Salinas weather in May

In May, Salinas sees average daytime highs of 63°F and overnight lows near 50°F, with 0.6 in of rain across 2.9 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 63°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 30 min at the start of May to 14 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Salinas's 6th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Salinas's year-round climate.

Daytime high
63°
6th warmest
Overnight low
50°
7th coldest
Rainfall
0.6 in
2.9 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
5:04 AM – 7:01 PM
Cloud cover
40%
6th clearest
Wind
6 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
7.17 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.9
out of 10

Salinas is city in California and the county seat of Monterey County, United States.

Density
2,569/km²
people per km²
Founded
1874

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 63°F through the month.

A typical May day in Salinas reaches about 63°F in the afternoon and slips back to 50°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 58°F and 70°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°F warmer than April and about 3°F cooler than June.

40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16349
26349
36349
46349
56350
66350
76350
86350
96350
106350
116350
126350
136350
146350
156350
166350
176351
186351
196351
206351
216351
226351
236451
246451
256451
266451
276451
286451
296451
306451
316451

Salinas weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan58° / 45°3.78.49.84.5
Feb59° / 46°3.78.910.64.6
Mar60° / 47°2.98.311.75.1
Apr61° / 48°1.35.112.95.9
May63° / 50°0.62.913.96.9
Jun66° / 53°0.10.414.58.1
Jul69° / 55°0.00.214.38.5
Aug70° / 56°0.10.313.48.7
Sep70° / 55°0.10.412.28.7
Oct68° / 53°0.72.211.18.0
Nov62° / 48°1.65.2106.2
Dec58° / 45°3.37.99.54.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% 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 28%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16931
26931
37030
47030
57030
67030
77030
87030
97030
107030
117030
127129
137129
147228
157327
167228
177228
187228
197228
207228
217327
227327
237327
247426
257525
267525
277525
287525
297624
307624
317723

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Salinas gets around 0.6 in of rain over 2.9 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 9% and peaks near 11% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
111
211
311
411
511
611
711
811
911
1011
1111
1211
1311
1411
1511
1610
1710
1810
1910
209
219
229
238
247
257
266
276
285
295
304
314

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 95% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1973
2982
3982
4982
5982
6982
7973
8973
9973
10973
11973
12973
13964
14964
15964
16964
17955
18955
19955
20955
21946
22946
23946
24937
25937
26937
27937
28928
29928
30928
31928

Wind in May

Winds average 6 mph in May, the windiest month of the year.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 6 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 30 min at the start of May to 14 h 18 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 5:19 AM to 4:55 AM, and sunset from 6:48 PM to 7:13 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.55:196:48
213.55:186:49
313.55:176:50
413.65:166:51
513.65:156:52
613.65:146:53
713.75:136:54
813.75:126:54
913.75:116:55
1013.85:106:56
1113.85:096:57
1213.85:086:58
1313.95:076:59
1413.95:067:00
1513.95:057:01
1613.95:047:01
1714.05:047:02
1814.05:037:03
1914.05:027:04
2014.15:017:05
2114.15:017:05
2214.15:007:06
2314.14:597:07
2414.24:597:08
2514.24:587:09
2614.24:577:09
2714.24:577:10
2814.24:567:11
2914.34:567:12
3014.34:557:12
3114.34:557:13

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.17 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.45 kWh/m² to a high of 7.85 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 7.17 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.9Intense
26.9Intense
36.9Intense
47.0Intense
57.0Intense
67.0Intense
77.0Intense
87.0Intense
97.1Intense
107.1Intense
117.1Intense
127.1Intense
137.1Intense
147.2Intense
157.2Intense
167.2Intense
177.2Intense
187.2Intense
197.2Intense
207.2Intense
217.3Intense
227.3Intense
237.3Intense
247.3Intense
257.3Intense
267.4Intense
277.4Intense
287.4Intense
297.4Intense
307.5Intense
317.5Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Salinas?

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

6.9
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
1.9
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Salinas for sightseeing.

What to pack for Salinas in May

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

In May, Salinas sees daytime highs around 63°F and nights near 50°F. Pack sun protection.

sun protection

Sea temperature near Salinas in May

The nearest coast averages about 54°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 12 mi away) is warmest in September at about 58°F and coldest in April near 54°F.

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

52°54°56°58°60°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan55Bracing
Feb55Bracing
Mar55Bracing
Apr54Bracing
May54Bracing
Jun55Bracing
Jul57Bracing
Aug58Bracing
Sep58Bracing
Oct58Bracing
Nov57Bracing
Dec55Bracing

UV index in Salinas 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 Salinas peaks around June 22 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 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 22UV 11Dec 13UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep7High
Oct5High
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Salinas 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 Salinas is worst in August — around 22 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.2× the cleanest month (June, 5 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1920 µg/m³Jun 135 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar8Good
Apr7Good
May6Good
Jun5Good
Jul8Good
Aug22Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct12Moderate
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Salinas?

Salinas sits at 36.7°N, 121.7°W, 52 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Prunedale, 6.8 mi away.

Topography around Salinas

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Salinas has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 72 ft around an average of 52 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,383 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,883 ft.

The land around Salinas is covered by artificial surfaces (65%) and cropland (24%) within 2 miles, cropland (32%), trees (27%) and grassland (26%) within 10 miles, and grassland (36%), trees (27%) and water (26%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
72 ft
10 miles
3,383 ft
50 miles
5,883 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Prunedale 6.8 mi · Marina 8.1 mi · Seaside 12 mi · Monterey 14 mi · Pacific Grove 15 mi · Watsonville 17 mi · Hollister 19 mi · Gilroy 23 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 Salinas (36.6777°, -121.6555°, elevation 52 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).