Gilroy weather in May

In May, Gilroy sees average daytime highs of 70°F and overnight lows near 50°F, with 0.5 in of rain across 2.8 wet days and about 14 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 70°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 60% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 30 min at the start of May to 14 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Gilroy's 6th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gilroy's year-round climate.

Daytime high
70°
6th warmest
Overnight low
50°
7th coldest
Rainfall
0.5 in
2.8 wet days
Daylight
14 hours
5:03 AM – 7:02 PM
Cloud cover
35%
6th clearest
Wind
5 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
7.2 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.1
out of 10

Gilroy is city in Santa Clara County, California, United States.

Density
1,272/km²
people per km²
Founded
1870

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 70°F through the month.

A typical May day in Gilroy reaches about 70°F in the afternoon and slips back to 50°F overnight — a 20°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 62°F and 80°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 4°F warmer than April and about 5°F cooler than June.

40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16949
26949
36949
46949
56949
66949
76949
86949
97049
107050
117050
127050
137050
147050
157050
167050
177050
187050
197051
207051
217151
227151
237151
247151
257151
267151
277151
287252
297252
307252
317252

Gilroy weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan58° / 41°3.48.39.74.6
Feb60° / 43°3.48.510.65.0
Mar63° / 45°2.5811.76.0
Apr66° / 47°1.14.612.97.1
May70° / 50°0.52.8148.1
Jun75° / 53°0.10.614.59.2
Jul79° / 57°0.00.214.39.2
Aug79° / 57°0.00.113.49.2
Sep78° / 56°0.10.412.39.2
Oct73° / 51°0.71.9118.7
Nov64° / 45°1.44.7106.7
Dec58° / 40°3.07.79.54.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 60% 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 25%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17129
27228
37228
47228
57228
67228
77228
87228
97327
107228
117228
127228
137327
147327
157426
167426
177426
187426
197525
207525
217624
227624
237822
247822
257921
267921
278020
288119
298119
308218
318218

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Gilroy gets around 0.5 in of rain over 2.8 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 9% and peaks near 12% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
112
212
311
411
511
611
711
811
911
1011
1111
1211
1311
1411
1510
1610
1710
1810
199
209
218
228
237
247
256
266
275
285
295
304
314

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 95% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1973
2973
3973
4973
5973
6973
7973
8973
9973
10964
11964
12964
13964
14964
15964
16964
17955
18955
19955
20955
21955
22955
23946
24946
25946
26946
27946
28937
29937
30937
31937

Wind in May

Winds average 5 mph in May, the windiest month of the year.

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 13 h 30 min at the start of May to 14 h 18 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 5:19 AM to 4:54 AM, and sunset from 6:48 PM to 7:13 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.55:196:48
213.55:176:49
313.65:166:50
413.65:156:51
513.65:146:52
613.75:136:53
713.75:126:54
813.75:116:55
913.85:106:56
1013.85:096:57
1113.85:086:57
1213.95:076:58
1313.95:066:59
1413.95:057:00
1513.95:047:01
1614.05:037:02
1714.05:027:03
1814.05:027:03
1914.15:017:04
2014.15:007:05
2114.14:597:06
2214.14:597:07
2314.24:587:08
2414.24:577:08
2514.24:577:09
2614.24:567:10
2714.24:567:11
2814.34:557:11
2914.34:557:12
3014.34:547:13
3114.34:547:13

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.2 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.4 kWh/m² to a high of 7.96 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 7.2 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.9Intense
26.9Intense
36.9Intense
47.0Intense
57.0Intense
67.0Intense
77.0Intense
87.0Intense
97.1Intense
107.1Intense
117.1Intense
127.1Intense
137.2Intense
147.2Intense
157.2Intense
167.2Intense
177.2Intense
187.2Intense
197.3Intense
207.3Intense
217.3Intense
227.3Intense
237.3Intense
247.4Intense
257.4Intense
267.4Intense
277.5Intense
287.5Intense
297.5Intense
307.5Intense
317.6Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Gilroy?

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

8.1
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
5.1
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Gilroy in May

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

In May, Gilroy sees daytime highs around 70°F and nights near 50°F. Pack sun protection.

sun protection

Sea temperature near Gilroy in May

The nearest coast averages about 54°F in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 19 mi away) is warmest in September at about 58°F and coldest in April near 54°F.

The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

52°54°56°58°60°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan55Bracing
Feb55Bracing
Mar55Bracing
Apr54Bracing
May54Bracing
Jun55Bracing
Jul57Bracing
Aug58Bracing
Sep58Bracing
Oct58Bracing
Nov56Bracing
Dec55Bracing

UV index in Gilroy 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 Gilroy peaks around June 22 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 14 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 22UV 10Dec 14UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep7High
Oct5High
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Gilroy 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 Gilroy is worst in August — around 22 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.2× the cleanest month (June, 5 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1920 µg/m³Jun 135 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar8Good
Apr7Good
May6Good
Jun5Good
Jul8Good
Aug22Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct12Moderate
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Gilroy?

Gilroy sits at 37.0°N, 121.6°W, 200 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Morgan Hill, 9.9 mi away.

Topography around Gilroy

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Gilroy has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 640 ft around an average of 217 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,871 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,161 ft.

The land around Gilroy is covered by artificial surfaces (49%) and cropland (25%) within 2 miles, trees (38%) and grassland (36%) within 10 miles, and grassland (39%) and trees (27%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
640 ft
10 miles
2,871 ft
50 miles
5,161 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Morgan Hill 9.9 mi · Watsonville 12 mi · Hollister 14 mi · Prunedale 17 mi · Live Oak 23 mi · Salinas 23 mi · Santa Cruz 25 mi · Marina 25 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 Gilroy (37.0058°, -121.5683°, elevation 200 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).