Houston weather in May

In May, Houston sees average daytime highs of 85°F and overnight lows near 69°F, with 3.5 in of rain across 9.8 wet days and about 13.5 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 82°F in the first days to 87°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 06 min at the start of May to 13 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Houston's 5th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Houston's year-round climate.

Daytime high
85°
5th warmest
Overnight low
69°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.5 in
9.8 wet days
Daylight
13 h 30 min
5:33 AM – 7:02 PM
Cloud cover
54%
5th clearest
Wind
8 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
5.94 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.5
out of 10

Houston is seat of Harris County, and largest city in State of Texas, United States.

Density
1,342/km²
people per km²
Founded
1836

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 82°F in the first days to 87°F by the end.

A typical May day in Houston reaches about 85°F in the afternoon and slips back to 69°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 79°F and 90°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 7°F warmer than April and about 5°F cooler than June.

50°60°70°80°90°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18265
28265
38265
48266
58266
68366
78366
88367
98367
108367
118467
128468
138468
148468
158468
168569
178569
188569
198569
208569
218670
228670
238670
248671
258771
268771
278771
288771
298772
308872
318872

How May really feels in Houston

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 9 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
9
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Houston 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 daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan63° / 45°4.21010.35.6
Feb66° / 49°3.3910.96.1
Mar72° / 55°3.79.211.86.8
Apr78° / 61°3.88.912.76.9
May85° / 69°3.59.813.55.5
Jun89° / 74°4.512.813.93.8
Jul91° / 76°3.612.713.73.3
Aug92° / 75°3.913.313.13.2
Sep88° / 71°4.611.812.24.4
Oct81° / 62°4.18.711.36.8
Nov71° / 53°4.18.310.57.0
Dec65° / 47°4.29.610.15.9

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 43%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15248
25248
35248
45248
55347
65347
75248
85248
95347
105347
115446
125545
135644
145644
155644
165743
175842
185842
195842
205941
215842
225941
236040
246040
256040
266040
276139
286139
296139
306337
316337

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Houston gets around 3.5 in of rain over 9.8 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 31% and peaks near 38% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
127
227
327
427
528
628
728
829
929
1029
1129
1230
1330
1431
1531
1631
1732
1832
1932
2032
2133
2233
2333
2434
2534
2635
2735
2836
2937
3037
3138

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the oppressive band about 40% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 74% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
117131631230
217121630250
316111630260
415111630280
515101630290
61491531310
71391531320
81381531330
91281531340
101171531350
111171532351
121071532361
13961532371
14861432381
15861433391
16761333391
17751334401
18651234411
19651234422
20551134432
21541134442
22441034452
23441033463
2433933483
2533933503
2623832514
2722831534
2812730564
2912730555
3012628585
3102627596

Wind in May

Winds average 8 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
49light breeze
59light breeze
69light breeze
79light breeze
89light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
267light breeze
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 06 min at the start of May to 13 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:45 AM to 5:26 AM, and sunset from 6:53 PM to 7:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.15:456:53
213.25:446:53
313.25:436:54
413.25:426:55
513.25:416:55
613.35:406:56
713.35:396:57
813.35:396:57
913.35:386:58
1013.45:376:59
1113.45:366:59
1213.45:367:00
1313.45:357:00
1413.45:347:01
1513.55:347:02
1613.55:337:02
1713.55:327:03
1813.55:327:04
1913.65:317:04
2013.65:317:05
2113.65:307:06
2213.65:307:06
2313.65:297:07
2413.65:297:07
2513.75:287:08
2613.75:287:09
2713.75:287:09
2813.75:277:10
2913.75:277:10
3013.75:277:11
3113.85:267:11

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.94 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.6 kWh/m² to a high of 6.21 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 5.94 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.8Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.8Bright
75.9Bright
85.9Bright
95.9Bright
105.9Bright
115.9Bright
125.9Bright
135.9Bright
145.9Bright
155.9Bright
166.0Bright
176.0Bright
186.0Bright
196.0Intense
206.0Intense
216.0Intense
226.0Intense
236.0Intense
246.0Intense
256.0Intense
266.1Intense
276.1Intense
286.1Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Houston

In seasonPeak

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

Houston 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 Houston?

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

5.5
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
6.9
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Houston for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Houston in May

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

In May, Houston sees daytime highs around 85°F and nights near 69°F. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Houston in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Houston peaks around July 20 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 4 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJul 20UV 11Dec 21UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb6High
Mar6High
Apr10Very high
May10Extreme
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov5Moderate
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Houston 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 Houston is worst in July — around 24 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (December, 10 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1523 µg/m³Dec 2010 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb10Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr12Moderate
May16Moderate
Jun20Moderate
Jul24Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov10Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Houston?

Houston sits at 29.8°N, 95.4°W, 39 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is West University Place, 5.0 mi away.

Topography around Houston

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Houston has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 190 ft around an average of 49 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 259 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 476 ft.

The land around Houston is covered by artificial surfaces (72%) within 2 miles, artificial surfaces (47%) and trees (41%) within 10 miles, and trees (43%) and grassland (27%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
190 ft
10 miles
259 ft
50 miles
476 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: West University Place 5.0 mi · Bellaire 6.8 mi · South Houston 11 mi · Pasadena 11 mi · Cloverleaf 12 mi · Aldine 12 mi · Alief 14 mi · Missouri City 14 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 Houston (29.7633°, -95.3633°, elevation 39 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). 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).