North Myrtle Beach weather in May

In May, North Myrtle Beach sees average daytime highs of 76°F and overnight lows near 66°F, with 3.1 in of rain across 9.4 wet days and about 13.7 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 73°F in the first days to 79°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% of the time in May, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is North Myrtle Beach's 4th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see North Myrtle Beach's year-round climate.

Daytime high
76°
5th warmest
Overnight low
66°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.1 in
9.4 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:18 AM – 7:03 PM
Cloud cover
51%
4th clearest
Wind
10 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
6.3 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.1
out of 10

North Myrtle Beach is city in Horry County, South Carolina, United States.

Density
352/km²
people per km²
Founded
1735

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 73°F in the first days to 79°F by the end.

A typical May day in North Myrtle Beach reaches about 76°F in the afternoon and slips back to 66°F overnight — a 10°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 71°F and 82°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°F warmer than April and about 6°F cooler than June.

50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17362
27362
37363
47463
57463
67464
77464
87464
97564
107565
117565
127565
137565
147666
157666
167666
177666
187667
197767
207767
217767
227768
237868
247868
257869
267869
277869
287969
297970
307970
317970

How May really feels in North Myrtle Beach

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.

North Myrtle Beach 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
Jan56° / 44°3.79.5104.0
Feb58° / 45°3.78.910.74.4
Mar63° / 51°4.08.911.75.8
Apr70° / 58°3.07.612.86.9
May76° / 66°3.19.413.77.1
Jun82° / 73°4.313.114.25.7
Jul85° / 76°5.516.6144.5
Aug84° / 76°6.717.113.34.7
Sep80° / 71°6.412.912.26.2
Oct73° / 62°4.07.911.17.3
Nov65° / 52°3.37.910.26.4
Dec59° / 47°4.19.49.84.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 40%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16238
26139
36139
46139
56238
66238
76139
86139
96238
106139
116139
126139
136139
146139
156139
166139
176040
186040
196040
205941
215941
225842
235842
245842
255842
265743
275743
285644
295644
305545
315545

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

North Myrtle Beach gets around 3.1 in of rain over 9.4 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 36% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
127
227
326
426
527
627
727
828
928
1028
1129
1229
1329
1429
1530
1630
1730
1830
1931
2031
2131
2232
2332
2432
2533
2633
2733
2834
2935
3036
3136

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 32% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 47% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1272128203
2262128223
3252128233
4242028243
5232028263
6222028274
7211928284
8201828304
9191827315
10191727325
11181627336
12181526346
13181526357
14171425358
15171425369
161613243610
171513243612
181413233613
191413223615
201313223616
211213213618
221012213620
23912203622
24812203624
25712193526
26611193528
27511183531
28511173433
29410173435
30310163337
3139153340

Wind in May

Winds average 10 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
1110light breeze
1210light breeze
1310light breeze
1410light breeze
1510light breeze
1610light breeze
1710light breeze
189light breeze
199light breeze
209light breeze
219light breeze
229light breeze
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 h 06 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 5:32 AM to 5:10 AM, and sunset from 6:52 PM to 7:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.35:326:52
213.45:316:53
313.45:306:53
413.45:296:54
513.55:286:55
613.55:276:56
713.55:266:57
813.55:256:57
913.65:246:58
1013.65:236:59
1113.65:227:00
1213.65:227:00
1313.75:217:01
1413.75:207:02
1513.75:197:03
1613.75:187:03
1713.85:187:04
1813.85:177:05
1913.85:167:06
2013.85:167:06
2113.95:157:07
2213.95:157:08
2313.95:147:09
2413.95:137:09
2514.05:137:10
2614.05:127:11
2714.05:127:11
2814.05:117:12
2914.05:117:13
3014.05:117:13
3114.15:107:14

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.3 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.47 kWh/m² to a high of 6.3 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 6.3 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.2Intense
26.2Intense
36.2Intense
46.2Intense
56.2Intense
66.3Intense
76.3Intense
86.3Intense
96.3Intense
106.3Intense
116.3Intense
126.3Intense
136.3Intense
146.3Intense
156.3Intense
166.3Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.3Intense
236.3Intense
246.3Intense
256.3Intense
266.3Intense
276.3Intense
286.3Intense
296.3Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for North Myrtle Beach

In seasonPeak

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

North Myrtle Beach 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 North Myrtle Beach?

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

7.1
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
6.1
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit North Myrtle Beach for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for North Myrtle Beach in May

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

In May, North Myrtle Beach sees daytime highs around 76°F and nights near 66°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain gear

Sea temperature near North Myrtle Beach in May

The nearest coast averages about 72°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 83°F and coldest in February near 59°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Apr 29 to Nov 14 — about 6.6 months when the water holds above 68°F.

60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan60Cool
Feb59Bracing
Mar61Cool
Apr65Cool
May72Refreshing
Jun79Warm
Jul82Warm
Aug83Tropical
Sep80Warm
Oct74Refreshing
Nov68Cool
Dec62Cool

UV index in North Myrtle Beach 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 North Myrtle Beach peaks around July 14 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 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 highHighModerateJul 14UV 9Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in North Myrtle Beach 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 North Myrtle Beach is worst in March — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.5× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodMar 1719 µg/m³Dec 146 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb12Good
Mar21Moderate
Apr12Moderate
May11Good
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep9Good
Oct6Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is North Myrtle Beach?

North Myrtle Beach sits at 33.8°N, 78.7°W, 7 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Myrtle Beach, 15 mi away.

Topography around North Myrtle Beach

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around North Myrtle Beach has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 102 ft around an average of 16 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 138 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 230 ft.

The land around North Myrtle Beach is covered by water (49%) within 2 miles, water (48%) and trees (37%) within 10 miles, and trees (55%) and water (31%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
102 ft
10 miles
138 ft
50 miles
230 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Myrtle Beach 15 mi · Socastee 21 mi · Conway 21 mi · Leland 47 mi · Wilmington 51 mi · Lumberton 58 mi · Florence 67 mi · Laurinburg 80 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 North Myrtle Beach (33.816°, -78.68°, elevation 7 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).