May in New York averages highs of 21 °C (70 °F) and lows of 12 °C (53 °F), with about 10 rainy days and 14 h 26 min of daylight.
May weather in New York at a glance
average high to low each dot ≈ 3 rainy days
Is May a good time to visit New York?
Good time to go: comfortably warm and some rain. May is usually shoulder season in New York: fewer crowds than peak months, with prices often a little lower.
Our rule: a month scores 2 points for comfortable average highs of 18–28 °C (1 point for 14–18 or 28–32 °C) and 2 points for 5 or fewer rainy days (1 point for 6–10). Average highs above 35 °C or below 8 °C make it a tough month whatever the rain. A rainy day here means 2 mm of rain or more. 4 points = great, 3 = good, 2 = mixed, 0–1 = tough.
Holidays and events in May 2026
- Mon 25 May: Memorial Day public holiday
Banks and many shops close on public holidays, and museums may change their hours, so check before you go.
Things to do in New York in May
May's weather suits a mix of outdoor sights and museums, so the open-air ones come first.
- Central Park — walk or bike outdoors
- Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO — sunrise or sunset outdoors
- High Line and Chelsea Market outdoors
- Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island — first ferry outdoors
- The Met — pay-what-you-wish only for New York State residents indoors
- Top of the Rock or Edge — skyline views indoors
Where to stay: Midtown for first-timers; Lower East Side or the Village for food; Brooklyn (Williamsburg) for value and views.
What to pack for New York in May
- Light layers for the day and a jumper for evenings, which cool to 12 °C (53 °F).
- An umbrella or a light waterproof: about 10 days this month see real rain.
- Comfortable walking shoes.
What a day in New York costs
| Budget traveller | Mid-range | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical total per person, per day | $90–200 | $250–500 |
Excluding flights. May is usually shoulder season in New York: fewer crowds than peak months, with prices often a little lower.
May in nearby cities
| City | High / low | Rainy days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico City | 27° / 13° | 9 | Good time to go |
| Reykjavik | 9° / 4° | 15 | Tough month |
| Dublin | 15° / 8° | 9 | Mixed weather |
Want the whole trip planned? Join the Journey waitlist: tell it where, when and your budget, and it plans every day hour by hour.
FAQ
Is May a good time to visit New York?
By the numbers, May is a good time to go: comfortably warm and some rain, with average highs of 21 °C (70 °F) and about 10 rainy days. May is usually shoulder season in New York: fewer crowds than peak months, with prices often a little lower. The best months for weather are May, June, September, October.
How warm is New York in May?
Average highs are 21 °C (70 °F) and lows 12 °C (53 °F) (2015–2024 averages).
Does it rain a lot in New York in May?
Expect about 10 days with 2 mm of rain or more, about 94 mm in total. It is the 3rd wettest month of the year in New York.
Sources: climate averages from Open-Meteo historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis, 2015–2024); sea temperatures from the Open-Meteo marine API (2023–2024); public holidays from Nager.Date. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of the month. Averages are a guide, not a forecast. Costs are typical ranges per person per day, excluding flights.