Federal Way weather in May

In May, Federal Way sees average daytime highs of 62°F and overnight lows near 47°F, with 3.1 in of precipitation across 11.9 wet days and about 14.8 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 59°F in the first days to 64°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 12 min at the start of May to 15 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Federal Way's 6th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Federal Way's year-round climate.

Daytime high
62°
5th warmest
Overnight low
47°
8th coldest
Precipitation
3.1 in
11.9 wet days
Daylight
14 h 54 min
4:39 AM – 7:32 PM
Cloud cover
66%
6th clearest
Wind
5 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.33 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.9
out of 10

Federal Way is city in King County, Washington, United States.

Density
26,144/km²
people per km²
Founded
1929

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 59°F in the first days to 64°F by the end.

A typical May day in Federal Way reaches about 62°F in the afternoon and slips back to 47°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 54°F and 72°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°F warmer than April and about 5°F cooler than June.

30°40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15844
25945
35945
45945
56045
66045
76046
86046
96046
106146
116146
126147
136147
146147
156247
166247
176248
186248
196248
206248
216349
226349
236349
246349
256349
266349
276449
286450
296450
306450
316450

How May really feels in Federal Way

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.

Federal Way weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan45° / 37°7.518.25.68.70.7
Feb47° / 37°5.214.84.69.91.2
Mar50° / 39°6.017.8511.61.9
Apr55° / 42°4.615.81.813.33.0
May62° / 47°3.111.90.214.84.9
Jun66° / 52°2.39.2015.76.2
Jul73° / 56°0.84.1015.38.0
Aug73° / 56°1.14.5014.18.0
Sep68° / 52°2.58.1012.46.7
Oct58° / 46°5.213.70.110.64.0
Nov49° / 40°8.118.12.49.11.6
Dec44° / 37°7.717.768.30.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 66%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13664
23664
33763
43763
53763
63763
73664
83763
93763
103664
113664
123565
133466
143466
153367
163367
173268
183268
193268
203268
213169
223169
233169
243367
253367
263367
273367
283466
293466
303466
313466

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Federal Way gets around 3.1 in of rain and snow over 11.9 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 39% and peaks near 44% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1442
2442
3432
4422
5411
6411
7401
8401
9401
10391
11391
12391
13391
14391
15390
16390
17390
18390
19390
20390
21390
22380
23380
24370
25360
26350
27350
28340
29340
30340
31340

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 98% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
17991
18991
19982
20982
21982
22973
23973
24973
25964
26964
27964
28964
29964
30955
31955

Wind in May

Winds average 5 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 5 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 12 min at the start of May to 15 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 72 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:01 AM to 4:24 AM, and sunset from 7:12 PM to 7:49 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.25:017:12
214.25:007:13
314.34:587:14
414.34:567:16
514.44:557:17
614.44:537:19
714.54:527:20
814.54:507:21
914.64:497:23
1014.64:477:24
1114.74:467:25
1214.74:447:27
1314.74:437:28
1414.84:427:29
1514.84:407:30
1614.94:397:32
1714.94:387:33
1815.04:377:34
1915.04:367:36
2015.04:347:37
2115.14:337:38
2215.14:327:39
2315.24:317:40
2415.24:307:41
2515.24:297:43
2615.34:287:44
2715.34:287:45
2815.34:277:46
2915.44:267:47
3015.44:257:48
3115.44:247:49

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.33 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.91 kWh/m² to a high of 6.26 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 5.33 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.1Bright
25.1Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.3Bright
195.3Bright
205.3Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.3Bright
245.3Bright
255.3Bright
265.3Bright
275.4Bright
285.4Bright
295.4Bright
305.4Bright
315.4Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Federal Way

In seasonPeak

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

Federal Way's rainy season runs October–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Federal Way?

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

4.9
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
0.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Federal Way for sightseeing.

What to pack for Federal Way in May

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

In May, Federal Way sees daytime highs around 62°F and nights near 47°F. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gearsun protection

UV index in Federal Way 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 Federal Way peaks around July 17 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 18 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 17UV 8Dec 18UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb1Low
Mar4Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7Very high
Jun6High
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep4Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Federal Way 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 Federal Way is worst in September — around 22 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.4× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodGoodModerateGoodSep 1322 µg/m³Dec 177 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr12Good
May11Good
Jun10Good
Jul10Good
Aug18Moderate
Sep22Moderate
Oct12Good
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Federal Way?

Federal Way sits at 47.3°N, 122.3°W, 463 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Auburn, 4.3 mi away.

Topography around Federal Way

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Federal Way has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 554 ft around an average of 390 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 764 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 14,350 ft.

The land around Federal Way is covered by trees (57%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 2 miles, trees (44%), artificial surfaces (24%) and water (21%) within 10 miles, and trees (77%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
554 ft
10 miles
764 ft
50 miles
14,350 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainsnow and icewater
May weather nearby: Auburn 4.3 mi · Kent 5.6 mi · Des Moines 5.6 mi · Tacoma 8.1 mi · SeaTac 8.7 mi · East Hill-Meridian 8.7 mi · Covington 9.3 mi · Puyallup 9.3 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 Federal Way (47.3223°, -122.3126°, elevation 463 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).