Aspen, CO weather in May
Expect cool weather with frequent rain and some snow in Aspen in May, with highs near 60°F and lows near 35°F. Rain or snow falls on about 11 days. Snowfall averages about 7.0 in. Great for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 60°F
- Normal low
- 35°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 2.2 in total
- Snowfall
- 7.0 in
- snow on the ground 3 days
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 54°F | 66°F |
| Normal low | 31°F | 39°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 39% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:08 am / 8:00 pm | 5:43 am / 8:26 pm |
| Daylight | 13.9 h | 14.7 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Mountain Time).
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below11 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more3 of 31
Average days per May, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in May
Normal precipitation is 2.2 in; a dry May brings about 1.3 in and a wet one about 2.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 7.0 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20201991: average high 68°F
- Coolest May2019: average high 54°F
- Wettest May1995: 5.4 in
- Driest May2002: 0.2 in
- Highest reading86°F (May 31, 2003)
- Lowest reading15°F (May 2, 2013)
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 | 50°F | 60°F | 71°F |
| Normal low | 27°F | 35°F | 42°F |
| Wet days | 13 | 11 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 14 | 24 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.3 h | 14.9 h |
Highs change by +10°F from April and +11°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Steamboat Springs, CO89 mi · high 65°F · 13 wet days
- Drier: Pueblo, CO135 mi · high 77°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Breckenridge, CO46 mi · high 54°F · 10 wet days
How Aspen ranks in May
- Normal high363rd warmest of 378 cities; 16th of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days223rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days122nd most of 339
What to pack for Aspen in May
- A warm jacket – lows near 35°F, highs near 60°F
- Layers – afternoons near 60°F but nights near 35°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 7.0 in of snow in a typical year
Frost in May
The last spring frost typically comes around May 31; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Jun 14. All frost dates for Aspen.
Heating and cooling
May has 543 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 6% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Aspen in May?
The normal high is 60°F and the normal low is 35°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 15°F (May 2, 2013).
Does it rain a lot in Aspen in May?
About 11 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.2 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1995 (5.4 in); the driest was in 2002 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Aspen in May?
Yes. Normal snowfall in May is 7.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 3 days.
Is May a good time to visit Aspen?
May ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Aspen (71 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days. The best month is June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Aspen 1SW (USC00050372), 1.2 mi WSW of the city center, 8,175 ft (285 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Aspen Pitkin Co Airport (USW00093073), 3.5 mi NW of the city center, 7,720 ft (170 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Eagle Co Regional Airport (724675-23063), 32 mi N of the city center, 6,497 ft (1,393 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).