Sedona weather in May

In May, Sedona sees average daytime highs of 77°F and overnight lows near 50°F, with 0.5 in of rain across 2.6 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 73°F in the first days to 81°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 67% 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 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Sedona's 4th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sedona's year-round climate.

Daytime high
77°
5th warmest
Overnight low
50°
8th coldest
Rainfall
0.5 in
2.6 wet days
Daylight
13 h 48 min
5:29 AM – 7:18 PM
Cloud cover
29%
4th clearest
Wind
6 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
8.04 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.5
out of 10

Sedona is city in Yavapai and Coconino counties in Arizona, United States.

Density
209/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 73°F in the first days to 81°F by the end.

A typical May day in Sedona reaches about 77°F in the afternoon and slips back to 50°F overnight — a 27°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 65°F and 87°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 10°F warmer than April and about 11°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17246
27246
37346
47347
57347
67447
77447
87448
97448
107549
117549
127549
137649
147650
157650
167650
177750
187751
197751
207851
217851
227851
237952
247952
258052
268053
278053
288153
298154
308254
318255

How May really feels in Sedona

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.

Sedona weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan51° / 29°2.05.52.79.92.9
Feb53° / 31°2.46.13.310.73.5
Mar60° / 35°1.85.42.111.75.6
Apr67° / 41°1.13.9112.97.5
May77° / 50°0.52.6013.88.5
Jun87° / 59°0.11014.36.1
Jul90° / 65°1.26.6014.14.4
Aug88° / 64°1.15.8013.35.2
Sep82° / 58°0.94.4012.27.4
Oct72° / 47°1.23.70.111.18.3
Nov60° / 36°1.43.80.910.25.9
Dec51° / 29°1.85.43.19.72.8

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 67% 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 18%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18020
28020
38020
48119
58119
68020
78020
88020
98020
108020
118020
127921
137921
147921
158020
168020
178020
188020
198119
208218
218218
228317
238317
248416
258515
268515
278614
288713
298713
308713
318812

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Sedona gets around 0.5 in of rain over 2.6 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 9% and peaks near 11% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
111
211
311
411
510
610
79
89
99
109
119
129
139
149
159
1610
1710
189
199
209
219
229
238
248
257
267
276
286
295
305
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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in May

Winds average 6 mph in May.

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

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
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 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:43 AM to 5:20 AM, and sunset from 7:06 PM to 7:29 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:437:06
213.45:427:07
313.45:417:07
413.55:407:08
513.55:387:09
613.55:377:10
713.65:367:11
813.65:367:12
913.65:357:12
1013.75:347:13
1113.75:337:14
1213.75:327:15
1313.75:317:16
1413.85:307:16
1513.85:297:17
1613.85:297:18
1713.85:287:19
1813.95:277:19
1913.95:267:20
2013.95:267:21
2113.95:257:22
2214.05:247:23
2314.05:247:23
2414.05:237:24
2514.05:237:25
2614.15:227:25
2714.15:227:26
2814.15:217:27
2914.15:217:28
3014.15:207:28
3114.15:207:29

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 8.04 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.07 kWh/m² to a high of 8.44 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 8.04 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.7Intense
27.8Intense
37.8Intense
47.8Intense
57.8Intense
67.8Intense
77.9Intense
87.9Intense
97.9Intense
107.9Intense
117.9Intense
128.0Intense
138.0Intense
148.0Intense
158.0Intense
168.0Intense
178.0Intense
188.1Intense
198.1Intense
208.1Intense
218.1Intense
228.1Intense
238.2Intense
248.2Intense
258.2Intense
268.2Intense
278.3Intense
288.3Intense
298.3Intense
308.3Intense
318.4Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Sedona?

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

8.5
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
7.5
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Sedona in May

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

In May, Sedona sees daytime highs around 77°F and nights near 50°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes.

sun protectionlight clothes

UV index in Sedona 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 Sedona peaks around June 23 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 3 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 12Dec 18UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5High
Mar6High
Apr6High
May9Very high
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep9Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Sedona 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 Sedona is worst in June — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.0× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodJun 1721 µg/m³Dec 188 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb9Good
Mar9Good
Apr12Good
May11Good
Jun23Moderate
Jul13Moderate
Aug11Good
Sep12Moderate
Oct15Moderate
Nov10Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Sedona?

Sedona sits at 34.9°N, 111.8°W, 0 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Flagstaff, 24 mi away.

Topography around Sedona

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Sedona has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,778 ft around an average of 4,564 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,724 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 10,381 ft.

The land around Sedona is covered by trees (47%) and shrubs (29%) within 2 miles, trees (54%) and shrubs (25%) within 10 miles, and trees (44%) and grassland (38%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
1,778 ft
10 miles
3,724 ft
50 miles
10,381 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrain
May weather nearby: Flagstaff 24 mi · Prescott Valley 36 mi · Prescott 46 mi · Payson 50 mi · Anthem 73 mi · Grand Canyon 85 mi · Deer Valley 85 mi · Fountain Hills 87 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 Sedona (34.8697°, -111.761°, 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. 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).