Athens, GA weather in May
Athens is warm in May, with some rain: highs average 82°F and nights drop to about 59°F. Expect about 9 wet days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 82°F
- Normal low
- 59°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 3.3 in total
- Muggy days
- 6
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 79°F | 86°F |
| Normal low | 54°F | 63°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 28% | 33% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:44 am / 8:16 pm | 6:23 am / 8:38 pm |
| Daylight | 13.5 h | 14.3 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am60°Fdew point 57°F
- 9 am70°Fdew point 59°F
- Noon77°Fdew point 58°F
- 3 pm79°Fdew point 58°F
- 6 pm77°Fdew point 57°F
- 9 pm69°Fdew point 58°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Athens Ben Epps Airport (2 mi away); average wind 5 mph; clear or few clouds in 61% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 26%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F8 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more4 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more6 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 below0 of 31
Average days per May, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in May
Normal precipitation is 3.3 in; a dry May brings about 2.1 in and a wet one about 3.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202019: average high 87°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 77°F
- Wettest May2018: 9.3 in
- Driest May2011: 0.8 in
- Highest reading98°F (May 29, 2019)
- Lowest reading37°F (May 5, 2011)
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 | 75°F | 82°F | 89°F |
| Normal low | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 9 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 16 | 8 | 1 |
| Daylight | 13.0 h | 13.9 h | 14.4 h |
Highs change by +7°F from April and +7°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Tallahassee, FL248 mi · high 87°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Gatlinburg, TN122 mi · high 75°F · 15 wet days
How Athens ranks in May
- Normal high106th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 8 in Georgia
- Wet days162nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days239th most of 339
What to pack for Athens in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 9 days
Heating and cooling
May has 26 heating degree days and 195 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Athens in May?
The normal high is 82°F and the normal low is 59°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 98°F (May 29, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Athens in May?
About 9 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.3 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2018 (9.3 in); the driest was in 2011 (0.8 in).
Is May a good time to visit Athens?
May ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Athens (60 out of 100). It has about 8 comfortable days and about 4 days at 90°F or hotter. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Athens Ben Epps Airport (USW00013873), 2.4 mi E of the city center, 785 ft (169 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: Winterville (USC00099486), 4.6 mi ENE of the city center, 890 ft (274 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Danielsville (USC00092517), 12 mi NNE of the city center, 780 ft (164 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Athens/Ben Epps Airport (723110-13873), 2.4 mi E of the city center, 784 ft (168 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.