Porterville weather in May

In May, Porterville sees average daytime highs of 78°F and overnight lows near 57°F, with 0.9 in of rain across 3.5 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 75°F in the first days to 82°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Porterville's 6th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Porterville's year-round climate.

Daytime high
78°
5th warmest
Overnight low
57°
8th coldest
Rainfall
0.9 in
3.5 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
4:55 AM – 6:49 PM
Cloud cover
33%
6th clearest
Wind
4 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
7.54 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.2
out of 10

Porterville is city in Tulare County, California, United States.

Density
1,224/km²
people per km²
Founded
1902

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 75°F in the first days to 82°F by the end.

A typical May day in Porterville reaches about 78°F in the afternoon and slips back to 57°F overnight — a 21°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 67°F and 89°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 8°F warmer than April and about 9°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17553
27554
37554
47554
57654
67655
77655
87655
97655
107755
117756
127756
137756
147756
157856
167856
177857
187857
197857
207957
217958
227958
238058
248058
258058
268159
278159
288159
298260
308260
318260

How May really feels in Porterville

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.

Porterville weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan58° / 42°3.28.89.84.6
Feb61° / 44°3.21010.65.0
Mar65° / 47°3.39.711.76.1
Apr70° / 50°1.76.212.97.3
May78° / 57°0.93.513.98.2
Jun87° / 64°0.20.814.46.3
Jul94° / 70°0.00.314.24.0
Aug93° / 69°0.00.213.44.1
Sep87° / 64°0.10.412.26.3
Oct77° / 55°0.72.811.18.5
Nov65° / 46°1.8610.16.7
Dec58° / 41°2.98.29.64.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 61% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 23%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17129
27129
37228
47228
57228
67327
77426
87327
97327
107426
117426
127426
137426
147525
157624
167624
177723
187723
197723
207822
217921
227921
238020
248020
258119
268218
278218
288218
298218
308218
318317

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Porterville gets around 0.9 in of rain over 3.5 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 11% and peaks near 16% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
116
216
315
415
515
615
714
814
914
1014
1114
1214
1314
1413
1513
1612
1711
1811
1911
2010
2110
229
239
248
258
267
277
287
297
306
316

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 83% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19091
29091
39091
48992
588102
688102
788102
887112
987112
1087112
1186122
1286122
1385132
1485132
1584142
1684142
1783152
1882153
1982153
2081163
2181163
2281163
2380164
2479174
2579174
2678184
2778184
2877185
2977185
3076195
3176195

Wind in May

Winds average 4 mph in May, the windiest month of the year.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 4 mph on the calmest days to 4 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 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 5:10 AM to 4:46 AM, and sunset from 6:37 PM to 7:01 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:106:37
213.55:096:38
313.55:086:38
413.55:076:39
513.65:056:40
613.65:046:41
713.65:036:42
813.75:026:43
913.75:016:44
1013.75:006:44
1113.84:596:45
1213.84:596:46
1313.84:586:47
1413.94:576:48
1513.94:566:49
1613.94:556:49
1713.94:546:50
1814.04:546:51
1914.04:536:52
2014.04:526:53
2114.04:516:54
2214.14:516:54
2314.14:506:55
2414.14:506:56
2514.14:496:57
2614.14:486:57
2714.24:486:58
2814.24:476:59
2914.24:476:59
3014.24:467:00
3114.24:467:01

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.54 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.52 kWh/m² to a high of 8.25 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 7.54 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.1Intense
27.2Intense
37.2Intense
47.2Intense
57.3Intense
67.3Intense
77.3Intense
87.3Intense
97.4Intense
107.4Intense
117.4Intense
127.4Intense
137.5Intense
147.5Intense
157.5Intense
167.5Intense
177.5Intense
187.6Intense
197.6Intense
207.6Intense
217.6Intense
227.7Intense
237.7Intense
247.7Intense
257.7Intense
267.8Intense
277.8Intense
287.8Intense
297.9Intense
307.9Intense
317.9Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Porterville?

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

8.2
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
7.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Porterville in May

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

In May, Porterville sees daytime highs around 78°F and nights near 57°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 4 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Porterville 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 Porterville peaks around June 20 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 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 20UV 10Dec 15UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul10Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5High
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Porterville 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 Porterville is worst in September — around 69 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 7.3× the cleanest month (May, 10 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateUnhealthyModerateSep 1665 µg/m³May 2410 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar15Moderate
Apr12Good
May10Good
Jun10Good
Jul17Moderate
Aug33Moderate
Sep69Unhealthy
Oct36Poor
Nov16Moderate
Dec14Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Porterville?

Porterville sits at 36.1°N, 119.0°W, 459 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Tulare, 21 mi away.

Topography around Porterville

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Porterville has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 417 ft around an average of 469 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,926 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 13,510 ft.

The land around Porterville is covered by artificial surfaces (55%) and grassland (20%) within 2 miles, grassland (47%) and trees (25%) within 10 miles, and trees (36%) and grassland (35%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
417 ft
10 miles
1,926 ft
50 miles
13,510 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Tulare 21 mi · Visalia 24 mi · Delano 24 mi · Corcoran 30 mi · Wasco 37 mi · Dinuba 39 mi · Hanford 40 mi · Shafter 42 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 Porterville (36.0652°, -119.0168°, elevation 459 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. 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).