 10

Greater Sudbury is city and unitary authority in Ontario, Canada.

Density
52/km²
people per km²
Founded
1893

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 15°C in the first days to 20°C by the end.

A typical May day in Greater Sudbury reaches about 17°C in the afternoon and slips back to 5°C overnight — a 12°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 10°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 8°C warmer than April and about 5°C cooler than June.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1142
2143
3153
4153
5153
6153
7164
8164
9164
10164
11164
12175
13175
14175
15175
16175
17186
18186
19186
20186
21187
22197
23197
24197
25197
26208
27208
28208
29208
30208
31209

How May really feels in Greater Sudbury

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 4 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
4
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Greater Sudbury weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-7° / -17°5310.110.98.80.0
Feb-5° / -16°417.67.9100.0
Mar / -10°507.86.111.60.0
Apr10° / -1°709.83.913.32.1
May17° / 7210.60.414.85.4
Jun23° / 11°8110.8015.56.5
Jul25° / 14°8710.7015.26.8
Aug23° / 13°9011.20146.7
Sep19° / 9211012.45.7
Oct11° / 9412.70.910.72.3
Nov / -5°73116.39.20.1
Dec-4° / -12°59119.98.50.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 63%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13763
23763
33664
43664
53763
63664
73763
83763
93862
103862
113763
123763
133763
143862
153862
163862
173862
183763
193862
203862
213961
223961
233961
243961
253961
263862
273862
283862
293763
303763
313763

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Greater Sudbury gets around 72 mm of rain and snow over 10.6 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 34% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1326
2325
3325
4324
5324
6323
7323
8322
9322
10332
11331
12331
13331
14331
15331
16341
17340
18340
19340
20340
21340
22340
23350
24350
25350
26350
27350
28350
29350
30350
31350

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 94% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
199100
299100
399100
499100
599100
699100
799100
898200
998200
1098200
1198200
1298200
1397300
1497300
1597300
1695410
1795410
1894510
1993520
2092620
2192620
2290730
2390730
2489740
2588840
2687850
2787850
2887850
2986950
3085960
3184961

Wind in May

Winds average 12 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112calm
212calm
312calm
412calm
512calm
612calm
712calm
812calm
912calm
1012calm
1112calm
1212calm
1312calm
1412calm
1512calm
1612calm
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2112calm
2212calm
2312calm
2412calm
2512calm
2612calm
2712calm
2811calm
2911calm
3011calm
3111calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 06 min at the start of May to 15 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 72 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:18 AM to 4:42 AM, and sunset from 7:24 PM to 8:01 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.15:187:24
214.25:167:26
314.25:157:27
414.35:137:28
514.35:127:30
614.35:107:31
714.45:097:32
814.45:077:34
914.55:067:35
1014.55:047:36
1114.65:037:38
1214.65:027:39
1314.75:007:40
1414.74:597:41
1514.74:587:43
1614.84:577:44
1714.84:557:45
1814.94:547:46
1914.94:537:48
2014.94:527:49
2115.04:517:50
2215.04:507:51
2315.14:497:52
2415.14:487:53
2515.14:477:54
2615.24:467:55
2715.24:457:56
2815.24:447:58
2915.24:447:59
3015.34:438:00
3115.34:428:01

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.75 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.18 kWh/m² to a high of 6.11 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.75 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.7Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
275.9Bright
285.9Bright
295.9Bright
305.9Bright
316.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Greater Sudbury?

Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

5.4
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
1.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Greater Sudbury for sightseeing.

What to pack for Greater Sudbury in May

From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In May, Greater Sudbury sees daytime highs around 17°C and nights near 5°C. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and sun protection. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Greater Sudbury in May

The nearest coast averages about 5°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 69 km away) is warmest in August at about 19°C and coldest in March near 1°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

0°10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan2Bracing
Feb1Bracing
Mar1Bracing
Apr2Bracing
May5Bracing
Jun11Bracing
Jul18Cool
Aug19Cool
Sep17Cool
Oct12Bracing
Nov8Bracing
Dec4Bracing

UV index in Greater Sudbury in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Greater Sudbury peaks around June 20 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 20UV 8Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May6High
Jun8Very high
Jul7Very high
Aug6High
Sep5Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Greater Sudbury?

Greater Sudbury sits at 46.5°N, 81.0°W, 266 m above sea level, in Canada. The nearest listed city is Valley East, 17 km away.

Topography around Greater Sudbury

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Greater Sudbury.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Greater Sudbury has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 91 m around an average of 274 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 219 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 411 m.

The land around Greater Sudbury is covered by trees (43%) and artificial surfaces (33%) within 3 km, trees (65%) within 16 km, and trees (82%) within 80 km.

3 km
91 m
16 km
219 m
80 km
411 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Valley East 17 km · North Bay 118 km · Huntsville 188 km · Bracebridge 208 km · Midland 212 km · Owen Sound 214 km · Timmins 221 km · Collingwood 231 km

Canada travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 83% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$55,698
2025
Happiness
6.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
97%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
2
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
5.3
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Christian 53%none 35%Muslim 5%Hindu 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Greater Sudbury (46.49°, -80.99°, elevation 266 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).