Lansing, MI weather in May
In May, Lansing sees highs around 69°F and lows around 48°F: mild, with frequent rain. There are about 13 days with rain.
- Normal high
- 69°F
- Normal low
- 48°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 | 42°F | 53°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 41% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:32 am / 8:38 pm | 6:03 am / 9:08 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 am50°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 am58°Fdew point 47°F
- Noon64°Fdew point 47°F
- 3 pm66°Fdew point 47°F
- 6 pm65°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 pm58°Fdew point 46°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Lansing Capital City Airport (4 mi away); average wind 9 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 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below2 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 2.1 in and a wet one about 4.2 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, 1991-20201991: average high 76°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 60°F
- Wettest May2004: 10.4 in
- Driest May1994: 1.1 in
- Highest reading93°F (May 28, 2018)
- Lowest reading25°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 | 69°F | 79°F |
| Normal low | 36°F | 48°F | 57°F |
| Wet days | 13 | 13 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 8 | 15 | 13 |
| Daylight | 13.4 h | 14.6 h | 15.3 h |
Highs change by +11°F from April and +10°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Dayton, OH206 mi · high 75°F · 14 wet days
- Cooler: Sister Bay, WI212 mi · high 59°F · 11 wet days
How Lansing ranks in May
- Normal high277th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days303rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days108th most of 339
What to pack for Lansing in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 13 days
Frost in May
The last spring frost typically comes around May 1; in 1 year in 10 it comes after May 18. All frost dates for Lansing.
Heating and cooling
May has 244 heating degree days and 41 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Lansing in May?
The normal high is 69°F and the normal low is 48°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 25°F (most recently on May 9, 2020).
Does it rain a lot in Lansing 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 (10.4 in); the driest was in 1994 (1.1 in).
Is May a good time to visit Lansing?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Lansing (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, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Lansing Capital City Airport (USW00014836), 3.5 mi NNW of the city center, 841 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Capital City Airport (725390-14836), 3.8 mi NW of the city center, 857 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.