Elgin, IL weather in May
Expect mild weather with frequent rain in Elgin in May, with highs near 70°F and lows near 48°F. Rain falls on about 13 days.
- Normal high
- 70°F
- Normal low
- 48°F
- Wet days
- 13
- 5.1 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 65°F | 76°F |
| Normal low | 43°F | 54°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 43% | 40% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:48 am / 7:51 pm | 5:20 am / 8:21 pm |
| Daylight | 14.1 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 am54°Fdew point 48°F
- 9 am62°Fdew point 49°F
- Noon67°Fdew point 50°F
- 3 pm68°Fdew point 49°F
- 6 pm65°Fdew point 48°F
- 9 pm58°Fdew point 47°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from West Chicago Dupage Airport (9 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
- 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 snow13 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 5.1 in; a dry May brings about 3.5 in and a wet one about 6.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202018: average high 78°F
- Coolest May1996: average high 63°F
- Wettest May2018: 9.8 in
- Driest May1992: 0.5 in
- Highest reading97°F (May 28, 2018)
- Lowest reading28°F (May 10, 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 | 59°F | 70°F | 80°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 48°F | 58°F |
| Wet days | 13 | 13 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 8 | 14 | 11 |
| Daylight | 13.4 h | 14.6 h | 15.2 h |
Highs change by +11°F from April and +10°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Springfield, IL170 mi · high 76°F · 13 wet days
- Cooler: Sister Bay, WI225 mi · high 59°F · 11 wet days
How Elgin ranks in May
- Normal high264th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 8 in Illinois
- Wet days339th driest of 378
- Comfortable days141st most of 339
What to pack for Elgin in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 13 days
Heating and cooling
May has 224 heating degree days and 48 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Elgin in May?
The normal high is 70°F and the normal low is 48°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 97°F (May 28, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Elgin in May?
About 13 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 5.1 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2018 (9.8 in); the driest was in 1992 (0.5 in).
Is May a good time to visit Elgin?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Elgin (70 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Elgin (USC00112736), 1.8 mi N of the city center, 763 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: West Chicago Dupage Airport (USW00094892), 8.7 mi SSE of the city center, 754 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Chicago O'hare International Airport (725300-94846), 19 mi ESE of the city center, 672 ft (68 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).