Weather HHI in late May?

[TravelSFO]

We may be going to HHI in late May for a wedding!

We've never been there :-) How's the weather at that time and would it be a good vacation with a baby?

I have read some things about bicycling on the beach and golfing (although we're not golfers.)

[Egret1986]

We've always gone to HHI during May. We've gone as early as the first week and as late as the last week (Memorial Day week). The weather is beautiful. It's warm enough for the pools and ocean. The summer crowds haven't arrived. No jellyfish in the ocean. It never has rained when we've been there in May. If I were to purchase in HH, I would definitely want a mid- to late May week to use.

HHI will be great in May (in case you didn't gather that). I think it will be great with a baby. Biking on the bike trails and on the beach is fantastic. Bike rentals are abundant and I am sure you can rent the attachment for biking with baby. Personally, I don't see how anyone couldn't love Hilton Head, especially in May!

Go and you'll definitely enjoy!

[pcgirl54]

Wonderful,love May in HH.

[rdh1947]

Our Swallowtail week is about the 3rd week in May. The weather will be perfect and it won't be very crowded. My wife's three children and six grandchildren will all be there. One family also at Swallowtail and the other two families at the Marriott Barony Beach Club. We love Hilton Head in May.

[TravelSFO]

Oooooh. Thank you so much!

Now we need to decide which resort to stay at.

[Debbie0329]

I'm glad to hear about the nice weather in May - we'll be there May 20th through May 27th!

Thanks, Deb

[jme]

I have been going to HHI for 40+ years, and have been a multiple timeshare owner there for more than a decade. We only live 2.5 hrs from HHI (it's slightly southeast), so basically our weather is the same as that at HHI. We never go for a whole week in May, BUT we ALWAYS are there for Memorial Day weekend...sort of a last-minute thing each year, and we simply rent something. Kids are not totally out of school yet, so we cannot spend the whole week. ANYWAY, May can be very very iffy, and if a cold front (or even a "cool front", is moving thru, you will never even think about going into the water , definitely NOT in the ocean (which warms up during June only) and only in the heated pools. Regular pools? NOT. Our kids have tried to use the outdoor pools during Mem. Day weekend many times, and it's just too cool...they have blue lips and are shaking. fun? maybe for them, but they're cold and just won't admit it, but it's obvious. They're afraid the adults will make them get out and go inside, so they smile and shake! The only option, then, would be to stay at a resort where there's an indoor pool, like Marriott's Barony or Grande Ocean...then it doesn't matter. So, don't be disappointed if you do have a very cool week there , even at the end of May. Even without that cold front, the ocean is not yet swimmable, unless you're from Vermont or something and are cold-blooded. I seldom see folks in the ocean in May...only those geting their ankles wet while walking along in the surf. And the pools? Only if heated!!!! Hottubs? yes. And there are very few of those who venture into the heated pools because of the breezes above water. Very few. May is a great time for sports, like golf and tennis and biking, but not for water stuff. I have lived my whole life within 2.5 hrs of HHI, and I know the temps, and anything from April to May can be very iffy. The very coldest week we EVER had there was once during the first week of April. Too cold to even get out and walk on the beach. We tried to attend the Heritage Golf Tournament, but we froze and had to leave. May is pleasant in general, but definitely NOT warm....at least, not by southern standards. Of course, Ohioians and Chicago/Pittsburgers love it no matter. It's all relative. but be prepared . Just a warning. It's NOT pool weather just yet. Only young kids with blue lips. Good luck anyway. jme

[pcgirl54]

Marty
You are the HH guru for sure and so lucky to,live nearby.I must have lucked out. Both mid to late May trips it was high 80's-mid 90's and DH was in the water,I was on the beach. I was in the outdoor pools and I never swim unless it's really hot. My adult sons could not believe I could swim at all.

Late October it was walk on the beach and nothing else 50-60. This 5th trip we are trying late September.

[Deb from NC]

We bough a late (last week) May week on HHI to add to our November
HHI week, and the husband complains that
it's too hot then! (Last year it was hi 80's and hi humidity) . We were
able to swim in both the ocean and the pool. We haven't hit a cold May
week yet....but haven't had that week for very long...November is
definitely better for golf!
Deb

[jme]

OK, let's agree that it's iffy....we've been too many times for Memorial Day weekend when it was just too cold to get in the water, and we're not wimpy either. May is quite iffy, and seldom in the 90's . I think you may have experienced the exception rather than the rule. May is wonderful there, for sure, BUT don't be disappointed if the WATER temps are a bit too cool. Everything else is fantastic. I certainly HOPE everyone's May experience is warm.....you know how much I love HHI! Just wanted to get the truth out. could be 75....could be 55. Both are normal! It takes the water quite a while to warm up for comfortable swimming------ both the ocean and the pools.... jme

[pcgirl54]

Iffy is fine because I'm used to living in New England. But then again HHI is still prettier and warmer. I love it too! We talk about it almost daily.

[jwq387]

Originally Posted by jme

I have been going to HHI for 40+ years, and have been a multiple timeshare owner there for more than a decade. We only live 2.5 hrs from HHI (it's slightly southeast), so basically our weather is the same as that at HHI. We never go for a whole week in May, BUT we ALWAYS are there for Memorial Day weekend...sort of a last-minute thing each year, and we simply rent something. Kids are not totally out of school yet, so we cannot spend the whole week. ANYWAY, May can be very very iffy, and if a cold front (or even a "cool front", is moving thru, you will never even think about going into the water , definitely NOT in the ocean (which warms up during June only) and only in the heated pools. Regular pools? NOT. Our kids have tried to use the outdoor pools during Mem. Day weekend many times, and it's just too cool...they have blue lips and are shaking. fun? maybe for them, but they're cold and just won't admit it, but it's obvious. They're afraid the adults will make them get out and go inside, so they smile and shake! The only option, then, would be to stay at a resort where there's an indoor pool, like Marriott's Barony or Grande Ocean...then it doesn't matter. So, don't be disappointed if you do have a very cool week there , even at the end of May. Even without that cold front, the ocean is not yet swimmable, unless you're from Vermont or something and are cold-blooded. I seldom see folks in the ocean in May...only those geting their ankles wet while walking along in the surf. And the pools? Only if heated!!!! Hottubs? yes. And there are very few of those who venture into the heated pools because of the breezes above water. Very few. May is a great time for sports, like golf and tennis and biking, but not for water stuff. I have lived my whole life within 2.5 hrs of HHI, and I know the temps, and anything from April to May can be very iffy. The very coldest week we EVER had there was once during the first week of April. Too cold to even get out and walk on the beach. We tried to attend the Heritage Golf Tournament, but we froze and had to leave. May is pleasant in general, but definitely NOT warm....at least, not by southern standards. Of course, Ohioians and Chicago/Pittsburgers love it no matter. It's all relative. but be prepared . Just a warning. It's NOT pool weather just yet. Only young kids with blue lips. Good luck anyway. jme

I hate to disagree with an expert, but.... I don't live near HHI, but have been going there every year for 30 years. We went Memorial Day week 4 years ago-85-90 degrees. I spent four years in Weather Forecasting in the Navy, so I definitely keep track of the actual statistics. I say, late May, in a vast majority of cases, will yield mid-high 80's and humid, occasionally 90's, and of course occasionally 70's. Its not fair to lump April and May together in a comparison of HHI weather, IMHO, just as I wouldn't lump together weather in Cleveland, my hometown, for the same two months. Again, JMHO, but since I did this for a living, and I check the weather websites for HHI regularly,(we own two homes down there) I feel confident in saying late May is VERY WARM in HHI a vast majority of the time. BTW, when we went that Memorial Day week, we stayed at the Sea Side Villas at FOrest Beach. The beach and the water were pretty crowded, but I can't attest to how warm it was. We did go into the pool at the Villa(it is shady) and found the pool unheated and warm. We also used our unheated community pool at Moss Creek the first week of June last year, and found it warm. But again, this is just one family's experience. The average maximum air temperature for the last week of May, according to climatological data is 83 degrees, the average low is 64 degrees, not Mid-high 80's-my bad. The average ocean temperature for May is 75 degrees, while June average is 82 degrees. Can we assume the average ocean temp. for HHI in the last week of May is probably somewhere between 75-82 degrees? Go, go and enjoy.

[MULTIZ321]

Here's a link for HHI Historical Weather & Beach Info

Richard

P.S. and here's a link from Weather.com listing the HHI daily historical weather info for the month of May HHI Historical Daily Weather Info for May

[Egret1986]

We've only been going about 15 years, but we have never been disappointed with the weather in May. To us, it couldn't be anymore perfect. We've always been able to swim in the pools and ocean. In a word, fantastic! April, on the other hand, is probably good for golfing and biking, but way too cool for swimming.

[jme]

OK, OK, I give up. I would definitely defer to my gentleman friend from Ohio. Sounds like he's a weather expert for real, and I certainly am not. I only related what we've experienced.....from a southern family's point of view.... going to the beach closeby in the south. "Warm to us" may be something different than something "warm to an Ohioan". Right now he's shoveling snow, and we're out walking the dog and worrying about our daffodils and azaleas blooming already. Anyway, thanks for the expert advice, and I do mean that most sincerely!!! (What took you so long?) I can only hope that everybody gets great weather every time at HHI. We'll be back there in May too, so I'm hoping for warm temps myself! Hoping, not 100% expecting. It may happen---that's why they named it "MAY". PLUS, I was mostly referring to the cold fronts that sometime come thru during May....even late May....it lasts for a few days to a week or two, and frequently involves Memorial Day....not always, so the "averages" don't speak to that so much, as the cold fronts are somewhat minimized statistically, but they still happen. You won't find ME in the ocean in May, tho, regardless, and like I said, most of the kids in the non-heated outdoor pools still come out shivering. But, maybe they're from up north and think that's WARM WATER. again, thanks for setting ME straight. I never claimed to be any kind of an expert, but I know what we've experienced when our young kids tried the pools. Some Memorial Day weekends have been fine...and yes, the kids still had to cover up quickly upon exiting the pools, but you just never know. I will stay quiet....I usually do better that way anyway. (A funny quick story: A few years ago, Atlanta "put it's name in the hat" for hosting the Olympic summer games, and the committee, lead by a friend of mine referred to an "AVERAGE July/August daily temperature" in Atlanta of 79 degrees.....well, he was most certainly averaging the daytime temp with the nighttime temp, giving a comfortable-sounding 79, when in reality the daytime can be 100+...and yes, we went to those Olympic games, knowing what to expect, and at the equestrian events, some of the horses almost died. And the fans in the stands were about to die. Imagine the track & field events! Now, that was out-&-out LYING about the average daily temps, and it allowed Atlanta to get the games. Had the rest of the world truly known the daily HIGHS, ATL would've never been considered. but that was politics. This doesn't really relate in any way to the above subject, but was just an interesting story about the south and "average temps".......) jme

[pcgirl54]

jwq
What are the stats for September and October?

All this talk of warm weather while we are in the midst of a blizzard here.

[LisaH]

Marty, I can understand where you came from. We were in HHI in mid-June one year. To me, the ocean water was very warm since I am accustomed to Cabo San Lucas (in Nov and April) and Hawaii water temperature. However, the nice southern family who usually went to HHI later in the summer thought it's not warm at all. So it all depends on each person's perspective. Any way, we love HHI. We would have gone more often if it's closer and easier to get to.

[Janette]

May is a wonderful time to be here. Schools in the southeast begin summer breaks toward the end of May and then the crowds arrive. Winter has finally arrived here with temps expected near 30 tonight and tomorrow's high near 50. Brrrrr!! I bet you folks in the NE think I'm crazy. The sun is shinning and our sun room was pleasant this afternoon as we watched the crazy golfers. The only trouble with living near HHI is trying to find a place to vacation. We don't want to leave.