Minneapolis, MN weather in May
May in Minneapolis: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 69°F, lows 50°F, about 12 wet days.
- Normal high
- 69°F
- Normal low
- 50°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 3.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 64°F | 74°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 55°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 39% | 41% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:02 am / 8:18 pm | 5:30 am / 8:51 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 (Central Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am52°Fdew point 44°F
- 9 am59°Fdew point 44°F
- Noon64°Fdew point 44°F
- 3 pm67°Fdew point 44°F
- 6 pm65°Fdew point 43°F
- 9 pm60°Fdew point 44°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Minneapolis/St Paul Airport (7 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 26% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 58%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F15 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 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 3.9 in; a dry May brings about 2.4 in and a wet one about 4.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202018: average high 78°F
- Coolest May2002: average high 64°F
- Wettest May2012: 9.3 in
- Driest May2009: 0.5 in
- Highest reading100°F (May 28, 2018)
- Lowest reading28°F (May 1, 1997)
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 | 57°F | 69°F | 79°F |
| Normal low | 38°F | 50°F | 60°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 12 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 7 | 15 | 13 |
| Daylight | 13.5 h | 14.9 h | 15.6 h |
Highs change by +12°F from April and +10°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Cooler: Duluth, MN136 mi · high 57°F · 12 wet days
How Minneapolis ranks in May
- Normal high284th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 3 in Minnesota
- Wet days293rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days84th most of 339
What to pack for Minneapolis in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
Heating and cooling
May has 214 heating degree days and 45 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Minneapolis in May?
The normal high is 69°F and the normal low is 50°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 28°F (May 1, 1997).
Does it rain a lot in Minneapolis in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.9 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2012 (9.3 in); the driest was in 2009 (0.5 in).
Is May a good time to visit Minneapolis?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Minneapolis (72 out of 100). It has about 15 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are May and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snow depth, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Minneapolis/St Paul Airport (USW00014922), 6.9 mi SSE of the city center, 872 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: New Hope (USC00215838), 6.0 mi WNW of the city center, 910 ft (80 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Lower St Anthony Falls (USC00214884), 0.8 mi E of the city center, 754 ft (76 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport (726580-14922), 6.8 mi SSE of the city center, 835 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.