Fairbanks, AK weather in May
Expect cool weather with some rain in Fairbanks in May, with highs near 62°F and lows near 39°F. Rain or snow falls on about 6 days. Snowfall averages about 0.9 in. Great for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 62°F
- Normal low
- 39°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 0.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 0.9 in
- snow on the ground 1 day
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 56°F | 68°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 44°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 17% | 26% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:16 am / 10:19 pm | 3:34 am / 12:02 am |
| Daylight | 17.0 h | 20.5 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Alaska Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am43°Fdew point 32°F
- 9 am50°Fdew point 32°F
- Noon57°Fdew point 31°F
- 3 pm60°Fdew point 29°F
- 6 pm59°Fdew point 30°F
- 9 pm54°Fdew point 32°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Fairbanks Intl Airport (5 mi away); average wind 6 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F12 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 snow6 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below6 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more1 of 31
Average days per May, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in May
Normal precipitation is 0.5 in; a dry May brings about 0.2 in and a wet one about 0.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 0.9 in.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202015: average high 69°F
- Coolest May1992: average high 52°F
- Wettest May2004: 2.0 in
- Driest May2011: 0.04 in
- Highest reading88°F (May 11, 1995)
- Lowest reading11°F (May 3, 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 | 46°F | 62°F | 72°F |
| Normal low | 22°F | 39°F | 50°F |
| Wet days | 4 | 6 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 12 | 21 |
| Daylight | 15.3 h | 18.8 h | 21.5 h |
Highs change by +16°F from April and +10°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Cooler: Denali Park, AK84 mi · high 55°F · 8 wet days
How Fairbanks ranks in May
- Normal high351st warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days97th driest of 378
- Comfortable days187th most of 339
What to pack for Fairbanks in May
- A warm jacket – lows near 39°F, highs near 62°F
Frost in May
The last spring frost typically comes around May 13; in 1 year in 10 it comes after May 26. All frost dates for Fairbanks.
Heating and cooling
May has 455 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Fairbanks in May?
The normal high is 62°F and the normal low is 39°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 11°F (May 3, 1992).
Does it rain a lot in Fairbanks in May?
About 6 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.5 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2004 (2.0 in); the driest was in 2011 (0.04 in).
Does it snow in Fairbanks in May?
Yes. Normal snowfall in May is 0.9 in, and snow covers the ground on about 1 day.
Is May a good time to visit Fairbanks?
May ranks 4th of 12 months on our comfort score for Fairbanks (74 out of 100). It has about 12 comfortable days. The best months are June and July.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Fairbanks Intl Airport (USW00026411), 5.2 mi WSW of the city center, 432 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Fairbanks International (702610-26411), 5.3 mi WSW of the city center, 430 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).