La Jolla weather in May

In May, La Jolla sees average daytime highs of 66°F and overnight lows near 58°F, with 0.3 in of rain across 1.6 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 66°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% 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 La Jolla's 8th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see La Jolla's year-round climate.

Daytime high
66°
7th warmest
Overnight low
58°
7th coldest
Rainfall
0.3 in
1.6 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
4:55 AM – 6:36 PM
Cloud cover
40%
8th clearest
Wind
7 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
7.32 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.7
out of 10

La Jolla is neighborhood in San Diego, California, United States.

Founded
1850

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 66°F through the month.

A typical May day in La Jolla reaches about 66°F in the afternoon and slips back to 58°F overnight — a 8°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 62°F and 71°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)
16658
26658
36658
46658
56658
66658
76658
86658
96658
106658
116658
126658
136658
146658
156658
166658
176658
186659
196659
206659
216659
226659
236659
246659
256659
266659
276659
286659
296659
306759
316759

La Jolla 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° / 52°2.05.510.16.1
Feb62° / 53°2.56.210.85.9
Mar63° / 54°1.55.211.86.3
Apr64° / 56°0.62.912.87.2
May66° / 58°0.31.613.77.7
Jun69° / 61°0.00.214.18.4
Jul72° / 64°0.10.313.99.0
Aug74° / 66°0.00.113.29.4
Sep74° / 65°0.10.612.29.2
Oct71° / 62°0.5211.28.4
Nov67° / 57°0.72.910.37.6
Dec62° / 53°1.64.99.96.4

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 27%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17228
27228
37228
47129
57129
67129
77129
87129
97030
107030
117030
127030
137129
147228
157228
167228
177327
187327
197327
207426
217426
227426
237426
247426
257426
267525
277525
287525
297624
307624
317624

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

La Jolla gets around 0.3 in of rain over 1.6 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 5% and peaks near 8% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
18
28
37
47
57
67
76
86
96
106
116
126
136
145
155
165
175
185
195
204
214
224
234
244
253
263
273
283
292
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 (%)
167312
266322
365332
464342
564342
663352
762362
861372
961372
1060382
1160382
1258393
1358393
1458393
1557403
1657403
1757403
1857403
1956413
2056413
2155423
2254433
2353443
2451454
2550464
2649474
2748484
2846494
2945505
3043525
3142535

Wind in May

Winds average 7 mph in May.

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

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

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 6:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.35:086:25
213.35:076:25
313.35:066:26
413.45:056:27
513.45:046:28
613.45:036:28
713.55:026:29
813.55:016:30
913.55:006:31
1013.54:596:31
1113.64:596:32
1213.64:586:33
1313.64:576:34
1413.64:566:34
1513.74:556:35
1613.74:556:36
1713.74:546:37
1813.74:536:37
1913.84:536:38
2013.84:526:39
2113.84:526:39
2213.84:516:40
2313.84:506:41
2413.94:506:42
2513.94:496:42
2613.94:496:43
2713.94:486:44
2813.94:486:44
2914.04:486:45
3014.04:476:45
3114.04:476:46

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.32 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.12 kWh/m² to a high of 7.89 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 7.32 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.1Intense
27.1Intense
37.1Intense
47.2Intense
57.2Intense
67.2Intense
77.2Intense
87.2Intense
97.2Intense
107.2Intense
117.2Intense
127.3Intense
137.3Intense
147.3Intense
157.3Intense
167.3Intense
177.3Intense
187.3Intense
197.3Intense
207.4Intense
217.4Intense
227.4Intense
237.4Intense
247.5Intense
257.5Intense
267.5Intense
277.5Intense
287.5Intense
297.6Intense
307.6Intense
317.6Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit La Jolla?

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

7.7
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
3.3
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for La Jolla in May

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

In May, La Jolla sees daytime highs around 66°F and nights near 58°F. Pack sun protection.

sun protection

Sea temperature near La Jolla 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 70°F and coldest in February near 59°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 8 to Oct 6 — about 3 months when the water holds above 68°F.

60°65°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan60Cool
Feb59Cool
Mar60Cool
Apr61Cool
May64Cool
Jun66Cool
Jul69Refreshing
Aug70Refreshing
Sep70Refreshing
Oct67Cool
Nov64Cool
Dec61Cool

UV index in La Jolla in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in La Jolla peaks around June 23 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 11Dec 17UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar5High
Apr8Very high
May8Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in La Jolla 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 La Jolla 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 La Jolla?

La Jolla sits at 32.8°N, 117.3°W, 105 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Mira Mesa, 8.7 mi away.

Topography around La Jolla

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around La Jolla has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 810 ft around an average of 128 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 814 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 6,450 ft.

The land around La Jolla is covered by water (58%) and artificial surfaces (25%) within 2 miles, water (57%) and artificial surfaces (25%) within 10 miles, and water (37%) and shrubs (20%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
810 ft
10 miles
814 ft
50 miles
6,450 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Mira Mesa 8.7 mi · San Diego 11 mi · Rancho Penasquitos 12 mi · Coronado 12 mi · Encinitas 13 mi · National City 16 mi · La Mesa 16 mi · Lemon Grove 16 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 La Jolla (32.8473°, -117.2742°, elevation 105 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).