San Benito weather in May

In May, San Benito sees average daytime highs of 90°F and overnight lows near 73°F, with 1.9 in of rain across 6.5 wet days and about 13.3 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 88°F in the first days to 92°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 13 hours at the start of May to 13 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is San Benito's 5th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see San Benito's year-round climate.

Daytime high
90°
5th warmest
Overnight low
73°
8th coldest
Rainfall
1.9 in
6.5 wet days
Daylight
13 h 18 min
5:48 AM – 7:05 PM
Cloud cover
49%
5th clearest
Wind
12 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
6.25 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.3
out of 10

San Benito is city in Cameron County, Texas, United States.

Density
586/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 88°F in the first days to 92°F by the end.

A typical May day in San Benito reaches about 90°F in the afternoon and slips back to 73°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 83°F and 96°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 5°F warmer than April and about 3°F cooler than June.

60°70°80°90°100°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18871
28871
38871
48971
58972
68972
78972
88972
98972
108973
118973
128973
138973
149073
159073
169073
179074
189074
199074
209174
219174
229174
239174
249175
259175
269275
279275
289275
299276
309276
319276

How May really feels in San Benito

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 31 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
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

San Benito 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
Jan71° / 53°1.25.110.57.3
Feb75° / 57°1.04.911.17.6
Mar80° / 62°1.65.511.87.2
Apr85° / 68°1.75.512.65.7
May90° / 73°1.96.513.34.3
Jun94° / 77°2.38.913.63.1
Jul95° / 78°2.48.513.52.6
Aug95° / 78°2.19.412.92.5
Sep91° / 75°4.114.412.23.4
Oct86° / 68°2.77.911.45.5
Nov78° / 61°1.56.510.77.4
Dec73° / 55°1.35.510.47.4

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 23% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 35%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15842
25743
35743
45842
55842
65842
75842
85941
95941
106040
116040
126139
136238
146337
156535
166535
176634
186733
196832
206832
216931
227030
237129
247129
257228
267228
277228
287426
297426
307426
317426

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

San Benito gets around 1.9 in of rain over 6.5 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 21% and peaks near 24% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
117
217
317
418
518
619
719
820
920
1020
1120
1221
1321
1421
1521
1621
1721
1821
1921
2021
2121
2221
2322
2422
2522
2622
2723
2823
2923
3023
3124

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the oppressive band about 61% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 88% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1691124472
2681124492
3681123502
4571122532
5561022552
6561022553
745921583
845921583
934921603
1034921594
1124921604
1223921605
1323822605
1423822596
1512822607
1612822598
1712722608
1812722599
19127215910
20116216011
21116206111
22115196212
23115186312
24115176413
25014156713
26013146814
27003137014
28002127114
29002127115
30001117216
31001107316

Wind in May

Winds average 12 mph in May, the windiest month of the year.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 11 mph on the calmest days to 12 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
112light breeze
212light breeze
312light breeze
412light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812light breeze
912light breeze
1012light breeze
1112light breeze
1212light breeze
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712light breeze
1812light breeze
1912light breeze
2012light breeze
2112light breeze
2212light breeze
2312light breeze
2411light breeze
2511light breeze
2611light breeze
2711light breeze
2811light breeze
2911light breeze
3011light breeze
3111light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 hours at the start of May to 13 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 30 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:59 AM to 5:43 AM, and sunset from 6:57 PM to 7:13 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.05:596:57
213.05:586:57
313.05:576:58
413.05:566:58
513.15:556:59
613.15:557:00
713.15:547:00
813.15:537:01
913.15:537:01
1013.25:527:02
1113.25:517:02
1213.25:517:03
1313.25:507:03
1413.25:507:04
1513.35:497:05
1613.35:487:05
1713.35:487:06
1813.35:477:06
1913.35:477:07
2013.35:477:07
2113.45:467:08
2213.45:467:08
2313.45:457:09
2413.45:457:09
2513.45:457:10
2613.45:447:10
2713.55:447:11
2813.55:447:11
2913.55:437:12
3013.55:437:12
3113.55:437:13

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.25 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.91 kWh/m² to a high of 6.72 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 6.25 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.0Intense
26.1Intense
36.1Intense
46.1Intense
56.1Intense
66.1Intense
76.1Intense
86.1Intense
96.1Intense
106.2Intense
116.2Intense
126.2Intense
136.2Intense
146.2Intense
156.2Intense
166.3Intense
176.3Intense
186.3Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.4Intense
236.4Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.4Intense
276.5Intense
286.5Intense
296.5Intense
306.5Intense
316.5Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for San Benito

In seasonPeak

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

San Benito 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 San Benito?

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

4.3
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
7.0
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for San Benito in May

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

In May, San Benito sees daytime highs around 90°F and nights near 73°F. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 7 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near San Benito in May

The nearest coast averages about 77°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 32 mi away) is warmest in September at about 84°F and coldest in February near 65°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Mar 22 to Dec 29 — about 9.3 months when the water holds above 68°F.

60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan66Cool
Feb65Cool
Mar67Cool
Apr72Refreshing
May77Warm
Jun82Warm
Jul82Tropical
Aug83Tropical
Sep84Tropical
Oct81Warm
Nov75Refreshing
Dec70Refreshing

UV index in San Benito 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 San Benito peaks around June 21 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 5 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highExtremeVery highExtremeVery highHighJun 21UV 12Dec 22UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan5Moderate
Feb7High
Mar8Very high
Apr11Extreme
May9Very high
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep10Very high
Oct8Very high
Nov6High
Dec5Moderate

Air quality in San Benito 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 San Benito is worst in July — around 25 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.7× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1525 µg/m³Oct 247 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr13Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun20Moderate
Jul25Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is San Benito?

San Benito sits at 26.1°N, 97.6°W, 36 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Harlingen, 5.6 mi away.

Topography around San Benito

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around San Benito has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 33 ft around an average of 36 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 82 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 367 ft.

The land around San Benito is covered by grassland (25%), cropland (25%) and artificial surfaces (25%) within 2 miles, cropland (44%), grassland (24%) and trees (20%) within 10 miles, and cropland (34%) and water (24%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
33 ft
10 miles
82 ft
50 miles
367 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Harlingen 5.6 mi · Mercedes 17 mi · Brownsville 18 mi · Heroica Matamoros 19 mi · Weslaco 22 mi · Donna 26 mi · Ciudad Río Bravo 30 mi · Alamo 30 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 San Benito (26.1326°, -97.6311°, elevation 36 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).