Waterford weather in May

In May, Waterford sees average daytime highs of 59°F and overnight lows near 51°F, with 3.5 in of rain across 10.6 wet days and about 14.3 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 55°F in the first days to 63°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Waterford's 12th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Waterford's year-round climate.

Daytime high
59°
6th warmest
Overnight low
51°
7th coldest
Rainfall
3.5 in
10.6 wet days
Daylight
14 h 18 min
4:35 AM – 6:54 PM
Cloud cover
62%
12th clearest
Wind
11 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
5.87 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.4
out of 10

Waterford is town in New London County, Connecticut, United States.

Founded
1801

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 55°F in the first days to 63°F by the end.

A typical May day in Waterford reaches about 59°F in the afternoon and slips back to 51°F overnight — a 8°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 53°F and 65°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 8°F warmer than April and about 9°F cooler than June.

40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15547
25547
35548
45548
55648
65648
75649
85649
95749
105749
115750
125850
135850
145851
155851
165951
175951
185952
196052
206052
216053
226153
236153
246154
256254
266254
276255
286255
296355
306356
316356

How May really feels in Waterford

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.

Waterford weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan38° / 29°3.910.34.79.40.0
Feb38° / 29°3.59.13.910.30.0
Mar43° / 34°4.710.53.511.70.4
Apr51° / 43°4.210.80.513.12.4
May59° / 51°3.510.6014.34.4
Jun68° / 61°3.79.7014.96.3
Jul75° / 68°3.18.9014.77.2
Aug75° / 68°3.89.2013.77.2
Sep70° / 62°4.28.6012.36.8
Oct61° / 53°4.79.70.110.95.2
Nov52° / 43°4.19.40.59.72.8
Dec44° / 35°4.911.42.89.10.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in May, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 55%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14654
24555
34555
44555
54555
64456
74555
84555
94555
104456
114456
124555
134555
144555
154555
164555
174555
184555
194555
204555
214555
224456
234456
244456
254555
264555
274555
284555
294555
304654
314654

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Waterford gets around 3.5 in of rain over 10.6 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 34% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
135
235
334
434
534
634
735
835
935
1035
1135
1236
1336
1436
1535
1635
1735
1835
1935
2035
2135
2234
2334
2433
2533
2633
2732
2832
2932
3032
3132

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 85% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
199100
299100
398200
498200
598200
697300
797300
897300
996400
1095500
1195500
1294600
1393700
1492800
1591900
16901000
17891100
18871210
19851410
20831520
21811720
22791830
23762040
24752140
25722350
26702460
27682570
28662680
29642790
306128101
315929111

Wind in May

Winds average 11 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 10 mph on the calmest days to 11 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
111light breeze
211light breeze
311light breeze
411light breeze
511light breeze
611light breeze
711light breeze
811light breeze
911light breeze
1011light breeze
1111light breeze
1211light breeze
1311light breeze
1411light breeze
1511light breeze
1611light breeze
1711light breeze
1811light breeze
1911light breeze
2011light breeze
2111light breeze
2211light breeze
2311light breeze
2411light breeze
2511light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light breeze
3110light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 42 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 4:53 AM to 4:24 AM, and sunset from 6:38 PM to 7:08 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.84:536:38
213.84:526:39
313.84:506:41
413.94:496:42
513.94:486:43
614.04:476:44
714.04:456:45
814.04:446:46
914.14:436:47
1014.14:426:48
1114.14:416:49
1214.24:406:50
1314.24:386:51
1414.24:376:52
1514.34:366:53
1614.34:356:54
1714.34:346:55
1814.44:336:56
1914.44:336:57
2014.44:326:58
2114.54:316:59
2214.54:307:00
2314.54:297:01
2414.64:287:02
2514.64:287:03
2614.64:277:04
2714.64:267:05
2814.74:267:05
2914.74:257:06
3014.74:247:07
3114.74:247:08

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.87 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.7 kWh/m² to a high of 6.33 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.87 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.7Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.9Bright
185.9Bright
195.9Bright
206.0Bright
216.0Bright
226.0Intense
236.0Intense
246.0Intense
256.1Intense
266.1Intense
276.1Intense
286.1Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
316.2Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Waterford

In seasonPeak

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

Waterford 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 Waterford?

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

4.4
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
0.4
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Waterford for sightseeing.

What to pack for Waterford in May

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

In May, Waterford sees daytime highs around 59°F and nights near 51°F. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and sun protection. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Waterford in May

The nearest coast averages about 52°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 15 mi away) is warmest in August at about 71°F and coldest in February near 39°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 15 to Sep 15 — about 2.1 months when the water holds above 68°F.

40°50°60°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan42Bracing
Feb39Bracing
Mar39Bracing
Apr44Bracing
May52Bracing
Jun61Cool
Jul69Refreshing
Aug71Refreshing
Sep68Refreshing
Oct63Cool
Nov55Bracing
Dec48Bracing

UV index in Waterford 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 Waterford peaks around July 10 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 10UV 8Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Waterford 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 Waterford is worst in July — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.6× the cleanest month (November, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1515 µg/m³Nov 206 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb10Good
Mar11Good
Apr12Good
May14Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct7Good
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Waterford?

Waterford sits at 41.3°N, 72.1°W, 30 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is New London, 1.9 mi away.

Topography around Waterford

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Waterford has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 282 ft around an average of 102 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 656 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,325 ft.

The land around Waterford is covered by trees (73%) within 2 miles, trees (52%) and water (39%) within 10 miles, and trees (49%) and water (44%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
282 ft
10 miles
656 ft
50 miles
1,325 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: New London 1.9 mi · Ledyard 9.3 mi · Montville Center 9.3 mi · Norwich 13 mi · Westerly 16 mi · Madison 24 mi · Windham 25 mi · Willimantic 25 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 Waterford (41.3417°, -72.136°, elevation 30 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).