Ann Arbor, MI weather in May
In May, Ann Arbor sees highs around 71°F and lows around 47°F: mild, with frequent rain. There are about 15 days with rain.
- Normal high
- 71°F
- Normal low
- 47°F
- Wet days
- 15
- 3.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 66°F | 76°F |
| Normal low | 41°F | 52°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 48% | 45% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:30 am / 8:33 pm | 6:01 am / 9:03 pm |
| Daylight | 14.1 h | 15.0 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 am51°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 am61°Fdew point 48°F
- Noon67°Fdew point 48°F
- 3 pm69°Fdew point 48°F
- 6 pm67°Fdew point 48°F
- 9 pm59°Fdew point 47°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Detroit Willow Run Airport (10 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 55% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 36%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F17 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more1 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow15 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below1 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 3.8 in; a dry May brings about 2.7 in and a wet one about 5.1 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 78°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 62°F
- Wettest May2004: 7.8 in
- Driest May1992: 1.2 in
- Highest reading94°F (May 28, 2018)
- Lowest reading26°F (May 13, 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 | 60°F | 71°F | 80°F |
| Normal low | 36°F | 47°F | 56°F |
| Wet days | 14 | 15 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 9 | 17 | 12 |
| Daylight | 13.4 h | 14.6 h | 15.2 h |
Highs change by +11°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Drier: Carmel, IN201 mi · high 73°F · 11 wet days
How Ann Arbor ranks in May
- Normal high243rd warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days370th driest of 378
- Comfortable days44th most of 339
What to pack for Ann Arbor in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 15 days
Frost in May
The last spring frost typically comes around May 3; in 1 year in 10 it comes after May 20. All frost dates for Ann Arbor.
Heating and cooling
May has 226 heating degree days and 40 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Ann Arbor in May?
The normal high is 71°F and the normal low is 47°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 94°F (May 28, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Ann Arbor in May?
About 15 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.8 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2004 (7.8 in); the driest was in 1992 (1.2 in).
Is May a good time to visit Ann Arbor?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Ann Arbor (74 out of 100). It has about 17 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Ann Arbor U Of Mich (USC00200230), 3.7 mi ENE of the city center, 813 ft (68 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Detroit Willow Run Airport (USW00014853), 10 mi ESE of the city center, 777 ft (104 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Toledo Express Airport (USW00094830), 47 mi S of the city center, 669 ft (212 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Willow Run Airport (725376-14853), 11 mi ESE of the city center, 708 ft (173 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.