Provincetown weather in May

In May, Provincetown sees average daytime highs of 54°F and overnight lows near 50°F, with 3.5 in of rain across 10.6 wet days and about 14.3 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 51°F in the first days to 58°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Provincetown's 9th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Provincetown's year-round climate.

Daytime high
54°
6th warmest
Overnight low
50°
7th coldest
Rainfall
3.5 in
10.6 wet days
Daylight
14 h 24 min
4:26 AM – 6:48 PM
Cloud cover
63%
9th clearest
Wind
14 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.89 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.4
out of 10

Provincetown is town on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, United States.

Founded
1700

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 51°F in the first days to 58°F by the end.

A typical May day in Provincetown reaches about 54°F in the afternoon and slips back to 50°F overnight — a 5°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 49°F and 60°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 8°F warmer than April and about 9°F cooler than June.

40°50°60°70°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15046
25146
35146
45147
55147
65247
75247
85248
95248
105348
115348
125349
135349
145449
155449
165450
175550
185550
195551
205551
215651
225651
235652
245752
255752
265753
275853
285853
295854
305854
315954

How May really feels in Provincetown

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.

Provincetown weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan38° / 30°4.311.86.19.30.0
Feb38° / 30°3.710.24.910.30.0
Mar41° / 34°4.611.14.111.70.1
Apr47° / 42°4.211.10.713.11.4
May54° / 50°3.510.6014.33.4
Jun63° / 59°3.180155.8
Jul70° / 66°2.47.5014.77.0
Aug70° / 67°2.87.4013.77.1
Sep66° / 62°3.77.9012.36.5
Oct58° / 53°4.89.9010.94.5
Nov50° / 44°4.39.80.59.62.4
Dec43° / 36°4.711.63.390.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 56%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24456
34357
44357
54357
64357
74357
84258
94258
104258
114258
124258
134357
144357
154357
164456
174456
184456
194456
204456
214555
224555
234555
244555
254654
264654
274654
284654
294654
304654
314654

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Provincetown gets around 3.5 in of rain over 10.6 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 34% and peaks near 38% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
138
237
337
437
537
636
736
836
936
1036
1136
1236
1336
1436
1536
1636
1735
1835
1935
2034
2134
2233
2332
2432
2531
2630
2729
2829
2929
3028
3128

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 91% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19910
29910
39910
49910
59910
69910
79910
89910
99910
109820
119820
129820
139730
149730
159640
169640
179550
189460
199370
209181
219091
2288111
2386122
2484142
2582162
2680173
2778193
2876204
2975214
3073234
3171245

Wind in May

Winds average 14 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 13 mph on the calmest days to 14 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
114breezy
214breezy
314breezy
414breezy
514breezy
614breezy
714breezy
814breezy
914breezy
1014breezy
1114breezy
1214breezy
1314breezy
1414breezy
1514breezy
1614breezy
1714breezy
1814breezy
1914breezy
2014breezy
2114breezy
2213breezy
2313breezy
2413breezy
2513breezy
2613breezy
2713breezy
2813breezy
2913breezy
3013breezy
3113breezy

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 60 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 4:44 AM to 4:14 AM, and sunset from 6:32 PM to 7:02 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.84:446:32
213.84:436:33
313.94:416:34
413.94:406:35
514.04:396:36
614.04:376:37
714.04:366:39
814.14:356:40
914.14:346:41
1014.24:326:42
1114.24:316:43
1214.24:306:44
1314.34:296:45
1414.34:286:46
1514.34:276:47
1614.44:266:48
1714.44:256:49
1814.44:246:50
1914.54:236:51
2014.54:226:52
2114.54:216:53
2214.64:206:54
2314.64:196:55
2414.64:196:56
2514.74:186:57
2614.74:176:58
2714.74:166:59
2814.74:167:00
2914.84:157:01
3014.84:157:01
3114.84:147:02

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.89 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.55 kWh/m² to a high of 6.43 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 5.89 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.7Bright
95.7Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.9Bright
175.9Bright
185.9Bright
196.0Bright
206.0Intense
216.0Intense
226.0Intense
236.1Intense
246.1Intense
256.1Intense
266.2Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Provincetown

In seasonPeak

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

Provincetown 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 Provincetown?

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

3.4
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Provincetown.

What to pack for Provincetown in May

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

In May, Provincetown sees daytime highs around 54°F and nights near 50°F. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear, sun protection and a windbreaker. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gearsun protectiona windbreaker

Sea temperature near Provincetown in May

The nearest coast averages about 49°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 67°F and coldest in March near 39°F.

The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

40°50°60°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan42Bracing
Feb40Bracing
Mar39Bracing
Apr42Bracing
May49Bracing
Jun58Bracing
Jul65Cool
Aug67Cool
Sep63Cool
Oct57Bracing
Nov51Bracing
Dec46Bracing

UV index in Provincetown in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Provincetown peaks around June 21 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighHighModerateLowJun 21UV 8Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May7Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug5Moderate
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Provincetown?

Provincetown sits at 42.1°N, 70.2°W, 0 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Yarmouth, 24 mi away.

Topography around Provincetown

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Provincetown 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 184 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 846 ft.

The land around Provincetown is covered by water (40%) and trees (25%) within 2 miles, water (90%) within 10 miles, and water (72%) and trees (23%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
102 ft
10 miles
184 ft
50 miles
846 ft
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Yarmouth 24 mi · Duxbury 25 mi · Barnstable 25 mi · Hanover 32 mi · Rockland 38 mi · Middleborough 39 mi · Abington 39 mi · Weymouth 40 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 Provincetown (42.053°, -70.1864°, elevation 0 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).