Frederick, MD weather in May
May in Frederick: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 73°F, lows 53°F, about 11 days with rain. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 73°F
- Normal low
- 53°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.3 in total
- Muggy days
- 2
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 69°F | 76°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 57°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 37% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:10 am / 8:02 pm | 5:45 am / 8:29 pm |
| Daylight | 13.9 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 (Eastern Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am54°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 am64°Fdew point 51°F
- Noon70°Fdew point 51°F
- 3 pm72°Fdew point 51°F
- 6 pm69°Fdew point 51°F
- 9 pm62°Fdew point 52°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Martinsburg E Wv Rgnl Airport (31 mi away); average wind 6 mph; clear or few clouds in 52% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 40%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F15 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more2 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 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 4.3 in; a dry May brings about 2.6 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, 1991-20202004: average high 79°F
- Coolest May2020: average high 68°F
- Wettest May2009: 7.3 in
- Driest May1997: 1.3 in
- Highest reading92°F (May 30, 2006)
- Lowest reading28°F (May 8, 1997)
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 | 64°F | 73°F | 80°F |
| Normal low | 43°F | 53°F | 62°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 12 | 15 | 9 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.3 h | 14.9 h |
Highs change by +9°F from April and +7°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Richmond, VA129 mi · high 78°F · 11 wet days
How Frederick ranks in May
- Normal high226th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 3 in Maryland
- Wet days242nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days98th most of 339
What to pack for Frederick in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
Heating and cooling
May has 140 heating degree days and 67 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Frederick in May?
The normal high is 73°F and the normal low is 53°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 92°F (most recently on May 30, 2006).
Does it rain a lot in Frederick in May?
About 11 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.4 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (7.3 in); the driest was in 1997 (1.3 in).
Is May a good time to visit Frederick?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Frederick (71 out of 100). It has about 15 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Damascus 3 Ssw (USC00182336), 14 mi SE of the city center, 700 ft (417 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Frederick Police Brks (USC00183348), 1.5 mi W of the city center, 380 ft (97 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Martinsburg E Wv Rgnl Airport (USW00013734), 31 mi W of the city center, 534 ft (251 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Etrn Wv Rgnl/Shpherd Fd Airport (724177-13734), 30 mi W of the city center, 541 ft (258 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.