Carlsbad weather in May

In May, Carlsbad sees average daytime highs of 88°F and overnight lows near 61°F, with 1.1 in of rain across 4.1 wet days and about 13.6 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 84°F in the first days to 92°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 62% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Carlsbad's 6th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Carlsbad's year-round climate.

Daytime high
88°
4th warmest
Overnight low
61°
8th coldest
Rainfall
1.1 in
4.1 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:03 AM – 6:43 PM
Cloud cover
33%
6th clearest
Wind
9 mph
3rd windiest
Solar energy
7.66 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.5
out of 10

Carlsbad is city in and county seat of Eddy County, New Mexico, United States.

Density
355/km²
people per km²
Founded
1888

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 84°F in the first days to 92°F by the end.

A typical May day in Carlsbad reaches about 88°F in the afternoon and slips back to 61°F overnight — a 27°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 75°F and 98°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 8°F warmer than April and about 8°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°100°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18456
28456
38456
48557
58557
68557
78558
88658
98658
108659
118659
128759
138760
148760
158760
168761
178861
188861
198862
208962
218962
228962
239063
249063
259064
269164
279164
289164
299265
309265
319265

How May really feels in Carlsbad

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 9 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
9
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Carlsbad weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 4th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan58° / 33°0.62.60.910.15.2
Feb63° / 38°0.62.80.710.86.8
Mar71° / 44°0.730.111.88.1
Apr79° / 51°0.72012.88.3
May88° / 61°1.14.1013.65.5
Jun95° / 69°0.74.1014.12.9
Jul95° / 72°1.25.3013.92.8
Aug93° / 71°1.26.2013.23.5
Sep87° / 64°1.65.2012.25.7
Oct77° / 53°1.24.30.111.28.1
Nov66° / 42°0.72.80.410.37.5
Dec58° / 34°0.72.70.99.95.2

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 62% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 22%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18020
28020
38020
48020
58020
68020
77921
87921
97921
107822
117822
127822
137624
147624
157624
167624
177624
187525
197525
207624
217723
227723
237723
247822
257822
267921
277921
288020
298119
308119
318218

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Carlsbad gets around 1.1 in of rain over 4.1 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 13% and peaks near 17% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
17
27
38
48
59
69
79
810
910
1011
1111
1212
1312
1413
1514
1614
1715
1815
1916
2016
2116
2217
2317
2417
2517
2617
2717
2817
2916
3016
3116

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 89% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19820
29820
39820
49820
59730
69730
79640
89640
99550
109550
119460
129370
139370
149280
159190
1689101
1788111
1887121
1986131
2085141
2185141
2283152
2383152
2482162
2581163
2680173
2780173
2879174
2978184
3078184
3177185

Wind in May

Winds average 9 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
179light breeze
189light breeze
199light breeze
209light breeze
219light breeze
229light breeze
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:16 AM to 4:56 AM, and sunset from 6:32 PM to 6:53 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.35:166:32
213.35:156:33
313.35:146:33
413.35:136:34
513.45:126:35
613.45:116:36
713.45:116:36
813.55:106:37
913.55:096:38
1013.55:086:39
1113.55:076:39
1213.65:066:40
1313.65:066:41
1413.65:056:41
1513.65:046:42
1613.75:036:43
1713.75:036:44
1813.75:026:44
1913.75:016:45
2013.75:016:46
2113.85:006:46
2213.85:006:47
2313.84:596:48
2413.84:596:48
2513.84:586:49
2613.94:586:50
2713.94:576:50
2813.94:576:51
2913.94:566:52
3013.94:566:52
3114.04:566:53

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.66 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.29 kWh/m² to a high of 7.86 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 7.66 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.6Intense
27.6Intense
37.6Intense
47.6Intense
57.6Intense
67.6Intense
77.6Intense
87.6Intense
97.6Intense
107.6Intense
117.6Intense
127.6Intense
137.6Intense
147.6Intense
157.6Intense
167.6Intense
177.6Intense
187.6Intense
197.6Intense
207.6Intense
217.7Intense
227.7Intense
237.7Intense
247.7Intense
257.7Intense
267.7Intense
277.7Intense
287.8Intense
297.8Intense
307.8Intense
317.8Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Carlsbad?

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

5.5
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
7.9
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Carlsbad in May

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

In May, Carlsbad sees daytime highs around 88°F and nights near 61°F. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Carlsbad in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Carlsbad peaks around June 23 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 12Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5High
Mar7Very high
Apr10Extreme
May10Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep10Very high
Oct7High
Nov5Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Carlsbad 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 Carlsbad is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.7× the cleanest month (October, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateJul 1016 µg/m³Oct 179 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb13Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug12Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct9Good
Nov11Good
Dec13Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Carlsbad?

Carlsbad sits at 32.4°N, 104.2°W, 3,100 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Hobbs, 66 mi away.

Topography around Carlsbad

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Carlsbad has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 144 ft around an average of 3,123 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 991 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,561 ft.

The land around Carlsbad is covered by artificial surfaces (39%) and shrubs (25%) within 2 miles, grassland (58%) and shrubs (24%) within 10 miles, and grassland (68%) and shrubs (21%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
144 ft
10 miles
991 ft
50 miles
5,561 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Hobbs 66 mi · Roswell 70 mi · Alamogordo 106 mi · West Odessa 109 mi · Odessa 116 mi · Horizon City 126 mi · Midland 129 mi · Socorro Mission Number 1 Colonia 132 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 Carlsbad (32.4207°, -104.2288°, elevation 3,100 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).