Duluth, MN weather in May
In May, Duluth sees highs around 57°F and lows around 41°F: cool, with frequent rain. Expect about 12 wet days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 57°F
- Normal low
- 41°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 3.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 52°F | 62°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 45°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:53 am / 8:17 pm | 5:18 am / 8:53 pm |
| Daylight | 14.4 h | 15.6 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am45°Fdew point 38°F
- 9 am53°Fdew point 39°F
- Noon57°Fdew point 39°F
- 3 pm59°Fdew point 38°F
- 6 pm56°Fdew point 37°F
- 9 pm50°Fdew point 37°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Duluth (6 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 44% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 42%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F7 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph1 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 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 in8 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 3.4 in; a dry May brings about 2.4 in and a wet one about 4.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Snow is very rare.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202018: average high 63°F
- Coolest May2013: average high 52°F
- Wettest May2012: 8.2 in
- Driest May2009: 1.1 in
- Highest reading95°F (May 6, 2016)
- Lowest reading24°F (May 23, 2013)
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 | 46°F | 57°F | 67°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 41°F | 50°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 12 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 7 | 12 |
| Daylight | 13.6 h | 15.1 h | 15.8 h |
Highs change by +11°F from April and +10°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Minneapolis, MN136 mi · high 69°F · 12 wet days
How Duluth ranks in May
- Normal high372nd warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 3 in Minnesota
- Wet days251st driest of 378
- Comfortable days241st most of 339
What to pack for Duluth in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
Frost in May
The last spring frost typically comes around May 6; in 1 year in 10 it comes after May 25. All frost dates for Duluth.
Heating and cooling
May has 494 heating degree days and 3 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Duluth in May?
The normal high is 57°F and the normal low is 41°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 24°F (May 23, 2013).
Does it rain a lot in Duluth in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.4 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2012 (8.2 in); the driest was in 2009 (1.1 in).
Is May a good time to visit Duluth?
May ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Duluth (63 out of 100). It has about 7 comfortable days. The best month is August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Superior (USC00478349), 4.2 mi SSE of the city center, 607 ft (93 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Duluth (USW00014913), 6.1 mi NW of the city center, 1,428 ft (728 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Duluth International Airport (727450-14913), 5.7 mi NW of the city center, 1,422 ft (722 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.