Florida weather in May
The state broadly agrees with itself in May: afternoons run 90° in Fort Myers and 84° in Destin, with everywhere else in between.
Based on 14 weather stations. Fourteen stations, Key West to Pensacola — enough to see the state’s real gradient, which on winter nights puts the Panhandle some twenty degrees below the Keys.
Atlantic Coast
Highs 85–87°, nights 66–74°, and 3.7–6.3 in of rain in a typical May.
| Place | Highs / lows | Wet days | The short version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 87° / 73° | 7 | Storms come back on schedule; mornings still belong to you. |
| Fort Lauderdale | 86° / 74° | 7 | Wet season knocks; the water is finally perfect. |
| Daytona Beach | 85° / 66° | 5 | Ocean warms up while the sky stays generous. |
| St. Augustine | 85° / 67° | 5 | Beach weather lands and the crowds haven't caught up. |
The Keys
Highs near 86°, nights around 76°, and 3.1 in of rain in a typical May.
| Place | Highs / lows | Wet days | The short version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key West | 86° / 76° | 4 | The sea turns soft and the showers start wandering in. |
Gulf Coast
Highs 87–90°, nights 68–71°, and 2.6–3.5 in of rain in a typical May.
| Place | Highs / lows | Wet days | The short version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa | 88° / 71° | 4 | Hot afternoons arrive; the rain hasn't yet. |
| Clearwater | 87° / 70° | 4 | Peak swimming, and the sky still behaving itself. |
| Sarasota | 88° / 68° | 4 | Beach-perfect and dry, if you can handle the heat. |
| Fort Myers | 90° / 69° | 5 | Hot and bright, with the first storms building inland. |
| Naples | 88° / 70° | 5 | Heat settles in before the rain does. |
Central Florida
Highs near 88°, nights around 66°, and 4.0 in of rain in a typical May.
| Place | Highs / lows | Wet days | The short version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando | 88° / 66° | 6 | The heat arrives — do your walking before nine. |
The Panhandle
Highs 84–85°, nights 66–68°, and 3.2–3.9 in of rain in a typical May.
| Place | Highs / lows | Wet days | The short version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Destin | 84° / 68° | 4 | The month everything works — water warm, sky dry. |
| Panama City Beach | 85° / 66° | 4 | Everything you booked this beach for, all at once. |
| Pensacola | 85° / 67° | 5 | The beach month — warm water, sun, and less rain. |
Each place above has its own page for the full story — what the month feels like, what to pack, and whether the timing is right.