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Coldest sea in North America in May

5,500 coastal locations in North America ranked by typical May sea temperature, coldest first. Region-wide average in May: 15.1°C.

Coldest in May

Grise Fiord

-1.7°C May mean in Canada

Regional May average

15.1°C

across all 5,500 coastal locations in North America

Vs annual mean

-0.1°C

below the year-round regional average

What the North America sea feels like in May

At this temperature, water will feel cold compared to a swimming pool, but with a bit of experience and practice most people will find the water relatively comfortable to swim in.

North America monthly average 9.3°C to 21.6°C
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  • Warmest month August 21.6°C
  • Coldest month February 9.3°C
  • Annual mean 15.2°C
  • Months above 20°C 3 of 12

Where May fits in the year

May sits inside the regional pattern shown on the left. Pick a different month to see how the ranking shifts.

All twelve North America month rankings:

North America sea temperature map (live)

The map shows today's latest reading at every North America location. The list below is based on the typical May mean.

Zoom in to see individual locations. Click a pin for water temperatures. View list →
°C -2 0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 24 27 30 35

Top 50 coldest North America locations in May

Sorted by typical May mean from a decade of daily readings, coldest first. Click any place for the full location page.

# Location May mean
1 Grise Fiord Nunavut -1.7°C
2 Cameron Island Nunavut -1.7°C
3 Iceberg Point Nunavut -1.7°C
4 Wrangel Bay Nunavut -1.7°C
5 Airstrip Point Nunavut -1.7°C
6 Cape Espenberg, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.7°C
7 Brevoort Harbour Nunavut -1.6°C
8 Alert Nunavut -1.6°C
9 Cape Sheridan Nunavut -1.6°C
10 Radstock Bay Nunavut -1.6°C
11 Cape Krusenstern, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.6°C
12 Hamilton Island Nunavut -1.6°C
13 Kivalina Alaska -1.6°C
14 Beechey Island Nunavut -1.6°C
15 Cape Kater Nunavut -1.6°C
16 Erebus Bay Nunavut -1.6°C
17 Cape Capel Nunavut -1.6°C
18 Discovery Harbour Nunavut -1.6°C
19 Fury Point Nunavut -1.6°C
20 Dundas Harbour Nunavut -1.6°C
21 Sévigny Point Nunavut -1.6°C
22 Red Dog Dock Alaska -1.6°C
23 Shishmaref Inlet 2 Alaska -1.6°C
24 Cambridge Bay Nunavut -1.6°C
25 Port Burwell Nunavut -1.6°C
Show 25 more ▸
26 Kotzebue, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.6°C
27 Doctor Island Nunavut -1.6°C
28 Rigby Bay Nunavut -1.6°C
29 Ford Harbour Newfoundland and Labrador -1.6°C
30 Kivitoo Nunavut -1.6°C
31 Postville Newfoundland and Labrador -1.6°C
32 Quaqtaq (Koartac) Quebec -1.6°C
33 Sugluk Québec -1.6°C
34 Goodhope Bay, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.6°C
35 Cape Dyer Nunavut -1.5°C
36 Cape Skogn Nunavut -1.5°C
37 Isachsen Nunavut -1.5°C
38 Martin Islands Nunavut -1.5°C
39 Resolute Nunavut -1.5°C
40 Shoal Tickle Newfoundland and Labrador -1.5°C
41 Norton Island Nunavut -1.5°C
42 Port de Boucherville Nunavut -1.5°C
43 Whale Cove Nunavut -1.5°C
44 Barrow (offshore) Alaska -1.5°C
45 Deering, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.5°C
46 Flaxman Island Alaska -1.5°C
47 Crown Prince Frederick Island Nunavut -1.5°C
48 Davis Inlet Newfoundland and Labrador -1.5°C
49 Deception Bay Quebec -1.5°C
50 Little Cornwallis Island Nunavut -1.5°C

Warmest 10 in North America in May

Same data the other way. The warmest spots for the same month.

# Location May mean
1 Puerto Arista Chiapas 30.5°C
2 Puerto Chiapas Chiapas 30.5°C
3 Mazunte Oaxaca 29.9°C
4 San Agustinillo Oaxaca 29.9°C
5 Zipolite beach Oaxaca 29.9°C
6 Pochutla Oaxaca 29.9°C
7 Puerto Angel Oaxaca 29.9°C
8 Puerto Salina Cruz Oaxaca 29.8°C
9 La Libertad Chiapas 29.8°C
10 Salina Cruz Oaxaca 29.8°C

More on this region