Sun, sea & sand

Hilton Head Island weather in May

Temperature, sea and sunshine in May: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.

87

Holiday weather in May

Excellent

Best time to visit: May – October

What is the weather like in Hilton Head Island in May?

In May, Hilton Head Island is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 20 °C. The sea averages 23.3 °C – pleasant for swimming. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain falls on about 9 days, adding up to 66 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, May is an excellent month for a holiday in Hilton Head Island.

May compared

How the weather changes from April to June. Tap a month to open it.

AprilAprMayMayJuneJun
Score598780
Day22°26°29°
Night16°20°24°
Sea19°23°27°
Sun8 h8 h8 h
Rain days7915

More details for May

Daylight
13 h 47 min06:26 – 20:12
UV index
11 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
Muggy days
18 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
Wind
21 km/haverage daily peakAll months
Cloud cover
48 %on averageAll months
Hot days
2 days30 °C or moreAll months
Time zone
UTC−4America/New_York

How the score comes together

  • Temperatureweight 35 %100 %
  • Seaweight 25 %90 %
  • Sunshineweight 20 %83 %
  • Few rainy daysweight 20 %66 %

Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.

What to pack in May

  • Swimwear
  • Sunscreen
  • Sunglasses & sun hat
  • Light, breathable clothes
  • Insect repellent
  • Rain jacket or umbrella

Hilton Head Island in May: quick answers

Is Hilton Head Island hot in May?

Warm rather than hot: in May, daytime highs in Hilton Head Island average 26 °C and nights cool to about 20 °C. On about 2 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more.

Can you swim in Hilton Head Island in May?

Yes. In May the sea averages 23.3 °C – pleasant for swimming.

Does it rain much in Hilton Head Island in May?

Rain falls on about 9 days, adding up to 66 mm.

Hilton Head Island month by month

Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences