Lexington, KY weather in May
In May, Lexington sees highs around 76°F and lows around 55°F: mild, with frequent rain. Expect about 13 wet days.
- Normal high
- 76°F
- Normal low
- 55°F
- Wet days
- 13
- 5.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 3
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 72°F | 80°F |
| Normal low | 51°F | 59°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 43% | 39% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:41 am / 8:28 pm | 6:17 am / 8:53 pm |
| Daylight | 13.8 h | 14.6 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am57°Fdew point 53°F
- 9 am65°Fdew point 55°F
- Noon70°Fdew point 55°F
- 3 pm73°Fdew point 55°F
- 6 pm71°Fdew point 55°F
- 9 pm65°Fdew point 55°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Lexington Bluegrass Airport (8 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 54% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 35%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F13 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 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 in9 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 5.4 in; a dry May brings about 3.8 in and a wet one about 6.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 4 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 83°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 67°F
- Wettest May2004: 10.9 in
- Driest May2007: 1.2 in
- Highest reading92°F (May 27, 2012)
- Lowest reading29°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 | 67°F | 76°F | 84°F |
| Normal low | 45°F | 55°F | 63°F |
| Wet days | 13 | 13 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 15 | 13 | 5 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.2 h | 14.8 h |
Highs change by +9°F from April and +8°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Chattanooga, TN213 mi · high 81°F · 11 wet days
How Lexington ranks in May
- Normal high183rd warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 3 in Kentucky
- Wet days311th driest of 378
- Comfortable days170th most of 339
What to pack for Lexington in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 13 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.2 hours of daylight and highs near 76°F
Heating and cooling
May has 96 heating degree days and 109 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Lexington in May?
The normal high is 76°F and the normal low is 55°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 92°F (May 27, 2012).
Does it rain a lot in Lexington in May?
About 13 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 5.4 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2004 (10.9 in); the driest was in 2007 (1.2 in).
Is May a good time to visit Lexington?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Lexington (68 out of 100). It has about 13 comfortable days. 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: Lexington Bluegrass Airport (USW00093820), 8.0 mi W of the city center, 980 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Blue Grass Airport (724220-93820), 8.4 mi W of the city center, 962 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.