Detroit, MI weather in May
May in Detroit: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 70°F, lows 50°F, rain on about 13 days.
- Normal high
- 70°F
- Normal low
- 50°F
- Wet days
- 13
- 3.7 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 64°F | 75°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 55°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 42% | 39% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:27 am / 8:31 pm | 5:58 am / 9:01 pm |
| Daylight | 14.1 h | 15.1 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 am53°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 am60°Fdew point 46°F
- Noon65°Fdew point 47°F
- 3 pm67°Fdew point 47°F
- 6 pm65°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 pm60°Fdew point 46°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Detroit City Airport (6 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 47% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 41%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F15 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph4 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more1 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow13 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 3.7 in; a dry May brings about 2.3 in and a wet one about 5.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20201998: average high 77°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 63°F
- Wettest May2004: 8.5 in
- Driest May1994: 1.2 in
- Highest reading93°F (May 28, 2018)
- Lowest reading30°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 | 58°F | 70°F | 79°F |
| Normal low | 39°F | 50°F | 60°F |
| Wet days | 13 | 13 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 7 | 15 | 12 |
| Daylight | 13.4 h | 14.6 h | 15.2 h |
Highs change by +12°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Dayton, OH187 mi · high 75°F · 14 wet days
How Detroit ranks in May
- Normal high275th warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days330th driest of 378
- Comfortable days91st most of 339
What to pack for Detroit in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 13 days
Heating and cooling
May has 213 heating degree days and 47 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Detroit in May?
The normal high is 70°F and the normal low is 50°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 93°F (May 28, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Detroit in May?
About 13 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.7 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2004 (8.5 in); the driest was in 1994 (1.2 in).
Is May a good time to visit Detroit?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Detroit (72 out of 100). It has about 15 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Detroit City Airport (USW00014822), 5.7 mi NNE of the city center, 626 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall and snow depth: Detroit Metro Airport (USW00094847), 16 mi WSW of the city center, 631 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Flint Bishop Intl Airport (USW00014826), 57 mi NW of the city center, 770 ft (172 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Detroit City Airport (725375-14822), 5.5 mi NNE of the city center, 623 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.