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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

New Orleans in May

New Orleans in May: 46% of days see measurable rain, 84°F average high, 30% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

New Orleans in May is historically a poor month for sun: only 30% of days clear across 8 years (n=248, avg high 84°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 New Orleans 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 New Orleans 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		 40% n=120 84°F
Late May
16th–end		 21% n=128 84°F
Full month average 30% n=248 84°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 New Orleans 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		 89% n=120
Late May
16th–end		 95% n=128
Full month average 92% n=248
12.4 h median sunshine per day 86% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 46% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 30%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 92%. The 62-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

New Orleans is mostly overcast in May historically: only 30% of days are clear across 8 years (n=248), avg high 84°F. Most visitors this month will see more clouds than sun.

Every month in New Orleans

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

Historical clear-sky % for New Orleans, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 2% n=248 All destinations →
February 6% n=226 All destinations →
March 15% n=248 All destinations →
April 34% n=240 All destinations →
May ← this page 30% n=248 All destinations →
June 14% n=240 All destinations →
July 7% n=248 All destinations →
August 15% n=248 All destinations →
September 28% n=240 All destinations →
October 42% n=248 All destinations →
November 20% n=240 All destinations →
December 6% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in New Orleans in May?

Sometimes. New Orleans sees measurable rain on 46% of days in May historically (n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is New Orleans good for sun in May?

It's mixed. New Orleans in May is clear on 30% of days historically (avg high 84°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — the outcome varies year to year.

How New Orleans compares in May

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