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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Albany in May

Albany in May: 38% of days see measurable rain, 71°F average high, 27% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Albany in May is historically a poor month for sun: only 27% of days clear across 8 years (n=248, avg high 71°F). September is the clearest month for Albany historically. Historical average, not a forecast.

What you are reading: 8-year historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis, not a forecast. A month that is historically 90% clear can still be overcast on your specific trip. For this week’s actual forecast, see the live Albany page. Both can be true at once: “historically strong in this month; this particular week is not.” We label which is which.

Early vs. Late May

Clear-sky percentage for Albany in May, split by half-month. “n” is the number of days sampled across 8 years (2018–2025).
Period % Clear days Sample (n) Avg high
Early May
1st–15th		 13% n=120 71°F
Late May
16th–end		 40% n=128 71°F
Full month average 27% n=248 71°F

Sunshine & warmth in May

A second measure using actual sunshine hours (ERA5 sunshine_duration), not the daily weather code. A Lowcountry day with 12 hours of sun and a 25-minute afternoon storm is counted below as a warm, sunny day — because it was. How we define this.

Sunshine-based metrics for Albany in May. Primary: % of days ≥ 72°F with > 6 h of sunshine.
Period Warm & sunny (≥72°F, >6 h sun) Sample (n)
Early May
1st–15th		 29% n=120
Late May
16th–end		 64% n=128
Full month average 47% n=248
12.3 h median sunshine per day 72% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 38% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 27%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 47%. The 20-point gap is from brief afternoon convective storms that stamp the whole day as “rain” in the WMO code but leave the bulk of the sunshine untouched.

Bottom line

Albany is mostly overcast in May historically: only 27% of days are clear across 8 years (n=248), avg high 71°F. The two halves differ materially (13% early, 40% late) — favour the late half of the month. If you want sun in Albany, September is historically much better. Most visitors this month will see more clouds than sun.

→ See all destinations in September — historically the best month for sun in Albany.

Every month in Albany

Compare across all months with data. Numbers are historical clear-sky %.

Historical clear-sky % for Albany, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 0% n=248 All destinations →
February 0% n=226 All destinations →
March 0% n=248 All destinations →
April 4% n=240 All destinations →
May ← this page 27% n=248 All destinations →
June 36% n=240 All destinations →
July 37% n=248 All destinations →
August 34% n=248 All destinations →
September 38% n=240 All destinations →
October 10% n=248 All destinations →
November 0% n=240 All destinations →
December 0% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Albany in May?

Sometimes. Albany sees measurable rain on 38% of days in May historically (n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Albany good for sun in May?

Not usually. Albany is historically overcast in May: only 27% of days are clear (avg high 71°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025). September is historically far better for sun here.

How Albany compares in May

Head-to-head clear-sky comparisons against destinations travelers plausibly weigh against Albany this month — same passport tier, similar flight distance, both sides from the same 8-year ERA5 record.

All percentages are historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 8 full years (2018–2025). “Clear” means avg high ≥ 72 °F, precipitation < 1 mm, and a non-precipitation weather code. This is history, not a forecast. The live 7-day outlook for any destination is on its own page and may differ from the long-run average. Data from Open-Meteo.