Desert Hot Springs weather in May

In May, Desert Hot Springs sees average daytime highs of 80°F and overnight lows near 56°F, with 0.1 in of rain across 1 wet days and about 13.7 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 77°F in the first days to 84°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 76% 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 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Desert Hot Springs's 6th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Desert Hot Springs's year-round climate.

Daytime high
80°
5th warmest
Overnight low
56°
8th coldest
Rainfall
0.1 in
1 wet days
Daylight
13 h 48 min
4:49 AM – 6:35 PM
Cloud cover
24%
6th clearest
Wind
6 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
8.07 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.4
out of 10

Desert Hot Springs is city in Riverside County, California, United States.

Density
463/km²
people per km²
Founded
1963

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 77°F in the first days to 84°F by the end.

A typical May day in Desert Hot Springs reaches about 80°F in the afternoon and slips back to 56°F overnight — a 24°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 68°F and 91°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 8°F warmer than April and about 9°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17753
27753
37754
47854
57854
67854
77855
87855
97955
107955
117955
127955
137956
148056
158056
168056
178056
188056
198156
208157
218157
228157
238257
248258
258258
268358
278358
288359
298459
308459
318560

How May really feels in Desert Hot Springs

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.

Desert Hot Springs weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan58° / 40°1.34.30.6105.2
Feb60° / 41°1.54.40.610.75.7
Mar66° / 45°0.73.20.311.77.4
Apr72° / 49°0.320.112.88.5
May80° / 56°0.11013.78.4
Jun89° / 64°0.00.3014.25.5
Jul94° / 70°0.21.30143.5
Aug94° / 70°0.21.5013.33.8
Sep88° / 65°0.21.1012.26.1
Oct77° / 55°0.31011.18.9
Nov66° / 45°0.41.60.110.27.7
Dec58° / 39°1.13.40.49.85.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 76% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 13%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18416
28416
38416
48416
58416
68416
78416
88416
98416
108416
118416
128614
138614
148614
158614
168614
178614
188713
198713
208713
218812
228812
238812
248911
258911
268911
279010
289010
299010
309010
319010

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Desert Hot Springs gets around 0.1 in of rain over 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 3% and peaks near 5% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
15
25
35
45
55
65
74
84
94
104
114
124
134
144
154
163
173
183
193
203
213
223
233
242
252
262
272
282
292
302
311

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in May

Winds average 6 mph in May, the windiest month of the year.

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

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
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 18 min at the start of May to 14 h 06 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 5:03 AM to 4:41 AM, and sunset from 6:23 PM to 6:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.35:036:23
213.45:026:24
313.45:016:25
413.45:006:26
513.54:596:26
613.54:586:27
713.54:576:28
813.54:566:29
913.64:556:30
1013.64:546:30
1113.64:536:31
1213.74:536:32
1313.74:526:33
1413.74:516:34
1513.74:506:34
1613.84:496:35
1713.84:496:36
1813.84:486:37
1913.84:476:37
2013.94:476:38
2113.94:466:39
2213.94:456:39
2313.94:456:40
2413.94:446:41
2514.04:446:42
2614.04:436:42
2714.04:436:43
2814.04:426:44
2914.04:426:44
3014.14:426:45
3114.14:416:46

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 8.07 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.17 kWh/m² to a high of 8.6 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 8.07 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.8Intense
27.8Intense
37.8Intense
47.8Intense
57.9Intense
67.9Intense
77.9Intense
87.9Intense
97.9Intense
108.0Intense
118.0Intense
128.0Intense
138.0Intense
148.0Intense
158.0Intense
168.1Intense
178.1Intense
188.1Intense
198.1Intense
208.1Intense
218.2Intense
228.2Intense
238.2Intense
248.2Intense
258.2Intense
268.3Intense
278.3Intense
288.3Intense
298.3Intense
308.4Intense
318.4Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Desert Hot Springs?

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

8.4
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
8.5
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Desert Hot Springs for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Desert Hot Springs in May

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

In May, Desert Hot Springs sees daytime highs around 80°F and nights near 56°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes.

sun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Desert Hot Springs in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Desert Hot Springs peaks around July 11 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJul 11UV 11Dec 17UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar5High
Apr8Very high
May9Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep9Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Desert Hot Springs 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 Desert Hot Springs is worst in September — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.3× the cleanest month (December, 5 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodSep 1419 µg/m³Dec 155 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar8Good
Apr8Good
May7Good
Jun14Moderate
Jul10Good
Aug11Good
Sep20Moderate
Oct6Good
Nov5Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Desert Hot Springs?

Desert Hot Springs sits at 34.0°N, 116.5°W, 1,076 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Palm Springs, 9.3 mi away.

Topography around Desert Hot Springs

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Desert Hot Springs has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,450 ft around an average of 1,204 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,187 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 11,650 ft.

The land around Desert Hot Springs is covered by bare terrain (62%) and artificial surfaces (35%) within 2 miles, bare terrain (58%) and shrubs (30%) within 10 miles, and bare terrain (45%) and shrubs (28%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
1,450 ft
10 miles
5,187 ft
50 miles
11,650 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Palm Springs 9.3 mi · Yucca Valley 11 mi · Cathedral City 13 mi · Rancho Mirage 16 mi · Palm Desert 18 mi · Banning 22 mi · Indio 24 mi · La Quinta 24 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 Desert Hot Springs (33.9617°, -116.5035°, elevation 1,076 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).