Short Pump weather in May

In May, Short Pump sees average daytime highs of 76°F and overnight lows near 58°F, with 3.3 in of rain across 10.7 wet days and about 14 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 73°F in the first days to 80°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% 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 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Short Pump's 12th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Short Pump's year-round climate.

Daytime high
76°
5th warmest
Overnight low
58°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.3 in
10.7 wet days
Daylight
14 hours
5:06 AM – 7:07 PM
Cloud cover
62%
12th clearest
Wind
6 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.81 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.7
out of 10

Short Pump is census designated place in Henrico County, Virginia, United States.

Density
1,053/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 73°F in the first days to 80°F by the end.

A typical May day in Short Pump reaches about 76°F in the afternoon and slips back to 58°F overnight — a 19°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 8°F warmer than April and about 8°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17353
27354
37354
47454
57455
67455
77455
87455
97556
107556
117556
127556
137657
147657
157657
167657
177658
187758
197758
207759
217859
227859
237860
247960
257960
267961
278061
288061
298062
308162
318162

How May really feels in Short Pump

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.

Short Pump weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan47° / 31°3.292.19.71.6
Feb50° / 32°2.98.22.110.52.4
Mar59° / 39°3.910.31.211.74.5
Apr69° / 49°3.39.7012.96.4
May76° / 58°3.310.70146.7
Jun85° / 66°3.811.5014.65.2
Jul89° / 71°4.112.7014.34.0
Aug86° / 69°4.210.8013.54.8
Sep80° / 62°4.39.5012.36.6
Oct70° / 51°3.67.50117.0
Nov59° / 40°3.27.60.1104.9
Dec51° / 34°3.58.71.29.42.5

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in May, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 55%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14555
24456
34555
44555
54654
64654
74654
84555
94555
104456
114456
124555
134456
144555
154555
164555
174654
184555
194555
204555
214456
224456
234456
244654
254555
264654
274654
284654
294654
304654
314654

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Short Pump gets around 3.3 in of rain over 10.7 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 35% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
134
234
334
433
533
633
733
833
933
1034
1134
1234
1334
1434
1534
1634
1734
1834
1935
2035
2135
2235
2335
2435
2535
2635
2735
2835
2935
3035
3135

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 50% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 13% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
169171220
268171320
366171430
465171530
564171630
662181730
760181840
860181840
958181950
1057181960
1157181960
1256172070
1355172080
1454172090
15531720100
16521621110
17511621120
18491621130
19481622141
20461722151
21441722161
22421722171
23401722182
24391822192
25371822202
26351823212
27341923223
28321923233
29312023233
30292023243
31282023254

Wind in May

Winds average 6 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
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 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 54 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:22 AM to 4:56 AM, and sunset from 6:54 PM to 7:19 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.55:226:54
213.65:206:55
313.65:196:56
413.65:186:56
513.75:176:57
613.75:166:58
713.75:156:59
813.85:147:00
913.85:137:01
1013.85:127:02
1113.95:117:03
1213.95:107:04
1313.95:097:05
1414.05:087:06
1514.05:077:06
1614.05:067:07
1714.05:057:08
1814.15:047:09
1914.15:047:10
2014.15:037:11
2114.25:027:12
2214.25:017:12
2314.25:017:13
2414.25:007:14
2514.34:597:15
2614.34:597:16
2714.34:587:16
2814.34:587:17
2914.34:577:18
3014.44:577:19
3114.44:567:19

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.81 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.1 kWh/m² to a high of 6.17 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.81 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.7Bright
55.7Bright
65.7Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.7Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.9Bright
235.9Bright
245.9Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
275.9Bright
285.9Bright
296.0Bright
306.0Bright
316.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Short Pump?

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

6.7
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
5.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Short Pump for sightseeing.

What to pack for Short Pump in May

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

In May, Short Pump sees daytime highs around 76°F and nights near 58°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 11 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Short Pump in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Short Pump peaks around June 21 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 21UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Short Pump 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 Short Pump is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1416 µg/m³Nov 217 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar10Good
Apr11Good
May13Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Short Pump?

Short Pump sits at 37.7°N, 77.6°W, 292 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Tuckahoe, 5.0 mi away.

Topography around Short Pump

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Short Pump has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 200 ft around an average of 262 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 564 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,060 ft.

The land around Short Pump is covered by trees (64%) and artificial surfaces (25%) within 2 miles, trees (73%) within 10 miles, and trees (79%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
200 ft
10 miles
564 ft
50 miles
2,060 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
May weather nearby: Tuckahoe 5.0 mi · Laurel 5.6 mi · Bon Air 9.3 mi · Midlothian 9.9 mi · Richmond 11 mi · Mechanicsville 14 mi · Meadowbrook 16 mi · Highland Springs 17 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 Short Pump (37.6504°, -77.6125°, elevation 292 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).