Vail, CO weather in May
May in Vail: cool, with some rain and some snow. Highs 60°F, lows 31°F, about 9 wet days and about 4.8 in of snow. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 60°F
- Normal low
- 31°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 2.0 in total
- Snowfall
- 4.8 in
- snow on the ground 3 days
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 54°F | 67°F |
| Normal low | 28°F | 33°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 30% | 28% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:06 am / 7:59 pm | 5:40 am / 8:26 pm |
| Daylight | 13.9 h | 14.8 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)14 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 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below21 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 2.0 in; a dry May brings about 1.1 in and a wet one about 2.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 4.8 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202018: average high 66°F
- Coolest May1995: average high 53°F
- Wettest May1999: 3.8 in
- Driest May1998: 0.6 in
- Highest reading82°F (May 31, 2002)
- Lowest reading14°F (May 4, 2008)
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 | 49°F | 60°F | 71°F |
| Normal low | 24°F | 31°F | 36°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 9 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 14 | 24 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.4 h | 14.9 h |
Highs change by +11°F from April and +11°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Boulder, CO64 mi · high 71°F · 13 wet days
- Drier: Moab, UT186 mi · high 83°F · 5 wet days
- Cooler: Breckenridge, CO21 mi · high 54°F · 10 wet days
How Vail ranks in May
- Normal high360th warmest of 378 cities; 14th of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days175th driest of 378
What to pack for Vail in May
- A warm jacket – lows near 31°F, highs near 60°F
- Layers – afternoons near 60°F but nights near 31°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 9 days
- Waterproof boots – about 4.8 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 21 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
May has 598 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 Vail in May?
The normal high is 60°F and the normal low is 31°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 14°F (most recently on May 4, 2008).
Does it rain a lot in Vail in May?
About 9 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.0 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1999 (3.8 in); the driest was in 1998 (0.6 in).
Does it snow in Vail in May?
Yes. Normal snowfall in May is 4.8 in, and snow covers the ground on about 3 days.
Is May a good time to visit Vail?
May ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Vail (70 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days (judged by temperature only). The best months are June and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and frost dates: Vail (USC00058575), 1.1 mi E of the city center, 8,304 ft (125 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Dillon 1 E (USC00052281), 18 mi E of the city center, 9,065 ft (886 ft higher 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).