Apex weather in May

In May, Apex sees average daytime highs of 79°F and overnight lows near 60°F, with 3.5 in of rain across 10.4 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 76°F in the first days to 82°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Apex's 9th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Apex's year-round climate.

Daytime high
79°
5th warmest
Overnight low
60°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.5 in
10.4 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
5:15 AM – 7:08 PM
Cloud cover
58%
9th clearest
Wind
6 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.97 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.6
out of 10

Apex is town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States of America.

Density
1,140/km²
people per km²
Founded
1873

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 76°F in the first days to 82°F by the end.

A typical May day in Apex reaches about 79°F in the afternoon and slips back to 60°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 68°F and 88°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 7°F warmer than April and about 7°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17556
27656
37656
47656
57657
67657
77757
87758
97758
107758
117858
127859
137859
147859
157959
167960
177960
187960
198060
208061
218061
228061
238162
248162
258162
268263
278263
288263
298264
308264
318364

How May really feels in Apex

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
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.

Apex weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan51° / 34°3.79.31.29.92.7
Feb55° / 36°3.291.310.63.4
Mar62° / 42°4.110.40.511.75.4
Apr72° / 51°3.59.1012.96.8
May79° / 60°3.510.4013.96.6
Jun86° / 68°4.112.1014.44.8
Jul89° / 72°4.615.2014.23.7
Aug87° / 70°4.412.4013.44.5
Sep81° / 64°4.710.2012.26.3
Oct72° / 53°3.17.2011.17.2
Nov62° / 42°3.37.70.110.15.7
Dec54° / 37°3.69.10.69.63.4

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 50%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
25050
35050
45050
55149
65050
75050
85050
95149
105149
115050
125050
134951
145050
155050
165050
174951
185050
195050
204951
214951
224951
234951
244951
254951
264951
274951
284951
294852
304852
314753

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Apex gets around 3.5 in of rain over 10.4 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 (%)
133
233
333
433
533
633
733
833
933
1033
1134
1234
1334
1434
1534
1634
1735
1835
1935
2035
2135
2235
2335
2435
2535
2635
2735
2835
2936
3036
3136

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 39% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 18% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
162181370
259191480
358191580
456191690
555191790
6531918100
7512019100
8502019110
9482020110
10472121110
11452122120
12442122120
13432123131
14412123141
15402124141
16392124151
17382124161
18372124171
19362025181
20342025192
21332025202
22312025212
23302025222
24282026233
25272026253
26252026263
27241926274
28221926284
29211927295
30201926305
31181926306

Wind in May

Winds average 6 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:30 AM to 5:06 AM, and sunset from 6:55 PM to 7:19 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:306:55
213.55:296:56
313.55:276:57
413.55:266:58
513.65:256:59
613.65:247:00
713.65:237:01
813.75:227:01
913.75:217:02
1013.75:207:03
1113.75:197:04
1213.85:197:05
1313.85:187:06
1413.85:177:06
1513.95:167:07
1613.95:157:08
1713.95:147:09
1813.95:147:10
1914.05:137:11
2014.05:127:11
2114.05:127:12
2214.05:117:13
2314.15:107:14
2414.15:107:14
2514.15:097:15
2614.15:097:16
2714.15:087:17
2814.25:087:17
2914.25:077:18
3014.25:077:19
3114.25:067:19

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.97 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.26 kWh/m² to a high of 6.17 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.97 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.9Bright
75.9Bright
85.9Bright
95.9Bright
105.9Bright
115.9Bright
126.0Bright
136.0Bright
146.0Bright
156.0Bright
166.0Bright
176.0Bright
186.0Intense
196.0Intense
206.0Intense
216.0Intense
226.0Intense
236.0Intense
246.0Intense
256.0Intense
266.0Intense
276.0Intense
286.0Intense
296.0Intense
306.0Intense
316.0Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Apex?

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

6.6
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
6.3
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Apex for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Apex in May

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

In May, Apex sees daytime highs around 79°F and nights near 60°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Apex in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Apex peaks around July 13 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 13UV 9Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Apex in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Apex is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1718 µg/m³Nov 238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb10Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr12Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Apex?

Apex sits at 35.7°N, 78.9°W, 499 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Cary, 5.6 mi away.

Topography around Apex

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Apex.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Apex has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 243 ft around an average of 440 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 604 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,119 ft.

The land around Apex is covered by trees (62%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 2 miles, trees (71%) within 10 miles, and trees (75%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
243 ft
10 miles
604 ft
50 miles
1,119 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Cary 5.6 mi · Holly Springs 5.6 mi · Morrisville 6.2 mi · Fuquay-Varina 11 mi · West Raleigh 11 mi · Raleigh 12 mi · Garner 13 mi · Chapel Hill 17 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 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 Apex (35.7326°, -78.8503°, elevation 499 ft), 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. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).