NYC soaked with nearly double the average amount of rainfall in wet, gloomy May

New York Post

4 days ago

The spring has sprung a leak.
New Yorkers are ready to dry off after an un-brella-ievably wet May — which soaked the city with nearly double the average amount of rainfall the month typically records.
The Big Apple has seen roughly 6 inches of rain in May, with a couple of days still to go, according to meteorologists. That is significantly gloomier than the average of 3.5 inches.
In fact, more than half of the month — 18 days — recorded precipitation, forecasts show.
'We've almost doubled our monthly rain total for the month and we've got a few more days to go,' Fox News Meteorologist Jordan Overton told The Post on Thursday.
Overton said there's no real reason for the damp days, other than May weather is typically 'active.'
'It's typical in May that the United States goes through its active period, which is why we've seen severe weather in the Central States,' he explained.
'And then the leftovers are typically what we deal with in the Northeast.'
The meteorologist also addressed the groaning from fed-up New Yorkers that the temperature should be higher by now.
'There have been some comments about maybe it should be warmer right now, but we're actually not too far off from average,' Overton said.
The average temperature this month has been about 69.5 degrees, which is only slightly cooler than the May average of about 71 degrees.
6 New Yorkers walked through midtown with umbrellas on Thursday.
Robert Miller
6 Teacher Adriana Gordon, 26, said the nasty weather made her late for work on Thursday.
Georgett Roberts/NYPost
But sunny skies and rising mercury are on the way.
'We're about to turn the page into June when it should be getting warmer,' the meteorologist assured.
The average June temperature in the city is 80 degrees, which could be hit as soon as next week.
The warmer weather will be a welcome relief for many Big Apple residents.
'Rain, rain go away, come back early next May,' sang Jackson Heights resident Noelle Senior, 75, at the Roosevelt Avenue train station Thursday morning.
'We're looking forward to beautiful summer weather now.'
Fox News Meteorologist Stephanie Van Oppen also insisted that the dreary May days are not indicative of how wet the summer will be.
6 Bes Stephenson said she was still wearing her leather coat on Thursday — just days before June.
Georgett Roberts/NYPost
6 The rain has caused problems for commuters.
Robert Miller
Senior, who was wearing a winter jacket, said she can't stand the 'unusual, unpredictable' weather but she refuses to stay at home.
'I want to go outside to do things, to see people,' she said.
'Going outside is good for my mental health. My God, it's helpful. It gets you mentally stressed out to stay inside.'
Adriana Gordon, 26, grumbled about running 15 minutes late on Thursday morning because the buses and trains seem to be slower in the rain.
The Brooklyn teacher said the drizzle has been 'messing with her psyche' because she hasn't been able to start gardening yet.
6 Some students shelter from the rain during the Commencement Ceremony at Columbia University on May 21, 2025.
via REUTERS
6 Six inches of rain has fallen in New York City this month.
Robert Miller
One of the other big challenges dealing with this spring's capricious weather, she added, has been figuring out what to wear.
'You never know what you are going to get. It rains and gets cold, then it stops and it's sunny. Sometimes I peel off layers,' she said.
But it is 'still better than the snow,' she joked.
Bes Stephenson, a business funding agent from Far Rockaway, was getting off the E train in Jamaica and anticipating slow-moving traffic as she readied to board a bus.
She said she had to buy a costly new wig after spring showers left her old one 'a mess' and was still wearing her leather coat for warmth just days before June.
'[The rain] affects my schedule and stuff. I am inconvenienced. It threw me off my schedule. I couldn't get as much done because of the delays on the road,' Stephenson said.