Far Rockaway weather in May

In May, Far Rockaway sees average daytime highs of 64°F and overnight lows near 54°F, with 3.5 in of rain across 10.8 wet days and about 14.2 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 60°F in the first days to 68°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 42 min at the start of May to 14 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Far Rockaway's 12th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Far Rockaway's year-round climate.

Daytime high
64°
5th warmest
Overnight low
54°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.5 in
10.8 wet days
Daylight
14 h 18 min
4:44 AM – 6:59 PM
Cloud cover
63%
12th clearest
Wind
10 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.72 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.5
out of 10

Far Rockaway is neighborhood in borough of Queens, New York City, United States.

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 60°F in the first days to 68°F by the end.

A typical May day in Far Rockaway reaches about 64°F in the afternoon and slips back to 54°F overnight — a 10°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 56°F and 72°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 9°F warmer than April and about 10°F cooler than June.

40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15950
26050
36050
46050
56051
66151
76151
86152
96252
106252
116252
126253
136353
146353
156353
166454
176454
186454
196555
206555
216555
226656
236656
246656
256757
266757
276758
286858
296858
306859
316959

How May really feels in Far Rockaway

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.

Far Rockaway 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
Jan40° / 30°3.810.13.79.40.0
Feb41° / 30°3.69.33.610.40.1
Mar46° / 36°4.610.52.711.71.3
Apr55° / 45°3.810.90.3133.4
May64° / 54°3.510.8014.25.5
Jun73° / 64°3.710.2014.86.7
Jul79° / 71°3.49.7014.66.7
Aug78° / 70°3.89.6013.66.8
Sep73° / 64°3.89.1012.37.0
Oct63° / 54°4.38.8010.95.8
Nov53° / 43°3.58.80.29.73.2
Dec45° / 35°4.610.31.99.11.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in May, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 55%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24555
34456
44555
54555
64555
74555
84555
94555
104555
114555
124555
134555
144654
154654
164654
174654
184555
194456
204456
214456
224555
234456
244456
254555
264555
274555
284555
294555
304654
314654

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Far Rockaway gets around 3.5 in of rain over 10.8 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 35% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
135
235
335
435
535
635
735
835
935
1034
1134
1234
1334
1434
1534
1634
1734
1834
1934
2034
2134
2234
2335
2435
2535
2635
2735
2835
2936
3036
3135

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 74% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
194510
294510
393610
493610
591720
690820
789920
8881020
9861130
10851230
11841330
12821440
13811540
14791650
15791650
16771760
17761860
18741970
19712081
20692191
216722101
226423112
236224122
246024133
255825143
265625163
275326174
285226184
295026195
304827205
314627216

Wind in May

Winds average 10 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 10 mph on the calmest days to 11 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
111light breeze
211light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
1110light breeze
1210light breeze
1310light breeze
1410light breeze
1510light breeze
1610light breeze
1710light breeze
1810light breeze
1910light breeze
2010light breeze
2110light breeze
2210light breeze
2310light breeze
2410light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light breeze
3110light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 42 min at the start of May to 14 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 60 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:01 AM to 4:33 AM, and sunset from 6:43 PM to 7:12 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.75:016:43
213.75:006:45
313.84:586:46
413.84:576:47
513.94:566:48
613.94:556:49
713.94:536:50
814.04:526:51
914.04:516:52
1014.04:506:53
1114.14:496:54
1214.14:486:55
1314.24:476:56
1414.24:466:57
1514.24:456:58
1614.34:446:59
1714.34:437:00
1814.34:427:01
1914.34:417:02
2014.44:407:03
2114.44:397:04
2214.44:387:05
2314.54:387:05
2414.54:377:06
2514.54:367:07
2614.54:367:08
2714.64:357:09
2814.64:347:10
2914.64:347:11
3014.64:337:11
3114.74:337:12

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.72 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.77 kWh/m² to a high of 6.19 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.72 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.6Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.9Bright
245.9Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
276.0Bright
286.0Bright
296.0Intense
306.0Intense
316.0Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Far Rockaway

In seasonPeak

None of Far Rockaway's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Far Rockaway sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Atlantic hurricane
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Far Rockaway?

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

5.5
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
1.7
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Far Rockaway for sightseeing.

What to pack for Far Rockaway in May

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

In May, Far Rockaway sees daytime highs around 64°F and nights near 54°F. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 11 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Far Rockaway in May

The nearest coast averages about 55°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 74°F and coldest in February near 40°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 30 to Sep 26 — about 2.9 months when the water holds above 68°F.

40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan43Bracing
Feb40Bracing
Mar41Bracing
Apr46Bracing
May55Bracing
Jun65Cool
Jul72Refreshing
Aug74Refreshing
Sep71Refreshing
Oct63Cool
Nov55Bracing
Dec48Bracing

UV index in Far Rockaway in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Far Rockaway peaks around July 11 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 11UV 8Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Far Rockaway 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 Far Rockaway is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (November, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1018 µg/m³Nov 169 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar15Moderate
Apr16Moderate
May18Moderate
Jun18Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Far Rockaway?

Far Rockaway sits at 40.6°N, 73.8°W, 16 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Woodmere, 3.1 mi away.

Topography around Far Rockaway

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Far Rockaway has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 66 ft around an average of 13 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 292 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,716 ft.

The land around Far Rockaway is covered by water (35%) and artificial surfaces (31%) within 2 miles, water (50%) and artificial surfaces (33%) within 10 miles, and trees (43%) and water (39%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
66 ft
10 miles
292 ft
50 miles
1,716 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Woodmere 3.1 mi · Springfield Gardens 3.7 mi · Rosedale 4.3 mi · Laurelton 4.3 mi · Valley Stream 5.0 mi · Long Beach 5.0 mi · Lynbrook 5.6 mi · South Ozone Park 5.6 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 Far Rockaway (40.6054°, -73.7551°, elevation 16 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).