SeasonMapCambridge weather in May
United Kingdom
May in Cambridge: nice, a little rain, with clean air — an excellent time to visit.
#5 of 12 months in Cambridge · #552 of 1383 destinations to visit in May · comfort 83/100 (tier A)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Cambridge in May
Other months in Cambridge
Cambridge's forum calls August generally as good as English weather gets, though a bad year can turn genuinely wet. Regulars describe a mix of hot clear days and cool, cloudy ones with sudden rain, and specifically flag an easterly wind as capable of feeling bitterly cold even in high summer — summery clothes plus a rain layer covers it.
Add your own note from Cambridge's card on the map.
Cambridge climate normals — May
| Daytime high | 18°C / 64°F | 😎 nice |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 8°C / 46°F | |
| Feels like (high) | 16°C / 61°F | |
| Rainfall | 46 mm / 1.8 in | 🌦 some rain |
| Rainy days | 7 days | |
| Humidity | 75% | 💧 humid |
| Dew point | 8°C / 47°F | |
| Sunshine | 10.2 h/day | |
| Daylight | 15.7 h | |
| Wind | 20 km/h / 12 mph | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 41 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Cambridge in May
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
BusyLate-May half-term in United Kingdom, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Cambridge's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Fair weatherCambridge's weather peaks June–August, best around July.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Cambridge in May
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Punting season
15 Mar – 31 Oct · usuallySummer season opensThe chauffeured punts and the touts on Magdalene Bridge appear with the first warm weekend and are gone by November. The Backs from the water is the one view the colleges cannot charge you for.
- Closure
Colleges shut for exam term
20 Apr – 20 Jun · usuallyMost colleges close their courts and chapels to visitors through the exam term in May and early June, and the ones that open charge and restrict where you can walk. Check the individual college before you queue. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Cambridge — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Cambridge?
Cambridge in May — FAQ
- Is May a good time to visit Cambridge?
- May in Cambridge: nice, a little rain, with clean air — an excellent time to visit. It ranks #5 of 12 months for Cambridge on SeasonMap's comfort score (83/100).
- What is the weather like in Cambridge in May?
- In May, Cambridge averages a daily high of 17.8°C and a low of 7.9°C, with about 46 mm of rain over roughly 7 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Cambridge in May?
- Cambridge has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 41 in May.
Other months in Cambridge
Compare Cambridge in May
Warmer or cooler than Cambridge in May
Similar destinations in Northern Europe — May
Within 300 km: Oxford's May Morning on 1 May, and Birmingham's Birmingham Pride around 20 May – 1 Jun.