Montreal May Weather

By Evelyn Reid

Updated 01/30/18

Montreal weather in May is beautiful. Sometimes rainy.
••• Loic Lagarde / Getty Images

May is a lovely month to be in Montreal. Not only does it feel like spring, it looks like the season too, with the second half of the month feeling almost summery, especially around noon.

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  • Average May temperature: 13.4ºC / 56.12ºF
  • Average May high (day): 18.9ºC / 66.02ºF
  • Average May low (night): 7.9ºC / 46.22ºF
  • Record high: 34.7ºC / 94.46ºF
  • Record low: -4.4ºC / 24.08ºF

 

Montreal May Weather: What to Wear

Anticipate storing winter duds away and showing a bit of skin. May is clement and pleasant though chilly in the evening, especially the first half of the month. Locals typically layer things up if they plan on staying out from morning till night.

By the second half of the month, midday is typically very warm, almost like summer at times, hence the importance of layering. A thick sweater will likely lead to overheating by lunchtime so remember to wear a light, airy blouse or t-shirt underneath.

If travelling to Montreal in May, consider adding to a lightweight, packable jacket to your arsenal along with a light scarf made of cotton, linen or of the pashmina variety.

Visiting Montreal in May? Pack:

  • long sleeved shirts, sweaters, short-sleeved and sleeveless shirts to be layered with cardigans, fleece and outerwear
  • cardigans, wraps, blazers, jackets, windbreakers, trench coats
  • pants (long or cropped), jeans, skirts/dresses with or without tights, leggings
  • closed toe shoes, open-toe shoes and sandals, boots
  • sunglasses and sunscreen; a sunhat may be useful

 

The Events

The frenzy of Montreal's summer festival season is several weeks away come May. Yet there's a palpable sense of joy and optimism as locals collectively sigh with relief that winter is finally over. People start going out more and stay out later, noshing on late night foods before and after heading out to the clubs. And annual events like the Tam Tams and Piknic Electronik's Sunday dance party in the park pick where they left off in the fall.

 

The Lifestyle

It's that time of the year when locals celebrate the end of a long winter by getting outside and walking around, taking out their bicycles for a day of fresh air, cycling through Montreal's major parks, or heading out to Montreal's public markets for a peek at local produce and foodie treats.

*Source: Environment Canada. Average temperatures, extremes and precipitation data retrieved March 28, 2017. All information is subject to quality assurance checks by Environment Canada and may change without notice. Note that all weather statistics as presented above are averages compiled from weather data collected over a 30-year period.

**Note that light showers, rain and/or snow may overlap on the same day.

For example, if Month X features an average of 10 days of light showers, 10 days of heavier rain and 10 days of snowfall, that does not mean that 30 days of Month X are typically characterized by precipitation. It could mean that, on average, 10 days of Month X could feature light showers, rain and snow within a 24-hour period.