Traverse City, MI weather in May
Expect mild weather with frequent rain in Traverse City in May, with highs near 67°F and lows near 43°F. Rain falls on about 12 days. Great for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 67°F
- Normal low
- 43°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 2.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 61°F | 73°F |
| Normal low | 38°F | 49°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 38% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:32 am / 8:47 pm | 6:00 am / 9:20 pm |
| Daylight | 14.3 h | 15.3 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 am47°Fdew point 41°F
- 9 am56°Fdew point 43°F
- Noon62°Fdew point 43°F
- 3 pm63°Fdew point 42°F
- 6 pm60°Fdew point 42°F
- 9 pm54°Fdew point 42°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Traverse City Cherry Cptl Airport (2 mi away); average wind 7 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F13 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 more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow12 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below4 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 and snow in May
Normal precipitation is 2.8 in; a dry May brings about 2.0 in and a wet one about 3.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.2 in.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20201998: average high 74°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 59°F
- Wettest May2004: 6.9 in
- Driest May1992: 0.4 in
- Highest reading95°F (May 29, 2018)
- Lowest reading24°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 | 54°F | 67°F | 77°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 43°F | 54°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 13 | 14 |
| Daylight | 13.5 h | 14.8 h | 15.5 h |
Highs change by +13°F from April and +10°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Toledo, OH238 mi · high 73°F · 13 wet days
- Cooler: Sister Bay, WI79 mi · high 59°F · 11 wet days
How Traverse City ranks in May
- Normal high313th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days267th driest of 378
- Comfortable days174th most of 339
What to pack for Traverse City in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
Frost in May
The last spring frost typically comes around May 12; in 1 year in 10 it comes after May 27. All frost dates for Traverse City.
Heating and cooling
May has 327 heating degree days and 27 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Traverse City in May?
The normal high is 67°F and the normal low is 43°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 24°F (most recently on May 13, 2020).
Does it rain a lot in Traverse City in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.8 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2004 (6.9 in); the driest was in 1992 (0.4 in).
Does it snow in Traverse City in May?
Yes. Normal snowfall in May is 0.2 in.
Is May a good time to visit Traverse City?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Traverse City (71 out of 100). It has about 13 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Traverse City Cherry Cptl Airport (USW00014850), 2.4 mi SE of the city center, 618 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: Maple City 1E (USC00205097), 12 mi WNW of the city center, 799 ft (203 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Traverse City Munson (USC00208249), 1.2 mi W of the city center, 635 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Cherry Capital Airport (726387-14850), 3.1 mi ESE of the city center, 608 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).