The month of May set numerous weather records dealing with warm to hot temperatures and lack of rainfall. The most notable categories are listed below, including the warmest mean temperature, making May 2023 the warmest May in the record book for PDX (airport records date back to 1941).
The final temperature report shows an average high of 75.5 degrees, the 2nd warmest all time. The average low set the all-time record for warm nights at 53.1 degrees. It is worth noting that the low temperature of 62 degrees May 14th, tied the all-time record for warmest low temperature in the month of May.
Daily high temperature records for May 2023 at PDX: 90 degrees on the 12th, 93 on the 13th and 92 on the 14th. The high temperature of 92 on the 15th was not a record for the date, but did set the all-time mark for consecutive 90 degree days in the month of May at four. The record for consecutive 80 degree days was set at 9 days.
Record high-low temperatures for overnight numbers last month: 57 degrees on the 13th, 62 on the 14th, 61 on the 15th, 60 on the 18th and 58
degrees May 20th.
It should be noted that the low total precipitation amount of .91" failed to make the top 5 list for driest Mays, but was only 36% of the normal 2.51 inches. The driest May on record at PDX recorded 1/10" of total rainfall back in 1992.
Weather records for PDX are courtesy of the National Weather Service.
Meteorologist Rod Hill
Record May Heat