Topeka, KS weather in May
Topeka is mild in May, with frequent rain: highs average 76°F and nights drop to about 55°F. Rain falls on about 12 days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 76°F
- Normal low
- 55°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 5.2 in total
- Muggy days
- 3
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 71°F | 82°F |
| Normal low | 49°F | 61°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 38% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:24 am / 8:15 pm | 5:59 am / 8:41 pm |
| Daylight | 13.8 h | 14.7 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 53°F
- 9 am66°Fdew point 54°F
- Noon72°Fdew point 54°F
- 3 pm74°Fdew point 54°F
- 6 pm72°Fdew point 54°F
- 9 pm65°Fdew point 55°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Topeka Muni Airport (3 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 60% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 32%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F13 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more2 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more3 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 5.2 in; a dry May brings about 3.3 in and a wet one about 6.9 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 87°F
- Coolest May1995: average high 68°F
- Wettest May1995: 11.8 in
- Driest May1994: 0.9 in
- Highest reading97°F (May 26, 2018)
- Lowest reading31°F (May 3, 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 | 67°F | 76°F | 86°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 55°F | 65°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 14 | 13 | 3 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.3 h | 14.9 h |
Highs change by +9°F from April and +10°F into June.
How Topeka ranks in May
- Normal high174th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 3 in Kansas
- Wet days265th driest of 378
- Comfortable days171st most of 339
What to pack for Topeka in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.3 hours of daylight and highs near 76°F
Heating and cooling
May has 96 heating degree days and 117 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Topeka in May?
The normal high is 76°F and the normal low is 55°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 97°F (most recently on May 26, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Topeka in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 5.2 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1995 (11.8 in); the driest was in 1994 (1.0 in).
Is May a good time to visit Topeka?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Topeka (67 out of 100). It has about 13 comfortable days and about 2 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Topeka Muni Airport (USW00013996), 3.2 mi ENE of the city center, 876 ft (72 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Philip Billard Municipal Airport (724560-13996), 3.2 mi ENE of the city center, 880 ft (68 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.