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Coldest sea in United States in May

4,477 coastal locations in United States ranked by typical May sea temperature, coldest first. Region-wide average in May: 16.4°C.

Coldest in May

Cape Espenberg, Kotzebue Sound

-1.7°C May mean in United States

Regional May average

16.4°C

across all 4,477 coastal locations in United States

Vs annual mean

+0.2°C

above the year-round regional average

What the United States 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.

United States monthly average 10.0°C to 22.6°C
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  • Warmest month August 22.6°C
  • Coldest month February 10.0°C
  • Annual mean 16.2°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 United States month rankings:

United States sea temperature map (live)

The map shows today's latest reading at every United States 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 United States 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 Cape Espenberg, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.7°C
2 Cape Krusenstern, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.6°C
3 Kivalina Alaska -1.6°C
4 Red Dog Dock Alaska -1.6°C
5 Shishmaref Inlet 2 Alaska -1.6°C
6 Kotzebue, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.6°C
7 Goodhope Bay, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.6°C
8 Barrow (offshore) Alaska -1.5°C
9 Deering, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.5°C
10 Flaxman Island Alaska -1.5°C
11 Barter Island Alaska -1.5°C
12 Point Barrow, Alaska Alaska -1.5°C
13 Point Barrow Alaska -1.5°C
14 Point Hope Alaska -1.5°C
15 Prudhoe Bay #2 Alaska -1.5°C
16 Barrow Alaska -1.5°C
17 Prudhoe Bay Alaska -1.4°C
18 Kiwalik, Kotzebue Sound, Alaska Alaska -1.4°C
19 Fossil River entrance, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska Alaska -1.4°C
20 Tin City, Bering Sea Alaska -1.4°C
21 Cross Island (Dinkum Sands) Alaska -1.4°C
22 Teller, Port Clarance, Norton Sound, Alaska Alaska -1.4°C
23 Teller, Port Clarence Alaska -1.4°C
24 Northeast Cape, St. Lawrence Island Alaska -1.3°C
25 Kotzebue Alaska -1.3°C
Show 25 more ▸
26 Maknik Lagoon entrance, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska Alaska -1.3°C
27 Fort Peck Lake Montana -1.2°C
28 Outside Lopp Lagoon Alaska -1.2°C
29 Lost River, Seward Peninsula Alaska -1.2°C
30 Lake Sakakawea North Dakota -1.1°C
31 Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island Alaska -1.1°C
32 Point Spencer, Port Clarence, Norton Sound Alaska -1.0°C
33 Akeftapak, St. Lawrence Island Alaska -0.8°C
34 Powooiliak Point, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska Alaska -0.6°C
35 Apoon Mouth, Yukon River, Norton Sound, Alaska Alaska -0.5°C
36 Moghoweyik River entrance, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska Alaska -0.5°C
37 Nunam Iqua (Sheldon Point) Alaska -0.5°C
38 Nome, Norton Sound Alaska -0.3°C
39 St. Matthew Island, Bering Sea, Alaska Alaska -0.3°C
40 Pikmiktalik River entrance, Norton Sound, Alaska Alaska -0.1°C
41 Shaktoolik Alaska 0.3°C
42 North Bay, Stuart Island, Norton Sound, Alaska Alaska 0.4°C
43 Black, Black River, Bering Sea, Alaska Alaska 0.4°C
44 Mekoryuk, Mekoryuk River Entrance Alaska 0.5°C
45 Unalakleet Alaska 0.6°C
46 St. Michael, Norton Sound Alaska 0.8°C
47 Eastern Nunivak Island Alaska 0.8°C
48 Nome Alaska 0.8°C
49 Carolyn Island, Golovnin Bay, Alaska Alaska 0.9°C
50 Carolyn Island, Golovnin Bay, Norton Sound, Alaska Alaska 0.9°C

Warmest 10 in United States in May

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

# Location May mean
1 Howland Island Minor Outlying Islands 28.5°C
2 Lostmans River entrance, Florida Florida 28.4°C
3 Onion Key Bay Florida 28.4°C
4 Onion Key, Lostmans River, Florida Florida 28.4°C
5 Shark River entrance, Florida Florida 28.4°C
6 Cape Sable, East Cape, Florida Florida 28.4°C
7 Flamingo, Florida Bay, Florida Florida 28.4°C
8 Crane Keys, north side, Florida Bay, Florida Florida 28.2°C
9 Tavernier Creek, Hwy. 1 bridge, Hawk Channel, Florida Florida 28.2°C
10 East Bahia Honda Key, south end, Florida Bay, Florida Florida 28.2°C

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