Posted May 4, 2011, 7:51 AM.

The latest predictions from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center show a 33% chance of higher than normal temperatures for May.

There's an equal chance of greater than normal or less than normal rainfall. Rainfall is not usually plentiful in most Mays, and is usually less than half of what we get in April.

It's normal to have a mixture of clear days and periods of marine layer in May, which we often refer to locally as "May Gray". The morning low clouds pattern is usually more prevalent in June, and usually doesn't extend as far into the morning inland as it does in the coastal areas.

Temperatures in May are usually mild or warm, ranging on average from the middle 70's to the middle 80's. Outside of the desert area, it's normally warmest in Lake Elsinore and Menifee, and cooler to the north, south, and west.

The La Nina condition in the equatorial Pacific Ocean is winding down. The rainy season was the wettest in years despite a moderate to strong condition there that persisted through Fall and Winter. Sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific are expected to return to normal over the next three months.

Here's what's normal for the month of May, by community:

Note: normals are used for communities with five or more years of data.

Temperature outlook for May

Precipitation outlook for May