Watsonville weather in May

In May, Watsonville sees average daytime highs of 67°F and overnight lows near 51°F, with 0.6 in of rain across 2.8 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 67°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 59% 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 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Watsonville's 6th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Watsonville's year-round climate.

Daytime high
67°
6th warmest
Overnight low
51°
7th coldest
Rainfall
0.6 in
2.8 wet days
Daylight
14 hours
5:04 AM – 7:02 PM
Cloud cover
37%
6th clearest
Wind
5 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
7.1 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.6
out of 10

Watsonville is city in Santa Cruz County, California, United States.

Density
3,052/km²
people per km²
Founded
1868

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 67°F through the month.

A typical May day in Watsonville reaches about 67°F in the afternoon and slips back to 51°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 60°F and 75°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 3°F warmer than April and about 3°F cooler than June.

40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16649
26649
36649
46649
56649
66650
76650
86650
96650
106650
116650
126650
136650
146650
156650
166650
176651
186651
196651
206651
216751
226751
236751
246751
256751
266751
276751
286752
296752
306852
316852

Watsonville weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan58° / 43°4.28.79.84.6
Feb60° / 45°4.2910.64.9
Mar62° / 46°3.08.411.75.6
Apr64° / 48°1.34.712.96.6
May67° / 51°0.62.813.97.6
Jun70° / 53°0.10.614.58.7
Jul72° / 56°0.00.214.39.2
Aug73° / 57°0.00.213.49.4
Sep73° / 56°0.10.512.39.3
Oct71° / 52°0.82.1118.4
Nov64° / 46°1.85.3106.5
Dec58° / 43°3.88.69.54.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 59% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 27%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17030
27129
37129
47228
57129
67228
77228
87228
97129
107129
117228
127228
137327
147228
157228
167327
177327
187228
197228
207228
217327
227426
237426
247426
257525
267525
277624
287723
297822
307723
317822

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Watsonville gets around 0.6 in of rain over 2.8 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. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
111
211
311
410
510
610
710
810
910
1010
1110
1210
1310
1410
1510
1610
1710
189
199
209
219
228
238
247
256
266
275
285
295
304
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 93% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19550
29640
39640
49640
59640
69640
79550
89550
99550
109460
119460
129460
139460
149370
159370
169370
179370
189370
199271
209181
219181
229181
239181
249181
259091
269091
279091
2889101
2989101
3088111
3188111

Wind in May

Winds average 5 mph in May, the windiest month of the year.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 5 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 30 min at the start of May to 14 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:19 AM to 4:55 AM, and sunset from 6:49 PM to 7:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.55:196:49
213.55:186:50
313.65:176:51
413.65:166:52
513.65:156:53
613.75:146:54
713.75:136:54
813.75:126:55
913.85:116:56
1013.85:106:57
1113.85:096:58
1213.95:086:59
1313.95:077:00
1413.95:067:01
1513.95:057:01
1614.05:047:02
1714.05:037:03
1814.05:037:04
1914.05:027:05
2014.15:017:06
2114.15:007:06
2214.15:007:07
2314.14:597:08
2414.24:587:09
2514.24:587:10
2614.24:577:10
2714.24:577:11
2814.34:567:12
2914.34:567:13
3014.34:557:13
3114.34:557:14

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 7.1 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.39 kWh/m² to a high of 7.82 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 7.1 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.8Intense
26.8Intense
36.8Intense
46.9Intense
56.9Intense
66.9Intense
76.9Intense
87.0Intense
97.0Intense
107.0Intense
117.0Intense
127.0Intense
137.1Intense
147.1Intense
157.1Intense
167.1Intense
177.1Intense
187.1Intense
197.2Intense
207.2Intense
217.2Intense
227.2Intense
237.2Intense
247.3Intense
257.3Intense
267.3Intense
277.3Intense
287.4Intense
297.4Intense
307.4Intense
317.5Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Watsonville

In seasonPeak

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

Watsonville's rainy season runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Watsonville?

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

7.6
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
3.4
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is one of the better times to visit Watsonville for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Watsonville in May

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

In May, Watsonville sees daytime highs around 67°F and nights near 51°F. Pack sun protection.

sun protection

Sea temperature near Watsonville in May

The nearest coast averages about 54°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 September at about 58°F and coldest in April near 54°F.

The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

52°54°56°58°60°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan55Bracing
Feb55Bracing
Mar55Bracing
Apr54Bracing
May54Bracing
Jun55Bracing
Jul57Bracing
Aug58Bracing
Sep58Bracing
Oct58Bracing
Nov56Bracing
Dec55Bracing

UV index in Watsonville in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Watsonville peaks around June 22 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 2 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 22UV 11Dec 13UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep7High
Oct5High
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Watsonville 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 Watsonville is worst in August — around 22 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.2× the cleanest month (June, 5 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1920 µg/m³Jun 135 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar8Good
Apr7Good
May6Good
Jun5Good
Jul8Good
Aug22Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct12Moderate
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Watsonville?

Watsonville sits at 36.9°N, 121.8°W, 33 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Prunedale, 11 mi away.

Topography around Watsonville

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Watsonville has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 131 ft around an average of 43 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,651 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,121 ft.

The land around Watsonville is covered by artificial surfaces (40%) and cropland (38%) within 2 miles, trees (43%) and water (21%) within 10 miles, and grassland (35%), trees (28%) and water (25%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
131 ft
10 miles
2,651 ft
50 miles
5,121 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Prunedale 11 mi · Gilroy 12 mi · Live Oak 13 mi · Santa Cruz 16 mi · Marina 16 mi · Morgan Hill 16 mi · Salinas 17 mi · Hollister 20 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 Watsonville (36.9102°, -121.7569°, elevation 33 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. 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).