Month guide · Phoenix · United States
Phoenix in May
What May is really like in Phoenix: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Richard N Horne, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
May is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 35°C (95°F), lows of 21°C (70°F), about 1 rainy days and roughly 13.9 hours of daylight. Hot and very dry; resort prices start to drop.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 35°C (95°F) / 21°C (70°F)
- Rainy days
- About 1
- Daylight
- About 13.9 hours
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in May
May is the 5th-warmest month in Phoenix: days average 35°C (95°F) against a yearly average high of 31°C (88°F), and nights fall to about 21°C (70°F). Rain falls on roughly 1 of its 31 days. Compared with April (30°C (86°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 40°C (104°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 05:28
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 19:21
- Daylight
- About 13.9 hours
Spring (March–May). Warm and sunny, with spring training and wildflowers in March; heat builds quickly through May.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 2 for crowds (the peak is February at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in January). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in May
May has no major recurring festival in Phoenix, which usually means easier bookings.
What to do in May
With intense heat, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Museum · Midtown Phoenix
Phoenix Art Museum
Ask for a timed entry to the Kusama room on arrival; visits inside are short and spaced out.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
Museum · Downtown Phoenix
Arizona Science Center
Hands-on galleries on the human body, forces, energy and the Sonoran Desert climate, plus a planetarium and a giant-screen theatre, in a building beside Heritage Square downtown.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Aquarium · Scottsdale
OdySea Aquarium
Combine it with Butterfly Wonderland next door for a full indoor day in hot weather.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · Downtown Phoenix
Arizona Capitol Museum
The 1901 territorial capitol, with its copper dome topped by a Winged Victory weathervane, is now a free museum of Arizona history and government.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
What to pack
For highs near 35°C, lows near 21°C and 1 wet days: light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Phoenix?
A shoulder-season month. If your dates are flexible, November–April are better overall. Compare every month.
Phoenix in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Phoenix?
It is a shoulder-season month. Hot and very dry; resort prices start to drop.
+How warm is Phoenix in May?
Average highs are around 35°C (95°F) and lows around 21°C (70°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Phoenix in May?
Expect rain on about 1 days of the month, so it is usually dry.