Santa Rosa Beach weather in May

In May, Santa Rosa Beach sees average daytime highs of 82°F and overnight lows near 68°F, with 2.6 in of rain across 8.8 wet days and about 13.5 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 78°F in the first days to 84°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 12 min at the start of May to 13 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Santa Rosa Beach's 3rd-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Santa Rosa Beach's year-round climate.

Daytime high
82°
5th warmest
Overnight low
68°
8th coldest
Rainfall
2.6 in
8.8 wet days
Daylight
13 h 30 min
4:55 AM – 6:27 PM
Cloud cover
46%
3rd clearest
Wind
7 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.47 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.6
out of 10

Santa Rosa Beach is unincorporated community in Florida.

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 78°F in the first days to 84°F by the end.

A typical May day in Santa Rosa Beach reaches about 82°F in the afternoon and slips back to 68°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 77°F and 86°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 7°F warmer than April and about 5°F cooler than June.

50°60°70°80°90°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17864
27864
37864
47965
57965
67965
78065
88066
98066
108066
118167
128167
138167
148167
158268
168268
178268
188269
198269
208269
218369
228370
238370
248370
258371
268471
278471
288471
298472
308472
318472

How May really feels in Santa Rosa 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.

Santa Rosa Beach weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan60° / 45°4.58.510.35.1
Feb63° / 48°4.37.510.95.9
Mar69° / 54°4.88.511.86.8
Apr75° / 60°3.57.512.77.4
May82° / 68°2.68.813.56.6
Jun86° / 75°4.615.613.94.3
Jul87° / 77°5.421.113.83.4
Aug87° / 76°5.819.913.13.6
Sep85° / 72°4.41212.25.1
Oct78° / 62°3.36.211.37.6
Nov69° / 52°3.16.910.57.1
Dec62° / 47°4.48.610.15.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% 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 37%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16337
26337
36337
46436
56436
66436
76436
86436
96535
106535
116634
126634
136535
146535
156535
166634
176535
186535
196535
206535
216436
226436
236337
246238
256238
266139
276139
286139
295941
305941
315941

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Santa Rosa Beach gets around 2.6 in of rain over 8.8 wet days in May, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 29% and peaks near 42% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
125
225
325
425
525
625
725
825
925
1025
1125
1226
1326
1426
1527
1627
1727
1828
1928
2029
2130
2230
2331
2432
2534
2635
2736
2838
2939
3041
3142

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 33% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 66% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
119162427140
218152428150
317152428160
416142429170
515142329180
614132330190
714132331200
813122231210
912122232220
1012122133230
1111112133240
1210112034250
1310101935260
149101835270
159101835280
16891736291
17891636311
18891536321
19781536341
20781435361
21671335381
22571234401
23561234422
24461133442
25451032462
26351031493
2735930503
2824928534
2924827554
3013826575
3113725595

Wind in May

Winds average 7 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17light breeze
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 12 min at the start of May to 13 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 36 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:07 AM to 4:48 AM, and sunset from 6:17 PM to 6:36 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.25:076:17
213.25:066:18
313.25:056:18
413.25:046:19
513.35:046:20
613.35:036:20
713.35:026:21
813.35:016:22
913.45:006:22
1013.45:006:23
1113.44:596:24
1213.44:586:24
1313.54:576:25
1413.54:576:26
1513.54:566:26
1613.54:556:27
1713.64:556:28
1813.64:546:28
1913.64:536:29
2013.64:536:30
2113.64:526:30
2213.74:526:31
2313.74:516:32
2413.74:516:32
2513.74:506:33
2613.74:506:33
2713.74:506:34
2813.84:496:35
2913.84:496:35
3013.84:496:36
3113.84:486:36

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.47 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.78 kWh/m² to a high of 6.47 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 6.47 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.3Intense
26.3Intense
36.4Intense
46.4Intense
56.4Intense
66.4Intense
76.5Intense
86.5Intense
96.5Intense
106.5Intense
116.5Intense
126.5Intense
136.5Intense
146.5Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.5Intense
226.5Intense
236.4Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.4Intense
276.3Intense
286.3Intense
296.3Intense
306.3Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Santa Rosa Beach

In seasonPeak

None of Santa Rosa 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.

Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa Beach?

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

6.6
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
7.0
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Santa Rosa Beach in May

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

In May, Santa Rosa Beach sees daytime highs around 82°F and nights near 68°F. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

Sea temperature near Santa Rosa Beach in May

The nearest coast averages about 76°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 85°F and coldest in February near 63°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Apr 8 to Dec 11 — about 8.2 months when the water holds above 68°F.

60°70°80°90°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan64Cool
Feb63Cool
Mar65Cool
Apr69Refreshing
May76Warm
Jun82Warm
Jul84Tropical
Aug85Tropical
Sep83Tropical
Oct78Warm
Nov72Refreshing
Dec67Cool

UV index in Santa Rosa Beach 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 Santa Rosa Beach peaks around June 18 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highVery highHighModerateJun 18UV 10Dec 19UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb6High
Mar7High
Apr9Very high
May9Very high
Jun10Extreme
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov5Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa Beach is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.7× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1519 µg/m³Dec 147 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May12Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Santa Rosa Beach?

Santa Rosa Beach sits at 30.4°N, 86.2°W, 3 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Fort Walton Beach, 23 mi away.

Topography around Santa Rosa Beach

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Santa Rosa Beach has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 66 ft around an average of 13 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 135 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 384 ft.

The land around Santa Rosa Beach is covered by trees (55%) and water (28%) within 2 miles, water (54%) and trees (37%) within 10 miles, and trees (54%) and water (33%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
66 ft
10 miles
135 ft
50 miles
384 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Fort Walton Beach 23 mi · Wright 25 mi · Crestview 32 mi · Lynn Haven 36 mi · Panama City 38 mi · Navarre 38 mi · Midway 46 mi · East Pensacola Heights 57 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 Santa Rosa Beach (30.396°, -86.2288°, elevation 3 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).