Yosemite Weather in May

May is Yosemite's turning point: winter's grip breaks, the Valley floor goes green, and waterfalls are running at or near their loudest. Snowmelt from the high country pours down Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, and the Merced River, while afternoons in the Valley climb into the 60s and 70s. It's a month of contrasts, a warm, sunny morning in the Valley can turn to rain by afternoon, and the high country above Tuolumne Meadows is often still buried in snow. If you want to see Yosemite's waterfalls at their most dramatic, May is one of the best windows of the year to do it, especially before the crowds of June and July arrive.

Expect Valley-floor highs around 72°F and overnight lows near 42°F by month's end, with early May running several degrees cooler on both ends of that range. Rain is still a factor, May averages about 1.3 inches of precipitation, often arriving as a passing afternoon shower rather than an all-day soak, and snow at Valley elevation is essentially done for the season. You'll get roughly 14 hours of daylight, some of the longest of the year, which is a big help for early starts on longer hikes. The bigger swing is elevation: Yosemite Valley sits around 4,000 feet, while Tuolumne Meadows is near 8,600 feet, and that gap can mean a 20 to 30°F temperature difference along with lingering snowpack the Valley shed weeks earlier.

May carries a crowd rating of 2 out of 5 early in the month, climbing toward moderate-to-high by Memorial Day weekend as the season's first real surge of visitors arrives. Early May is genuinely one of the quieter stretches left on the calendar, the waterfalls are at their peak, but school is still in session and summer travelers haven't shown up yet. That balance shifts fast in the back half of the month: this is peak waterfall season, but also a busy shoulder month once Memorial Day hits. If you can travel before the third week of May, you'll get big-water views with meaningfully thinner crowds than June brings.

This is the month to prioritize waterfalls and Valley-floor trails while the high country stays locked up. The Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls is running loud and full, Bridalveil Fall and Yosemite Falls are both near peak flow, and flat walks like the Valley Loop Trail or Cook's Meadow put you in view of Half Dome without the elevation gain. Dogwood blooms and wildflowers add color to the Valley floor. Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road are typically still closed this time of year, so Tuolumne Meadows, Tenaya Lake, and Glacier Point itself are usually off the table until the road opens, which varies year to year with snowpack. Half Dome's cables normally go up around Memorial Day weekend, so early-May hikers shouldn't plan around having them in place, check current status before you commit to that hike.

Pack in layers, a 30-degree swing between a cool morning and a warm afternoon is normal, and it's not unusual to start the day in a fleece and finish in a t-shirt. Bring a rain jacket, since May showers can move in with little warning, and waterproof or water-resistant footwear for trails that stay muddy from snowmelt and runoff long after a storm passes. Trekking poles earn their keep on slick granite steps, especially on the Mist Trail where spray keeps the rock wet all day. Sunscreen rated SPF 50+ matters even on overcast days, and if your plans include any elevation gain toward the high country's edge, pack an extra layer for the cold that shows up fast once you're above the Valley floor.

Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road are almost always still closed in May, they typically reopen sometime between late May and June depending on that winter's snowpack, so don't build a high-country day around a specific date. The bigger hazard this month is the water itself: peak snowmelt means rivers and creeks are running high, fast, and dangerously cold, and staying behind railings near the top of Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, and Yosemite Falls isn't optional advice, people have died wading or swimming above these drops. If Half Dome's cables happen to be up before Memorial Day, skip them in any rain or thunderstorm forecast, wet granite on that final pitch has been fatal. Expect muddy, uneven footing on Valley trails as snowmelt runs off, and plan for cool mornings even when the afternoon forecast looks warm.