Springfield, IL weather in May
In May, Springfield sees highs around 76°F and lows around 54°F: mild, with frequent rain. There are about 13 days with rain.
- Normal high
- 76°F
- Normal low
- 54°F
- Wet days
- 13
- 4.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 3
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 71°F | 80°F |
| Normal low | 49°F | 59°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 42% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:58 am / 7:52 pm | 5:32 am / 8:19 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 (Central Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am58°Fdew point 52°F
- 9 am66°Fdew point 53°F
- Noon71°Fdew point 53°F
- 3 pm73°Fdew point 52°F
- 6 pm70°Fdew point 52°F
- 9 pm63°Fdew point 53°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Springfield Capital Airport (4 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 57% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 33%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F13 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more3 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 4.5 in; a dry May brings about 2.9 in and a wet one about 5.8 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, 1991-20202018: average high 87°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 70°F
- Wettest May2013: 10.9 in
- Driest May1992: 0.5 in
- Highest reading98°F (May 28, 2018)
- Lowest reading30°F (May 4, 2005)
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 | 66°F | 76°F | 84°F |
| Normal low | 43°F | 54°F | 63°F |
| Wet days | 12 | 13 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 13 | 13 | 6 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.4 h | 14.9 h |
Highs change by +10°F from April and +8°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Cooler: Elgin, IL170 mi · high 70°F · 13 wet days
How Springfield ranks in May
- Normal high184th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 8 in Illinois
- Wet days309th driest of 378
- Comfortable days173rd most of 339
What to pack for Springfield in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 13 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.4 hours of daylight and highs near 76°F
Heating and cooling
May has 111 heating degree days and 112 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Springfield in May?
The normal high is 76°F and the normal low is 54°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 98°F (May 28, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Springfield in May?
About 13 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.5 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2013 (10.9 in); the driest was in 1992 (0.5 in).
Is May a good time to visit Springfield?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Springfield (68 out of 100). It has about 13 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April and May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Springfield Capital Airport (USW00093822), 3.7 mi NW of the city center, 594 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (724390-93822), 3.7 mi NW of the city center, 590 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.