Grand Rapids, MI weather in May
Expect mild weather with frequent rain in Grand Rapids in May, with highs near 70°F and lows near 49°F. Rain falls on about 13 days.
- Normal high
- 70°F
- Normal low
- 49°F
- Wet days
- 13
- 4.0 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 | 43°F | 54°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 41% | 39% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:36 am / 8:43 pm | 6:06 am / 9:13 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 am51°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 am58°Fdew point 47°F
- Noon64°Fdew point 47°F
- 3 pm67°Fdew point 47°F
- 6 pm66°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 pm59°Fdew point 46°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Grand Rapids (8 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 32% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 57%.
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 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 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 4.0 in; a dry May brings about 2.5 in and a wet one about 4.8 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 76°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 61°F
- Wettest May2001: 10.0 in
- Driest May1992: 1.4 in
- Highest reading94°F (May 28, 2018)
- Lowest reading26°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 | 37°F | 49°F | 58°F |
| Wet days | 13 | 13 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 8 | 15 | 12 |
| Daylight | 13.4 h | 14.7 h | 15.3 h |
Highs change by +12°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Dayton, OH234 mi · high 75°F · 14 wet days
- Cooler: Sister Bay, WI170 mi · high 59°F · 11 wet days
How Grand Rapids ranks in May
- Normal high269th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days302nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days107th most of 339
What to pack for Grand Rapids in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 13 days
Heating and cooling
May has 225 heating degree days and 45 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Grand Rapids in May?
The normal high is 70°F and the normal low is 49°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 94°F (May 28, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Grand Rapids in May?
About 13 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.0 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2001 (10.0 in); the driest was in 1992 (1.5 in).
Is May a good time to visit Grand Rapids?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Grand Rapids (72 out of 100). It has about 15 comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Grand Rapids (USW00094860), 7.9 mi SE of the city center, 778 ft (138 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Lansing Capital City Airport (USW00014836), 57 mi ESE of the city center, 841 ft (201 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Gerald R Ford International Airport (726350-94860), 9.2 mi SE of the city center, 788 ft (148 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.