Laguna Beach in May

Weather in May

NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the Laguna Beach station put the May average high at 75°F and the average low at 55°F. The low is the one that moves, rising more than four degrees from April’s 50°F.

Rain nearly stops. The normal May total is 0.20 inch, and the station averages 0.7 days with at least 0.10 inch. Compare that with 3.39 inches in February.

Cloud is another matter. NOAA’s JetStream page on the marine layer says the marine layer, air cooled by cold ocean water, can persist for days or weeks along the coasts of Central and Southern California and can bring low cloud or fog. Because it persists in early summer, NOAA says, people in Southern California often call it May Gray or June Gloom.

The sun sets at 7:34 p.m. on May 1, 2027, and at 7:56 p.m. on May 31, in Pacific Daylight Time, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory.

The ocean in May

As a guide to the water, NOAA’s San Pedro South buoy (station 46253) averaged about 62°F in May over 2015 to 2025. The buoy sits offshore, about 23 miles west of Laguna Beach, so its readings show the season and not the temperature at any one beach. The typical figure is 13 degrees below the average afternoon high on land.

What’s on in May

• Gate & Garden Tour. The Laguna Beach Garden Club lists its 22nd annual tour for May 1, 2027. It is a self-guided walking tour, and the club says the proceeds go to school gardens, scholarships and community projects.
• Sunset Serenades. The city holds free concerts on Fridays in May at the Heisler Park Amphitheater, running until sunset; the May 2025 concerts started at 6:30 p.m. The city encourages low-back beach chairs and the free trolley, with the nearest stop at Cliff Drive and Jasmine Street. See Heisler Park for the bluff-top park around the amphitheater, and the sunset spots guide for other places to watch the light.
• First Thursdays Art Walk. The walk is held on the first Thursday of every month, from 6 to 9 p.m. See the Art Walk page.
• Whales. NOAA Fisheries says gray whales migrate north along the West Coast through May. Visit Laguna Beach lists April and May for blue whales, and Dana Wharf gives May to November. The whale watching page lists operators and shore lookouts.

More of the year is in the events guide. June’s festival openings are in Laguna Beach in June, and April comes before.

Crowds and getting around

May is when the city adds a park-and-ride. The free Summer Breeze trolley runs from late May into September; the city’s current schedule lists May 22 to September 6. The loop starts at a lot at 16355 Laguna Canyon Road in Irvine near the I-405 and SR-133 interchange, and parking and the ride are free. Early service, May 22 to June 25, runs Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., every 30 minutes. The trolley stops at the art festival grounds on Laguna Canyon Road and downtown.

Until June 25, 2027, the city’s off-season trolley schedule still applies on the Coastal Route. The getting around guide has details, and the parking guide covers lots, meters and permits.

What to pack

• Layers that come off. The average high of 75°F and average low of 55°F are 20 degrees apart.
• A light jacket for gray days. NOAA says the early-summer marine layer can bring low cloud or fog to the coast.
• Rain gear is optional. With 0.7 days of at least 0.10 inch, an umbrella is rarely needed.
• A seat for the amphitheater. The city encourages low-back beach chairs at Sunset Serenades.