East Grinstead weather in May

In May, East Grinstead sees average daytime highs of 16°C and overnight lows near 9°C, with 54 mm of rain across 10.3 wet days and about 15.3 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 14°C in the first days to 17°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 30 min at the start of May to 15 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is East Grinstead's 5th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see East Grinstead's year-round climate.

Daytime high
16°
5th warmest
Overnight low
7th coldest
Rainfall
54 mm
10.3 wet days
Daylight
15 h 18 min
4:17 AM – 7:36 PM
Cloud cover
67%
5th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.36 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.8
out of 10

East Grinstead is town and civil parish in West Sussex, England, UK.

Density
1,086/km²
people per km²

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 14°C in the first days to 17°C by the end.

A typical May day in East Grinstead reaches about 16°C in the afternoon and slips back to 9°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 12°C and 21°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 3°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1147
2147
3147
4157
5157
6157
7158
8158
9158
10158
11158
12158
13168
14168
15168
16169
17169
18169
19169
20169
21169
22179
23179
24179
251710
261710
271710
281710
291710
301710
311710

How May really feels in East Grinstead

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 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
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

East Grinstead weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 6811.80.78.21.0
Feb / 529.60.79.61.1
Mar10° / 4610.40.411.52.2
Apr13° / 5110.70.113.53.4
May16° / 5410.3015.34.8
Jun19° / 11°539.4016.25.9
Jul21° / 13°549.9015.96.4
Aug21° / 13°6510.1014.46.3
Sep18° / 11°529.5012.45.8
Oct14° / 7211.6010.44.1
Nov11° / 7512.10.18.72.3
Dec / 74120.77.81.3

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 67%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13466
23466
33466
43466
53466
63367
73367
83367
93367
103367
113367
123367
133367
143367
153367
163367
173367
183367
193367
203466
213367
223367
233367
243466
253466
263466
273466
283466
293466
303565
313466

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

East Grinstead gets around 54 mm of rain over 10.3 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 34% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
136
236
335
435
535
634
734
834
934
1035
1135
1235
1336
1436
1536
1636
1735
1835
1935
2034
2134
2234
2333
2433
2532
2632
2732
2832
2932
3032
3132

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 95% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19910
29910
39910
49820
59820
69820
79730
89730
99730
109730
119640
129640
139640
149640
159640
169640
179550
189550
199550
209550
219460
229460
239460
249370
259370
269280
279280
289190
2989101
3089101
3188111

Wind in May

Winds average 15 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 16 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
316light breeze
416light breeze
516light breeze
616light breeze
716light breeze
816light breeze
916light breeze
1016light breeze
1116light breeze
1216light breeze
1316light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2015light breeze
2115light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 30 min at the start of May to 15 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 84 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 4:42 AM to 3:59 AM, and sunset from 7:12 PM to 7:56 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.54:427:12
214.64:407:14
314.64:397:15
414.74:377:17
514.74:357:19
614.84:337:20
714.84:317:22
814.94:307:23
915.04:287:25
1015.04:267:27
1115.14:257:28
1215.14:237:30
1315.24:217:31
1415.24:207:33
1515.34:187:34
1615.34:177:36
1715.44:157:37
1815.44:147:39
1915.54:137:40
2015.54:117:42
2115.64:107:43
2215.64:097:44
2315.64:077:46
2415.74:067:47
2515.74:057:48
2615.84:047:50
2715.84:037:51
2815.84:027:52
2915.94:017:53
3015.94:007:55
3115.93:597:56

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.36 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.7 kWh/m² to a high of 5.7 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.36 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
35.1Bright
45.1Bright
55.1Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.4Bright
195.4Bright
205.4Bright
215.4Bright
225.4Bright
235.4Bright
245.5Bright
255.5Bright
265.5Bright
275.5Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit East Grinstead?

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

4.8
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
0.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit East Grinstead for sightseeing.

What to pack for East Grinstead in May

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

In May, East Grinstead sees daytime highs around 16°C and nights near 9°C. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near East Grinstead in May

The nearest coast averages about 11°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 52 km away) is warmest in August at about 17°C and coldest in March near 8°C.

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

5°10°15°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan9Bracing
Feb8Bracing
Mar8Bracing
Apr9Bracing
May11Bracing
Jun13Bracing
Jul16Cool
Aug17Cool
Sep17Cool
Oct16Cool
Nov14Bracing
Dec11Bracing

UV index in East Grinstead 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 East Grinstead peaks around July 24 at about 6 (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 6 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateLowJul 24UV 6Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb1Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr4Moderate
May6High
Jun6High
Jul6High
Aug6High
Sep4Moderate
Oct2Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is East Grinstead?

East Grinstead sits at 51.1°N, 0.0°W, 137 m above sea level, in United Kingdom. The nearest listed city is Horley, 12 km away.

Topography around East Grinstead

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around East Grinstead has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 92 m around an average of 107 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 249 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 303 m.

The land around East Grinstead is covered by trees (54%) and grassland (31%) within 3 km, trees (46%) and grassland (39%) within 16 km, and water (26%), grassland (25%) and trees (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
92 m
16 km
249 m
80 km
303 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Horley 12 km · Crawley 12 km · Crowborough 14 km · Haywards Heath 16 km · Redhill 17 km · Caterham 18 km · Uckfield 19 km · Royal Tunbridge Wells 19 km

United Kingdom travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type D / G / M
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 89% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$57,602
2025
Happiness
6.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.1
per 100k, 2021
Road deaths
3.2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Christian 60%none 26%Muslim 4%other 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 East Grinstead (51.1238°, -0.0061°, elevation 137 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).