May 2023 Weather Recap: Sunny & Dry Conditions Prevail
"Blue skies smilin' at me,Nothin' but blue skies do I see"
- Willie Nelson
May 2023 in New York brought to mind Willie Nelson's song "Blue Skies" as there was an overabundance of sunny or clear skies. After the month began damp, chilly, and overcast (thru 5/5), 24 of the next 26 days saw either sunny or clear skies.
With just 1.28" of rain measured in Central Park, May 2023 was the driest May since 1964 and the 13th driest May overall. It had the same amount of precipitation as February (which was the 10th driest February). Much of the month's rain, 0.77", fell on 5/20.
May's 14 days with humidity levels of 25% or lower was the most of any month this century (passing April 2010 which had 13); 11 of these days were consecutive, between 5/7 and 5/17. May's previous most days of low humidity was seven (in 2014 and 2007).
The month was slightly cooler than average (-0.5 degrees) due to the average low, which was 1.4 degrees below average. This was the first month this year with a below average temperature. (Thru April, 2023 was about five degrees warmer than average.)
There was a 10-day period that had temperatures five degrees above average (May 7-16). The other days of the month were three degrees below average.
After having two days with highs in the 90s in April, May's warmest reading was 87° (5/12). The chilliest reading, 43°, came six days later. And May's mildest low reading of 66° was lower than April's (70°). The two days with lows in the 60s were the fewest in May since 2005.
The first 19 days of May had 0.42" of rain, which was similar to the 0.40" of rain that fell in the first 21 days of April.
On average May is 9.5 degrees warmer than April. This year it was 5.1 degrees milder. Only six other Mays have been closer to April's average temperature: 1945 (3.6 degrees milder); 2005 (3.8 degrees milder); 2017 (3.9 degrees milder); 2002 (4.6 degrees milder); 1968 (4.6 degrees milder); and 1915 (4.6 degrees).
Here are recaps of the previous eight Mays:
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