Encinitas weather in May

In May, Encinitas sees average daytime highs of 67°F and overnight lows near 58°F, with 0.5 in of rain across 1.8 wet days and about 13.7 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 67°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 58% 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 Encinitas's 7th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Encinitas's year-round climate.

Daytime high
67°
7th warmest
Overnight low
58°
7th coldest
Rainfall
0.5 in
1.8 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
4:54 AM – 6:36 PM
Cloud cover
37%
7th clearest
Wind
6 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
7.35 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.8
out of 10

Encinitas is city in San Diego County, California, United States.

Density
1,216/km²
people per km²
Founded
1986

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

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 67°F through the month.

A typical May day in Encinitas reaches about 67°F in the afternoon and slips back to 58°F overnight — a 10°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 62°F and 73°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°F warmer than April and about 3°F cooler than June.

50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16756
26756
36757
46757
56757
66757
76757
86757
96757
106757
116757
126757
136757
146758
156758
166758
176758
186758
196758
206758
216758
226758
236758
246758
256758
266758
276758
286758
296858
306858
316859

Encinitas weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 7th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan62° / 49°2.75.910.16.2
Feb62° / 50°3.46.710.86.0
Mar63° / 52°2.25.911.76.4
Apr65° / 55°1.03.512.87.3
May67° / 58°0.51.813.77.8
Jun70° / 60°0.10.414.18.7
Jul74° / 64°0.10.5149.3
Aug76° / 66°0.00.113.29.5
Sep75° / 65°0.10.612.29.3
Oct72° / 60°0.72.411.28.5
Nov67° / 54°1.13.410.37.6
Dec63° / 50°2.15.39.96.4

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 58% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 25%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17228
27129
37129
47129
57129
67129
77129
87129
97129
107228
117228
127327
137327
147426
157525
167525
177525
187624
197624
207624
217723
227723
237723
247723
257921
267921
277921
287921
298020
308020
318020

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Encinitas gets around 0.5 in of rain over 1.8 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 6% and peaks near 10% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
110
210
310
410
59
69
79
88
98
108
118
127
137
146
156
166
175
185
195
205
215
224
234
244
254
263
273
283
293
302
312

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 56% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
170291
269301
368311
466331
565341
664351
763361
862371
961381
1061381
1160391
1259401
1358402
1457412
1557412
1657412
1756422
1856422
1956422
2055423
2154433
2254433
2353443
2451454
2550464
2648484
2747494
2845505
2943525
3041545
3140555

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 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 5:08 AM to 4:47 AM, and sunset from 6:25 PM to 6:47 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.35:086:25
213.35:076:26
313.45:066:27
413.45:056:27
513.45:046:28
613.45:036:29
713.55:026:30
813.55:016:30
913.55:006:31
1013.54:596:32
1113.64:586:33
1213.64:586:33
1313.64:576:34
1413.64:566:35
1513.74:556:36
1613.74:546:36
1713.74:546:37
1813.74:536:38
1913.84:526:39
2013.84:526:39
2113.84:516:40
2213.84:516:41
2313.94:506:41
2413.94:506:42
2513.94:496:43
2613.94:496:43
2713.94:486:44
2813.94:486:45
2914.04:476:45
3014.04:476:46
3114.04:476:47

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.35 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.11 kWh/m² to a high of 7.93 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 7.35 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.1Intense
27.2Intense
37.2Intense
47.2Intense
57.2Intense
67.2Intense
77.2Intense
87.2Intense
97.2Intense
107.2Intense
117.3Intense
127.3Intense
137.3Intense
147.3Intense
157.3Intense
167.3Intense
177.3Intense
187.4Intense
197.4Intense
207.4Intense
217.4Intense
227.4Intense
237.5Intense
247.5Intense
257.5Intense
267.5Intense
277.5Intense
287.6Intense
297.6Intense
307.6Intense
317.6Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Encinitas?

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

7.8
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
3.7
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Encinitas for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Encinitas in May

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

In May, Encinitas sees daytime highs around 67°F and nights near 58°F. Pack sun protection.

sun protection

Sea temperature near Encinitas in May

The nearest coast averages about 64°F in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 71°F and coldest in January near 59°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 5 to Oct 7 — about 3.1 months when the water holds above 68°F.

60°65°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan59Cool
Feb59Cool
Mar60Cool
Apr61Cool
May64Cool
Jun66Cool
Jul69Refreshing
Aug71Refreshing
Sep70Refreshing
Oct67Cool
Nov64Cool
Dec61Cool

UV index in Encinitas in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Encinitas 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJul 11UV 11Dec 17UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr8Very high
May8Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Encinitas 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 Encinitas is worst in September — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.4× the cleanest month (May, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateSep 1625 µg/m³May 168 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Good
Feb12Moderate
Mar12Moderate
Apr11Good
May8Good
Jun11Good
Jul11Good
Aug15Moderate
Sep26Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov12Moderate
Dec16Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Encinitas?

Encinitas sits at 33.0°N, 117.3°W, 82 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Carlsbad, 9.3 mi away.

Topography around Encinitas

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Encinitas has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 407 ft around an average of 108 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,690 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 6,430 ft.

The land around Encinitas is covered by water (49%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 2 miles, water (49%) within 10 miles, and water (33%) and shrubs (22%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
407 ft
10 miles
1,690 ft
50 miles
6,430 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Carlsbad 9.3 mi · San Marcos 11 mi · Rancho Penasquitos 12 mi · Vista 12 mi · Mira Mesa 12 mi · Oceanside 12 mi · La Jolla 13 mi · Escondido 13 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 Encinitas (33.037°, -117.292°, elevation 82 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. 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. 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).