Chicago, IL weather in May
May in Chicago: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 72°F, lows 52°F, about 12 days with rain.
- Normal high
- 72°F
- Normal low
- 52°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 4.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 66°F | 77°F |
| Normal low | 47°F | 58°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 41% | 40% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:46 am / 7:48 pm | 5:18 am / 8:18 pm |
| Daylight | 14.0 h | 15.0 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am56°Fdew point 48°F
- 9 am62°Fdew point 48°F
- Noon66°Fdew point 48°F
- 3 pm68°Fdew point 48°F
- 6 pm64°Fdew point 47°F
- 9 pm60°Fdew point 47°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Chicago Midway Airport (7 mi away); average wind 10 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph4 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more1 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow12 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 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 in May
Normal precipitation is 4.8 in; a dry May brings about 4.2 in and a wet one about 6.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20201991: average high 78°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 65°F
- Wettest May2019: 8.9 in
- Driest May1992: 0.3 in
- Highest reading97°F (May 27, 2012)
- Lowest reading31°F (May 9, 2020)
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 | 60°F | 72°F | 81°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 52°F | 63°F |
| Wet days | 12 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 9 | 14 | 10 |
| Daylight | 13.4 h | 14.6 h | 15.2 h |
Highs change by +12°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Cooler: Milwaukee, WI83 mi · high 67°F · 12 wet days
How Chicago ranks in May
- Normal high242nd warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 8 in Illinois
- Wet days289th driest of 378
- Comfortable days123rd most of 339
What to pack for Chicago in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
Heating and cooling
May has 172 heating degree days and 77 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Chicago in May?
The normal high is 72°F and the normal low is 52°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 97°F (May 27, 2012).
Does it rain a lot in Chicago in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.8 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2019 (9.0 in); the driest was in 1992 (0.3 in).
Is May a good time to visit Chicago?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Chicago (70 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are May and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Chicago Midway Airport 3SW (USC00111577), 10 mi SW of the city center, 620 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Chicago Midway Airport (USW00014819), 6.9 mi SW of the city center, 612 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Chicago Midway Intl Arpt (725340-14819), 7.1 mi SW of the city center, 610 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).