Merritt Island weather in May

In May, Merritt Island sees average daytime highs of 81°F and overnight lows near 72°F, with 2.7 in of rain across 9.3 wet days and about 13.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 79°F in the first days to 82°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in May, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 06 min at the start of May to 13 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Merritt Island's 1st-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Merritt Island's year-round climate.

Daytime high
81°
5th warmest
Overnight low
72°
7th coldest
Rainfall
2.7 in
9.3 wet days
Daylight
13 h 24 min
5:37 AM – 7:01 PM
Cloud cover
46%
1st clearest
Wind
9 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.37 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

Merritt Island is census designated place in Brevard County, Florida, United States.

Density
284/km²
people per km²

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 79°F in the first days to 82°F by the end.

A typical May day in Merritt Island reaches about 81°F in the afternoon and slips back to 72°F overnight — a 9°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 77°F and 85°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 4°F warmer than April and about 3°F cooler than June.

60°70°80°90°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17969
27970
37970
47970
57970
68070
78071
88071
98071
108071
118071
128071
138072
148072
158072
168172
178172
188172
198173
208173
218173
228173
238173
248273
258273
268274
278274
288274
298274
308274
318274

How May really feels in Merritt Island

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.

Merritt Island weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan69° / 58°2.36.910.46.9
Feb70° / 60°2.06.8117.0
Mar73° / 63°2.46.611.87.5
Apr77° / 67°1.96.812.77.6
May81° / 72°2.79.313.46.8
Jun84° / 76°4.918.313.84.5
Jul85° / 77°4.319.813.64.0
Aug85° / 78°5.321.5133.8
Sep83° / 77°6.019.812.24.4
Oct80° / 73°3.712.111.36.4
Nov75° / 66°1.87.510.67.4
Dec71° / 62°1.96.510.27.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in May, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 33%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17030
27030
37129
47129
57030
67030
77030
87129
97030
107030
117030
126931
137030
146931
156931
166832
176832
186832
196733
206733
216733
226634
236634
246634
256535
266436
276337
286238
296040
305941
315941

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Merritt Island gets around 2.7 in of rain over 9.3 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 30% and peaks near 46% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
122
221
321
421
522
622
722
823
923
1024
1124
1225
1326
1427
1528
1629
1730
1831
1932
2033
2134
2235
2336
2437
2539
2640
2741
2842
2943
3045
3146

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the muggy band about 40% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 72% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
18152439140
28142440140
38142440150
47132341150
57132342160
66122343160
75112344170
85112344170
94102345180
10492245190
11492246200
12382246210
13382147220
14272047240
15272046250
16261946270
17161945290
18151845310
19151744330
20151742360
21041641380
22041540410
23041438430
24031437460
25031335490
26031234510
27021132541
28021030571
2902929591
3002827612
3101726642

Wind in May

Winds average 9 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 8 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
99light breeze
109light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
179light breeze
189light breeze
199light breeze
209light breeze
219light breeze
229light breeze
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 06 min at the start of May to 13 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 36 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:48 AM to 5:31 AM, and sunset from 6:52 PM to 7:10 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.15:486:52
213.15:476:53
313.15:466:53
413.15:456:54
513.25:456:54
613.25:446:55
713.25:436:56
813.25:426:56
913.35:416:57
1013.35:416:58
1113.35:406:58
1213.35:396:59
1313.35:396:59
1413.45:387:00
1513.45:377:01
1613.45:377:01
1713.45:367:02
1813.45:367:02
1913.55:357:03
2013.55:357:04
2113.55:347:04
2213.55:347:05
2313.55:337:05
2413.65:337:06
2513.65:327:06
2613.65:327:07
2713.65:327:08
2813.65:317:08
2913.65:317:09
3013.65:317:09
3113.75:317:10

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.37 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3 kWh/m² to a high of 6.37 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 6.37 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.3Intense
26.4Intense
36.4Intense
46.4Intense
56.4Intense
66.4Intense
76.4Intense
86.4Intense
96.4Intense
106.4Intense
116.4Intense
126.4Intense
136.4Intense
146.4Intense
156.4Intense
166.3Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.3Intense
236.2Intense
246.2Intense
256.2Intense
266.2Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Merritt Island

In seasonPeak

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

Merritt Island sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Merritt Island's rainy season runs June–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Merritt Island?

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

6.8
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
6.9
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Merritt Island in May

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

In May, Merritt Island sees daytime highs around 81°F and nights near 72°F. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

Sea temperature near Merritt Island in May

The nearest coast averages about 76°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 82°F and coldest in February near 67°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Mar 2 to Jan 31 — about 11 months when the water holds above 68°F.

65°70°75°80°85°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan69Refreshing
Feb67Cool
Mar69Refreshing
Apr72Refreshing
May76Warm
Jun80Warm
Jul81Warm
Aug82Warm
Sep82Tropical
Oct80Warm
Nov74Refreshing
Dec71Refreshing

UV index in Merritt Island in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Merritt Island peaks around July 16 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJul 16UV 11Dec 19UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan5Moderate
Feb6High
Mar8Very high
Apr8Very high
May9Very high
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep9Very high
Oct7High
Nov5High
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Merritt Island 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 Merritt Island is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.7× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1019 µg/m³Dec 137 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar15Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun19Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Merritt Island?

Merritt Island sits at 28.4°N, 80.7°W, 3 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Rockledge, 2.5 mi away.

Topography around Merritt Island

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Merritt Island has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 39 ft around an average of 7 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 157 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 246 ft.

The land around Merritt Island is covered by water (42%) and artificial surfaces (30%) within 2 miles, water (46%) and trees (25%) within 10 miles, and water (39%) and trees (33%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
39 ft
10 miles
157 ft
50 miles
246 ft
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
May weather nearby: Rockledge 2.5 mi · Cocoa 3.7 mi · Titusville 19 mi · Melbourne 20 mi · West Melbourne 20 mi · Palm Bay 23 mi · Alafaya 35 mi · Saint Cloud 37 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 Merritt Island (28.359°, -80.69°, elevation 3 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).