Built 2026-11-13 (13 November 2026)

May 2026: Weather Records and Temperatures Against Normal

May 2026 is settled: the figures use data received up to 9 November 2026, more than 45 days after the month ended, so the late station reports are in. This page compares May 2026 at weather stations worldwide with each station's own 1991 to 2020 May normal, ranks it against May of every year since 1951, and lists the weather records, events and storms of the month.

Data as of . Last revised (2026-11-09).

Key Facts

  • May 2026 is settled; its data run to 9 November 2026.
  • In May 2026, stations worldwide averaged +0.4 C (+0.7 F) against their 1991 to 2020 May normals, the 6th warmest May in 76 ranked years from 1951 to 2026.
  • The mean daily maximum in May 2026 was -0.2 C (-0.4 F) against normal and the mean daily minimum +1.0 C (+1.8 F).
  • Among the continents in May 2026, Asia was the warmest against normal, at +0.6 C (+1.2 F), and North America the coolest, at +0.1 C (+0.2 F).
  • The station furthest above its May normal in May 2026 was Tlaxcala de Xicontecatl (Dge) (Mexico), at +5.8 C (+10.5 F); the furthest below was Brockway 3 WSW (United States), at -5.0 C (-9.0 F).
  • Of the 7,483 stations with a full month of rain data in May 2026, 19% had less than half their normal May rain and 9% had at least twice their normal; the median station had 91% of its normal.
  • 23,245 weather records were set or tied in May 2026, including 14,531 record highs and 4,359 record lows of maximum and minimum temperature, and 45 all-time records.
  • In May 2026, 78% of the daily temperature records were record highs (3.5 to 1 highs to lows), against an average of 66% for May in 2016 to 2025.
  • 15 extreme weather events detected by this site overlapped May 2026.
  • 3 named storms had a best track position in May 2026; 1 peaked at 64 kt (119 km/h, 74 mph) or more and 0 at 96 kt (178 km/h, 110 mph) or more over their lifetime.
  • The Oceanic Nino Index for AMJ 2026, the three months centred on May 2026, was +0.95: El Nino conditions, part of an El Nino episode. NOAA's relative index (RONI) for the same season was +0.49.
  • Monthly mean extent in May 2026: Arctic sea ice 12.14 million sq km (4.69 million sq mi), the 2nd lowest of 48 years for May; Antarctic sea ice 9.35 million sq km (3.61 million sq mi), the 8th lowest of 48 years for May.
  • Carbon dioxide at Mauna Loa averaged 432.34 ppm in May 2026, 1.83 ppm more than in May 2025.

Temperature Against Normal

May 2026, against 1991 to 2020
Stations against their May normal, May 2026 Mean temperature in May 2026 against each station's own 1991 to 2020 May normal at 1,952 stations, at most one per 1 degree cell (the one with the longest normal).
Mean temperature in May 2026 against each station's own 1991 to 2020 May normal at 1,952 stations, at most one per 1 degree cell (the one with the longest normal). Made with Natural Earth.
Stations against their May normal, May 2026
BandStations on the map
More than 3 C (5.4 F) below normal5
1 to 3 C (1.8 to 5.4 F) below normal169
Within 1 C (1.8 F) of normal1,095
1 to 3 C (1.8 to 5.4 F) above normal668
More than 3 C (5.4 F) above normal15
Temperature against the 1991 to 2020 normal in May 2026, worldwide and by continent
AreaStationsDaily maximum vs normalDaily minimum vs normalMean vs normalRank for May (1 is warmest)
World5,914-0.2 C (-0.4 F)+1.0 C (+1.8 F)+0.4 C (+0.7 F)6th of 76
Africa17n/an/an/an/a
Asia199-0.7 C (-1.2 F)+1.9 C (+3.5 F)+0.6 C (+1.2 F)5th of 75
Europe1,040n/an/an/an/a
North America4,272+0.0 C (+0.1 F)+0.2 C (+0.3 F)+0.1 C (+0.2 F)18th of 76
Oceania386-0.2 C (-0.4 F)+0.7 C (+1.3 F)+0.2 C (+0.4 F)20th of 76
South America0n/an/an/an/a

Stations are averaged in 5 degree grid cells and the cells are weighted by the cosine of their latitude. A value and a rank need cells holding at least 50% of the weight of every cell that has ever had data for May; n/a means fewer stations have reported so far. The world includes Antarctica and islands without a continent row.

May against normal at stations worldwide, 1951 to 2026 The world value for May of every year from 1951 to 2026, computed the same way as for May 2026, which is marked. Years whose cells hold less than 50% of the weight are left blank; the number of stations changes from year to year. -1.5 C -1.0 C -0.5 C 0.0 C +0.5 C +1.0 C 1951195919671975198319911999200720152023
The world value for May of every year from 1951 to 2026, computed the same way as for May 2026, which is marked. Years whose cells hold less than 50% of the weight are left blank; the number of stations changes from year to year. Zero line: each station's own 1991 to 2020 May normal.
May against normal at stations worldwide, 1951 to 2026
YearMean against the 1991 to 2020 normal
1951-0.8 C (-1.4 F)
1952-1.0 C (-1.8 F)
1953-0.6 C (-1.1 F)
1954-1.2 C (-2.2 F)
1955-0.8 C (-1.5 F)
1956-1.0 C (-1.8 F)
1957-0.9 C (-1.6 F)
1958-0.6 C (-1.2 F)
1959-0.8 C (-1.5 F)
1960-1.4 C (-2.5 F)
1961-0.8 C (-1.4 F)
1962-0.6 C (-1.1 F)
1963-0.7 C (-1.2 F)
1964-0.8 C (-1.5 F)
1965-1.0 C (-1.7 F)
1966-1.0 C (-1.8 F)
1967-0.4 C (-0.7 F)
1968-0.9 C (-1.6 F)
1969-0.9 C (-1.6 F)
1970-0.8 C (-1.5 F)
1971-1.1 C (-1.9 F)
1972-1.0 C (-1.7 F)
1973-0.6 C (-1.2 F)
1974-0.9 C (-1.6 F)
1975-0.7 C (-1.2 F)
1976-1.1 C (-1.9 F)
1977-0.6 C (-1.0 F)
1978-0.9 C (-1.6 F)
1979-0.7 C (-1.3 F)
1980-0.6 C (-1.1 F)
1981-0.7 C (-1.2 F)
1982-0.6 C (-1.2 F)
1983-0.6 C (-1.1 F)
1984-0.4 C (-0.7 F)
1985-0.6 C (-1.2 F)
1986-0.5 C (-0.9 F)
1987-0.5 C (-0.9 F)
1988-0.3 C (-0.5 F)
1989-0.3 C (-0.6 F)
1990-0.2 C (-0.3 F)
1991-0.4 C (-0.7 F)
1992-0.5 C (-0.9 F)
1993-0.5 C (-0.9 F)
1994-0.3 C (-0.6 F)
1995-0.3 C (-0.6 F)
1996-0.2 C (-0.3 F)
1997-0.3 C (-0.5 F)
1998-0.1 C (-0.1 F)
1999-0.3 C (-0.6 F)
2000-0.1 C (-0.2 F)
2001+0.1 C (+0.2 F)
2002-0.1 C (-0.1 F)
2003+0.2 C (+0.3 F)
2004-0.2 C (-0.3 F)
2005+0.1 C (+0.2 F)
2006-0.2 C (-0.3 F)
2007+0.4 C (+0.7 F)
2008-0.1 C (-0.3 F)
20090.0 C (0.0 F)
2010+0.3 C (+0.5 F)
2011-0.1 C (-0.3 F)
2012+0.4 C (+0.8 F)
2013+0.3 C (+0.5 F)
2014+0.4 C (+0.7 F)
2015+0.4 C (+0.6 F)
2016+0.5 C (+1.0 F)
2017+0.1 C (+0.2 F)
2018+0.5 C (+0.8 F)
2019+0.2 C (+0.4 F)
2020+0.4 C (+0.7 F)
2021+0.4 C (+0.6 F)
2022+0.3 C (+0.5 F)
2023+0.1 C (+0.1 F)
2024+0.7 C (+1.2 F)
2025+0.5 C (+0.9 F)
2026+0.4 C (+0.7 F)

Furthest Above Normal

Stations furthest above their May normal in May 2026
StationCountryMean maximumMaximum vs normalMean minimumMinimum vs normalMean vs normalYears of normal
Tlaxcala de Xicontecatl (Dge)Mexico32.0 C (89.6 F)+4.1 C (+7.3 F)17.6 C (63.7 F)+7.6 C (+13.7 F)+5.8 C (+10.5 F)26
Loxahatchee NwrUnited States35.0 C (94.9 F)+5.4 C (+9.7 F)24.3 C (75.7 F)+4.0 C (+7.2 F)+4.7 C (+8.4 F)30
Idaho Falls 16 SEUnited States20.9 C (69.5 F)+3.9 C (+7.1 F)6.8 C (44.2 F)+4.6 C (+8.2 F)+4.3 C (+7.7 F)29
Wabuska 6 SEUnited States25.9 C (78.7 F)+1.5 C (+2.7 F)11.4 C (52.6 F)+7.0 C (+12.6 F)+4.3 C (+7.7 F)28
BredetteUnited States22.0 C (71.5 F)+2.7 C (+4.9 F)10.1 C (50.1 F)+5.4 C (+9.7 F)+4.1 C (+7.3 F)30
Troicko-PecherskoeRussia16.4 C (61.6 F)+3.0 C (+5.4 F)6.8 C (44.3 F)+5.1 C (+9.1 F)+4.0 C (+7.3 F)29
Rome 2 NWUnited States26.5 C (79.7 F)+3.7 C (+6.6 F)8.2 C (46.7 F)+4.4 C (+7.8 F)+4.0 C (+7.2 F)29
Mosquito RidgeUnited States16.2 C (61.2 F)+3.9 C (+7.1 F)6.5 C (43.6 F)+3.9 C (+7.0 F)+3.9 C (+7.1 F)30
Cedar PassUnited States16.5 C (61.8 F)+3.8 C (+6.8 F)5.8 C (42.5 F)+3.9 C (+7.0 F)+3.8 C (+6.9 F)30
BendUnited States22.6 C (72.6 F)+3.9 C (+7.0 F)6.5 C (43.7 F)+3.8 C (+6.8 F)+3.8 C (+6.9 F)30

Furthest Below Normal

Stations furthest below their May normal in May 2026
StationCountryMean maximumMaximum vs normalMean minimumMinimum vs normalMean vs normalYears of normal
Brockway 3 WSWUnited States14.9 C (58.7 F)-4.8 C (-8.6 F)-0.5 C (31.0 F)-5.2 C (-9.4 F)-5.0 C (-9.0 F)30
Acapulco Gro.Mexico30.6 C (87.1 F)-3.3 C (-5.9 F)18.2 C (64.7 F)-4.7 C (-8.5 F)-4.0 C (-7.2 F)25
Turnagain PassUnited States6.5 C (43.6 F)-6.0 C (-10.9 F)0.0 C (32.1 F)-1.8 C (-3.2 F)-3.9 C (-7.0 F)28
Tapachula ChisMexico32.6 C (90.6 F)-2.8 C (-5.0 F)19.2 C (66.5 F)-4.7 C (-8.4 F)-3.7 C (-6.7 F)26
MidlandUnited States17.8 C (64.0 F)-2.8 C (-5.1 F)5.3 C (41.6 F)-3.4 C (-6.2 F)-3.1 C (-5.6 F)30
Indian PassUnited States5.1 C (41.1 F)-4.9 C (-8.9 F)-0.5 C (31.1 F)-1.3 C (-2.3 F)-3.1 C (-5.6 F)29
NorwichUnited States17.3 C (63.1 F)-3.6 C (-6.5 F)3.7 C (38.7 F)-2.3 C (-4.2 F)-3.0 C (-5.3 F)30
Celina 3 NEUnited States19.9 C (67.8 F)-2.8 C (-5.0 F)8.0 C (46.4 F)-3.1 C (-5.5 F)-2.9 C (-5.3 F)30
HuntsvilleUnited States28.2 C (82.7 F)-1.0 C (-1.8 F)13.6 C (56.4 F)-4.6 C (-8.3 F)-2.8 C (-5.1 F)30
Tampico TampsMexico32.0 C (89.6 F)-0.5 C (-0.8 F)19.1 C (66.5 F)-5.1 C (-9.1 F)-2.8 C (-5.0 F)25

The lists use stations with at least 25 years behind their normal. One station does not stand for the area around it.

Countries

Mean temperature against normal by country in May 2026, countries with 5 or more stations
CountryStationsMean vs normal
France42+2.0 C (+3.5 F)
Kazakhstan27+1.8 C (+3.2 F)
Finland117+1.4 C (+2.4 F)
United Kingdom53+1.3 C (+2.4 F)
Austria5+1.2 C (+2.2 F)
Switzerland8+1.2 C (+2.2 F)
Netherlands30+1.2 C (+2.1 F)
Sweden174+1.1 C (+2.1 F)
Russia23+1.1 C (+2.0 F)
Estonia18+1.0 C (+1.9 F)
Uzbekistan10+1.0 C (+1.7 F)
Spain86+0.9 C (+1.7 F)
Turkmenistan9+0.9 C (+1.6 F)
Norway73+0.9 C (+1.6 F)
Germany316+0.9 C (+1.5 F)
Ireland5+0.8 C (+1.5 F)
China102+0.7 C (+1.2 F)
Philippines5+0.7 C (+1.2 F)
Czech Republic6+0.6 C (+1.0 F)
Mexico14+0.5 C (+0.9 F)
Belarus10+0.5 C (+0.8 F)
Puerto Rico [United States]15+0.5 C (+0.8 F)
Thailand10+0.5 C (+0.8 F)
Greenland [Denmark]6+0.4 C (+0.6 F)
Australia378+0.3 C (+0.5 F)
India15+0.3 C (+0.5 F)
United States4,235+0.0 C (+0.1 F)
Ukraine19-0.1 C (-0.3 F)
Romania21-0.6 C (-1.1 F)
Turkey6-0.7 C (-1.2 F)
South Africa7-0.9 C (-1.7 F)

Rain Against Normal

7,483 stations, May 2026
Rain as a percent of the May normal, May 2026 Rain in May 2026 as a percent of each station's own 1991 to 2020 May mean at 1,696 stations, at most one per 1 degree cell.
Rain in May 2026 as a percent of each station's own 1991 to 2020 May mean at 1,696 stations, at most one per 1 degree cell. Made with Natural Earth.
Rain as a percent of the May normal, May 2026
BandStations on the map
Under 50% of normal380
50 to 90% of normal462
90 to 110% of normal238
110 to 200% of normal447
200% or more of normal169
Stations by rain in May 2026 as a percent of their 1991 to 2020 normal
Under 50%1,444
50 to 90%2,222
90 to 110%1,066
110 to 200%2,048
200% or more703

Of the 7,483 stations with a full month of rain data in May 2026, 19% had less than half their normal May rain and 9% had at least twice their normal; the median station had 91% of its normal. A station month needs 28 days of rain data, because a total from fewer days is too low, and a normal of at least 10 mm.

Wettest Against Normal

Stations with the most rain against their May normal in May 2026
StationCountryRainNormalPercent of normalYears of normal
Carella StationAustralia81.2 mm (3.2 in)12.0 mm (0.5 in)676%30
Woomera AerodromeAustralia67.4 mm (2.7 in)10.4 mm (0.4 in)645%30
DoonganAustralia78.2 mm (3.1 in)13.3 mm (0.5 in)590%28
Welder Wildlife FoundationUnited States421.5 mm (16.6 in)75.3 mm (3.0 in)560%25
ParunaAustralia99.8 mm (3.9 in)19.6 mm (0.8 in)509%27
Crescent HeadAustralia340.0 mm (13.4 in)70.6 mm (2.8 in)482%25
Haughton ValeAustralia63.5 mm (2.5 in)13.5 mm (0.5 in)470%30
Tullamore (Old Post Office)Australia125.8 mm (5.0 in)27.0 mm (1.1 in)466%27
Geneva #2United States394.4 mm (15.5 in)85.8 mm (3.4 in)460%29
Manildra (Hazeldale)Australia177.9 mm (7.0 in)38.8 mm (1.5 in)459%30

Driest Against Normal

Stations with the least rain against their May normal in May 2026
StationCountryRainNormalPercent of normalYears of normal
Flamingo RsUnited States0.0 mm (0.00 in)96.3 mm (3.8 in)0%27
Magic MountainUnited States0.0 mm (0.00 in)86.2 mm (3.4 in)0%30
Swede PeakUnited States0.0 mm (0.00 in)63.3 mm (2.5 in)0%30
Diamond PeakUnited States0.0 mm (0.00 in)58.3 mm (2.3 in)0%30
Big BendUnited States0.0 mm (0.00 in)56.7 mm (2.2 in)0%30
Camas Creek DivideUnited States0.0 mm (0.00 in)46.9 mm (1.8 in)0%28
BrooktonAustralia0.0 mm (0.00 in)43.0 mm (1.7 in)0%29
RollingstoneAustralia0.0 mm (0.00 in)39.1 mm (1.5 in)0%29
Jiggs 2NEUnited States0.0 mm (0.00 in)39.0 mm (1.5 in)0%27
OrovilleUnited States0.0 mm (0.00 in)35.9 mm (1.4 in)0%26

Weather Records

23,245 set or tied in May 2026

23,245 weather records were set or tied in May 2026, including 14,531 record highs and 4,359 record lows of maximum and minimum temperature, and 45 all-time records. Every record of the month is in the records ledger for May 2026.

Records set or tied in May 2026 by type
Record high minimum temperature8,507
Record high maximum temperature6,024
Record daily precipitation4,137
Record low maximum temperature2,326
Record low minimum temperature2,033
Record daily snowfall112
Record snow depth106
Records set or tied in May 2026 by timescale
Daily22,051
Monthly1,149
All-time45

May Against the Ten Years Before

Share of daily temperature records that were record highs, May 2016 to 2026 For May of each year from 2016 to 2026: daily record highs as a percent of daily record highs and lows together, worldwide, ties excluded, as on the warm to cold ratio page. May 2026 is marked. The share is compared rather than the totals, because the number of stations changes. 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 20162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
For May of each year from 2016 to 2026: daily record highs as a percent of daily record highs and lows together, worldwide, ties excluded, as on the warm to cold ratio page. May 2026 is marked. The share is compared rather than the totals, because the number of stations changes. Dashed line: Equal highs and lows.
Share of daily temperature records that were record highs, May 2016 to 2026
YearRecord highs, percent of highs and lows
201670.5%
201760.4%
201890.5%
201946.3%
202061.1%
202152.3%
202263.2%
202368.8%
202474.9%
202574.0%
202677.6%

In May 2026, 78% of the daily temperature records were record highs (3.5 to 1 highs to lows), against an average of 66% for May in 2016 to 2025.

The Top 10 Records of May 2026

The 10 highest significance records of May 2026
DateStationCountryRecordValueSignificance
2026-05-31Great Falls 16StUnited StatesDaily precipitation54.6 mm (2.1 in)80 of 100 (Exceptional)
2026-05-11JonkopingSwedenDaily precipitation29.7 mm (1.2 in)79 of 100 (Major)
2026-05-28KellevieAustraliaDaily precipitation86.0 mm (3.4 in)79 of 100 (Major)
2026-05-06Longmont 2 ESEUnited StatesDaily snowfall11.9 cm (4.7 in)75 of 100 (Major)
2026-05-19Nundle Post OfficeAustraliaDaily precipitation64.6 mm (2.5 in)75 of 100 (Major)
2026-05-27ParunaAustraliaMonthly precipitation49.4 mm (1.9 in)75 of 100 (Major)
2026-05-28Oatlands Post OfficeAustraliaDaily precipitation35.4 mm (1.4 in)75 of 100 (Major)
2026-05-19Willow Tree (Yarrabah)AustraliaDaily precipitation51.2 mm (2.0 in)74 of 100 (Major)
2026-05-31WinterswijkNetherlandsDaily precipitation38.7 mm (1.5 in)74 of 100 (Major)
2026-05-31Sugar CityUnited StatesDaily precipitation39.4 mm (1.6 in)74 of 100 (Major)

Countries With the Most Records

Countries with the most records set or tied in May 2026
CountryRecordsHighsLows
United States13,5277,8843,446
Australia2,425976190
Germany1,3641,05698
Japan89086822
Sweden75139677
Spain45941611
Mexico434306128
France4043853
China38132556
United Kingdom36534711
Netherlands27511513
Mongolia23821127
Finland18311116
Norway1815933
Kazakhstan17716413

Events and Storms

Storms with a best track position in May 2026, newest first
StormBasinLifetime peak windCategory at peak
AmandaEastern North Pacific40 kt (74 km/h, 46 mph)Tropical storm
JangmiWestern North Pacific74 kt (137 km/h, 85 mph)Category 1
HagupitWestern North Pacific39 kt (72 km/h, 45 mph)Tropical storm

May 2026 in Context

These values come from other sources and the site's own analysis pages. They are context for May 2026; this page does not say that any of them caused the temperatures or records above.

How These Numbers Are Made

Each station's mean daily maximum and minimum temperature for May 2026 is compared with its own mean for May in 1991 to 2020, from months with at least 20 days of both. A station needs 20 such years for a normal. The mean is the average of the two differences. A station month more than 15 C (27 F) from its normal in either element is treated as a data error and left out.

For the world and each continent, stations are averaged within 5 degree grid cells and the cells are averaged weighted by the cosine of their latitude, so dense networks do not outweigh sparse ones. A continent uses the stations of its own countries. A year gets a value and a rank only when its cells hold at least 50% of the weight of all the cells that have ever had data for May, the rule of the climate pages. This is a station based view: places without stations are not covered, and it is not a gridded temperature analysis.

Records are the site's public ledger: one record per observation, set or tied, at its broadest timescale. The ten year comparison uses daily temperature records only, ties excluded. The numbers and sentences on this page are generated by code from the station data; none of them is typed in by hand.

Download the Data

More Months

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Source: International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS) v04r01, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, doi:10.25921/82ty-9e16. Some agency values come from third parties such as JMA, IMD and BoM. (NOAA NCEI terms (citation requested)) Source: NOAA Climate Prediction Center, Oceanic Nino Index (ONI) and Relative Oceanic Nino Index (RONI). Episodes and strength classes are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not NOAA products. (US Government work, public domain (NWS disclaimer)) Source: Fetterer, F., Knowles, K., Meier, W. N., Savoie, M., Windnagel, A. K. and Stafford, T. (2025). Sea Ice Index, Version 4 (G02135). Boulder, Colorado USA. National Snow and Ice Data Center. doi:10.7265/a98x-0f50. Yearly extremes, ranks, trends and the climatology are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor from the daily extent files and are not NSIDC products. (NSIDC data use and citation policy (public domain government funded data, citation required)) Source: NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory, Earth System Research Laboratories (gml.noaa.gov/ccgg/trends). Mauna Loa CO2 data are from NOAA and Scripps (before 1974 the monthly values come from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography). The global means of CO2, methane and nitrous oxide are from the NOAA GML cooperative air sampling network (methane and nitrous oxide: Lan, Thoning and Dlugokencky, doi:10.15138/P8XG-AA10). (US Government open data (NOAA GML, citation requested)) Data as of 2026-11-09. Temperatures against normal, ranks and records are computed by this site from station data and are not official.