‹ Outer Banks weather by month
Typical May weather
Outer Banks
North Carolina · May
75° days
60° nights
about 6 rainy days · 14 hours of daylight · ocean 71°
What to pack
- Swimsuit
- Sunscreen
What May feels like
By May the two-lane stretch of Highway 12 has real traffic on it and every cottage turns over on Saturday morning. The water has warmed enough that kids go in without complaint, which is the local definition of the season starting.
Expect about 6 days with real rain — enough to notice, not enough to plan around.
Can you swim?
The ocean runs about 71° — comfortable for swimming.
The numbers
| Typical high | 75° |
|---|---|
| Typical low | 60° |
| Days with real rain | 6 |
| Total rain | 3.5 in |
| Water temperature | 71° |
| Sunrise / sunset (mid-month) | 5:56 am / 8:01 pm |