Kansas City, MO weather in May
Expect mild weather with frequent rain in Kansas City in May, with highs near 76°F and lows near 57°F. Rain falls on about 11 days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 76°F
- Normal low
- 57°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 5.1 in total
- Muggy days
- 3
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 71°F | 82°F |
| Normal low | 52°F | 63°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 35% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:19 am / 8:10 pm | 5:54 am / 8:37 pm |
| Daylight | 13.8 h | 14.7 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 am60°Fdew point 53°F
- 9 am66°Fdew point 54°F
- Noon72°Fdew point 55°F
- 3 pm74°Fdew point 54°F
- 6 pm72°Fdew point 54°F
- 9 pm67°Fdew point 54°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Kansas City Downtown Airport (2 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 60% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 33%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F12 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more2 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more3 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 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 5.1 in; a dry May brings about 2.2 in and a wet one about 7.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 4 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202018: average high 86°F
- Coolest May1995: average high 68°F
- Wettest May2019: 11.1 in
- Driest May1998: 1.3 in
- Highest reading96°F (May 28, 2018)
- Lowest reading33°F (May 2, 2005)
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 | 67°F | 76°F | 86°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 57°F | 67°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 15 | 12 | 3 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.3 h | 14.9 h |
Highs change by +9°F from April and +10°F into June.
How Kansas City ranks in May
- Normal high178th warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 7 in Missouri
- Wet days225th driest of 378
- Comfortable days185th most of 339
What to pack for Kansas City in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.3 hours of daylight and highs near 76°F
Heating and cooling
May has 81 heating degree days and 134 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Kansas City in May?
The normal high is 76°F and the normal low is 57°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 96°F (most recently on May 28, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Kansas City in May?
About 11 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 5.1 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2019 (11.1 in); the driest was in 1998 (1.3 in).
Is May a good time to visit Kansas City?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Kansas City (67 out of 100). It has about 12 comfortable days and about 2 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April and May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Kansas City Downtown Airport (USW00013988), 1.8 mi NW of the city center, 742 ft (156 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Kansas City Intl Airport (USW00003947), 16 mi NNW of the city center, 1,005 ft (107 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: C.r. Wheeler Downtown Arpt (724463-13988), 2.0 mi NNW of the city center, 742 ft (156 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.