Denali Park, AK weather in May
May in Denali Park: cool, with some rain. Highs 55°F, lows 31°F, about 8 days with rain or snow and about 2.6 in of snow. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 55°F
- Normal low
- 31°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 0.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 2.6 in
- snow on the ground 8 days
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 50°F | 60°F |
| Normal low | 26°F | 36°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 19% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:30 am / 10:15 pm | 3:59 am / 11:47 pm |
| Daylight | 16.8 h | 19.8 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Alaska Time).
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F6 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in3 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below17 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more8 of 31
Average days per May, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in May
Normal precipitation is 0.8 in; a dry May brings about 0.4 in and a wet one about 1.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 2.6 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202015: average high 61°F
- Coolest May1992: average high 46°F
- Wettest May2004: 2.2 in
- Driest May2010: 0.1 in
- Highest reading81°F (May 26, 2002)
- Lowest reading3°F (May 4, 1992)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
May compared with April and June
| April | May | June | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 41°F | 55°F | 65°F |
| Normal low | 17°F | 31°F | 41°F |
| Wet days | 4 | 8 | 14 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 6 | 14 |
| Daylight | 15.1 h | 18.3 h | 20.6 h |
Highs change by +14°F from April and +10°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Fairbanks, AK84 mi · high 62°F · 6 wet days
How Denali Park ranks in May
- Normal high375th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days122nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days247th most of 339
What to pack for Denali Park in May
- A warm jacket – lows near 31°F, highs near 55°F
- A hat and gloves – about 17 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
May has 682 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Denali Park in May?
The normal high is 55°F and the normal low is 31°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 3°F (May 4, 1992).
Does it rain a lot in Denali Park in May?
About 8 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.8 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2004 (2.2 in); the driest was in 2010 (0.1 in).
Does it snow in Denali Park in May?
Yes. Normal snowfall in May is 2.6 in, and snow covers the ground on about 8 days.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Mckinley Park (USC00505778), 2.0 mi WSW of the city center, 2,070 ft (340 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Nenana Municipal Airport (702600-26435), 57 mi N of the city center, 361 ft (1,369 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).