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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Charlottesville in May

Charlottesville in May: 40% of days see measurable rain, 77°F average high, 32% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Charlottesville in May is historically a poor month for sun: only 32% of days clear across 8 years (n=248, avg high 77°F). 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 Charlottesville 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 Charlottesville 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		 25% n=120 77°F
Late May
16th–end		 38% n=128 77°F
Full month average 32% n=248 77°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 Charlottesville 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		 61% n=120
Late May
16th–end		 73% n=128
Full month average 67% n=248
11.9 h median sunshine per day 73% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 40% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 32%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 67%. The 35-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

Charlottesville is mostly overcast in May historically: only 32% of days are clear across 8 years (n=248), avg high 77°F. Most visitors this month will see more clouds than sun.

Every month in Charlottesville

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

Historical clear-sky % for Charlottesville, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 0% n=248 All destinations →
February 1% n=226 All destinations →
March 5% n=248 All destinations →
April 24% n=240 All destinations →
May ← this page 32% n=248 All destinations →
June 48% n=240 All destinations →
July 37% n=248 All destinations →
August 40% n=248 All destinations →
September 46% n=240 All destinations →
October 29% n=248 All destinations →
November 4% n=240 All destinations →
December 0% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Charlottesville in May?

Sometimes. Charlottesville sees measurable rain on 40% of days in May historically (n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Charlottesville good for sun in May?

It's mixed. Charlottesville in May is clear on 32% of days historically (avg high 77°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — the outcome varies year to year.

How Charlottesville compares in May

Head-to-head clear-sky comparisons against destinations travelers plausibly weigh against Charlottesville 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.