Fort Collins, CO weather in May
Fort Collins is mild in May, with frequent rain: highs average 71°F and nights drop to about 44°F. Rain or snow falls on about 12 days. Snowfall averages about 1.6 in.
- Normal high
- 71°F
- Normal low
- 44°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 2.7 in total
- Snowfall
- 1.6 in
- normal snowfall
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 65°F | 77°F |
| Normal low | 39°F | 49°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:59 am / 7:55 pm | 5:32 am / 8:23 pm |
| Daylight | 13.9 h | 14.9 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Mountain Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am48°Fdew point 38°F
- 9 am59°Fdew point 38°F
- Noon66°Fdew point 36°F
- 3 pm67°Fdew point 35°F
- 6 pm63°Fdew point 38°F
- 9 pm54°Fdew point 39°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Denver Intl Airport (57 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 54% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 36%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F17 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 snow12 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below1 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per May, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in May
Normal precipitation is 2.7 in; a dry May brings about 1.6 in and a wet one about 3.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 1.6 in.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202000: average high 77°F
- Coolest May1995: average high 61°F
- Wettest May1995: 7.5 in
- Driest May2006: 0.9 in
- Highest reading97°F (May 29, 2000)
- Lowest reading17°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 | 63°F | 71°F | 82°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 44°F | 53°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 12 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 14 | 17 | 11 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.4 h | 15.0 h |
Highs change by +8°F from April and +11°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Pueblo, CO163 mi · high 77°F · 8 wet days
- Drier: Pueblo, CO163 mi · high 77°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Estes Park, CO27 mi · high 60°F · 12 wet days
How Fort Collins ranks in May
- Normal high255th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days271st driest of 378
- Comfortable days41st most of 339
What to pack for Fort Collins in May
- Layers – afternoons near 71°F but nights near 44°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 12 days
Frost in May
The last spring frost typically comes around May 2; in 1 year in 10 it comes after May 14. All frost dates for Fort Collins.
Heating and cooling
May has 248 heating degree days and 16 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Fort Collins in May?
The normal high is 71°F and the normal low is 44°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 97°F (May 29, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in Fort Collins in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.7 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1995 (7.5 in); the driest was in 2006 (0.9 in).
Does it snow in Fort Collins in May?
Yes. Normal snowfall in May is 1.6 in.
Is May a good time to visit Fort Collins?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Fort Collins (76 out of 100). It has about 17 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Ft Collins (USC00053005), 0.6 mi S of the city center, 5,004 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Denver Intl Airport (USW00003017), 57 mi SSE of the city center, 5,414 ft (410 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Cheyenne (USW00024018), 42 mi NNE of the city center, 6,128 ft (1,124 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Denver International Airport (725650-03017), 56 mi SSE of the city center, 5,404 ft (400 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.