Bowling Green, KY weather in May
Expect mild weather with frequent rain in Bowling Green in May, with highs near 79°F and lows near 57°F. Rain falls on about 12 days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 79°F
- Normal low
- 57°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 5.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 6
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 75°F | 83°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 62°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 40% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:51 am / 7:34 pm | 5:28 am / 7:58 pm |
| Daylight | 13.7 h | 14.5 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 am61°Fdew point 56°F
- 9 am70°Fdew point 58°F
- Noon74°Fdew point 57°F
- 3 pm76°Fdew point 57°F
- 6 pm73°Fdew point 57°F
- 9 pm66°Fdew point 57°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Bowling Green Warren Co Airport (2 mi away); average wind 6 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F11 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more6 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 5.0 in; a dry May brings about 3.3 in and a wet one about 5.7 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 85°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 72°F
- Wettest May2010: 11.9 in
- Driest May2005: 2.5 in
- Highest reading95°F (May 27, 2012)
- Lowest reading33°F (May 1, 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 | 71°F | 79°F | 87°F |
| Normal low | 47°F | 57°F | 66°F |
| Wet days | 12 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 16 | 11 | 3 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.2 h | 14.7 h |
Highs change by +8°F from April and +8°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Cooler: Indianapolis, IN193 mi · high 73°F · 13 wet days
How Bowling Green ranks in May
- Normal high155th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 3 in Kentucky
- Wet days261st driest of 378
- Comfortable days205th most of 339
What to pack for Bowling Green in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.2 hours of daylight and highs near 79°F
Heating and cooling
May has 59 heating degree days and 150 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Bowling Green in May?
The normal high is 79°F and the normal low is 57°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 95°F (most recently on May 27, 2012).
Does it rain a lot in Bowling Green in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 5.0 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2010 (11.9 in); the driest was in 2005 (2.5 in).
Is May a good time to visit Bowling Green?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Bowling Green (65 out of 100). It has about 11 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Bowling Green Warren Co Airport (USW00093808), 2.1 mi SSE of the city center, 523 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Bow Grn-Warren Co. Rgnl Airport (746716-93808), 2.1 mi SSE of the city center, 523 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).