Lafayette, LA weather in May
In May, Lafayette sees highs around 86°F and lows around 67°F: warm and humid, with some rain. There are about 8 days with rain.
- Normal high
- 86°F
- Normal low
- 67°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 5.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 21
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 82°F | 89°F |
| Normal low | 63°F | 71°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 25% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:24 am / 7:45 pm | 6:07 am / 8:04 pm |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 13.9 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 am69°Fdew point 66°F
- 9 am78°Fdew point 66°F
- Noon83°Fdew point 65°F
- 3 pm83°Fdew point 65°F
- 6 pm80°Fdew point 65°F
- 9 pm74°Fdew point 67°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Lafayette Rgnl Airport (2 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 54% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 30%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F2 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more6 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more21 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 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 1.7 in and a wet one about 8.2 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 91°F
- Coolest May2013: average high 82°F
- Wettest May2004: 15.6 in
- Driest May1998: 0.2 in
- Highest reading98°F (May 31, 1998)
- Lowest reading44°F (May 4, 2013)
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 | 79°F | 86°F | 90°F |
| Normal low | 59°F | 67°F | 73°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 8 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Daylight | 12.9 h | 13.7 h | 14.1 h |
Highs change by +7°F from April and +4°F into June.
How Lafayette ranks in May
- Normal high51st warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 5 in Louisiana
- Wet days156th driest of 378
- Comfortable days296th most of 339
What to pack for Lafayette in May
- Light, breathable clothing – highs near 86°F and about 21 muggy days
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 8 days
Heating and cooling
May has 2 heating degree days and 360 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 8% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Lafayette in May?
The normal high is 86°F and the normal low is 67°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 98°F (most recently on May 31, 1998).
Does it rain a lot in Lafayette in May?
About 8 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 (15.6 in); the driest was in 1998 (0.2 in).
Is May a good time to visit Lafayette?
May ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Lafayette (51 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days and about 6 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are March, April and November.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Lafayette Rgnl Airport (USW00013976), 2.3 mi SE of the city center, 38 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Lafayette (USC00165021), 2.7 mi W of the city center, 25 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Lafayette Regional Airport (722405-13976), 2.5 mi SE of the city center, 35 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.