Telluride, CO weather in May
Telluride is cool in May, with some rain and some snow: highs average 60°F and nights drop to about 29°F. Expect about 9 wet days. Snowfall averages about 5.1 in. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 60°F
- Normal low
- 29°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 1.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 5.1 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 55°F | 67°F |
| Normal low | 26°F | 31°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 30% | 26% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:15 am / 8:01 pm | 5:50 am / 8:27 pm |
| Daylight | 13.8 h | 14.6 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 (temperature only: no humidity station nearby)13 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below22 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more2 of 31
Average days per May, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in May
Normal precipitation is 1.6 in; a dry May brings about 0.6 in and a wet one about 2.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 5.1 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20201992: average high 67°F
- Coolest May2019: average high 51°F
- Wettest May1992: 4.3 in
- Driest May2018: 0.3 in
- Highest reading83°F (May 31, 2002)
- Lowest reading11°F (May 19, 2017)
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 | 51°F | 60°F | 73°F |
| Normal low | 22°F | 29°F | 34°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 13 | 23 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.2 h | 14.8 h |
Highs change by +9°F from April and +13°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Moab, UT104 mi · high 83°F · 5 wet days
- Drier: Moab, UT104 mi · high 83°F · 5 wet days
- Cooler: Breckenridge, CO143 mi · high 54°F · 10 wet days
How Telluride ranks in May
- Normal high359th warmest of 378 cities; 13th of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days168th driest of 378
What to pack for Telluride in May
- A warm jacket – lows near 29°F, highs near 60°F
- Layers – afternoons near 60°F but nights near 29°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 9 days
- Waterproof boots – about 5.1 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 22 freezing nights
Frost in May
The last spring frost typically comes around May 17; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Jun 3. All frost dates for Telluride.
Heating and cooling
May has 632 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 Telluride in May?
The normal high is 60°F and the normal low is 29°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 11°F (May 19, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Telluride in May?
About 9 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.6 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1992 (4.3 in); the driest was in 2018 (0.3 in).
Does it snow in Telluride in May?
Yes. Normal snowfall in May is 5.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is May a good time to visit Telluride?
May ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Telluride (71 out of 100). It has about 13 comfortable days (judged by temperature only). The best month is June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Telluride 4WNW (USC00058204), 3.4 mi WNW of the city center, 8,646 ft (143 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Ouray (USC00056203), 9.7 mi NE of the city center, 7,840 ft (949 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: humidity and wind by hour, cloud cover and daily humidity and wind (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).