Whitefish, MT weather in May
May in Whitefish: cool, with frequent rain. Highs 65°F, lows 38°F, about 12 wet days.
- Normal high
- 65°F
- Normal low
- 38°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 1.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 61°F | 68°F |
| Normal low | 34°F | 42°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 43% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:17 am / 8:51 pm | 5:40 am / 9:29 pm |
| Daylight | 14.6 h | 15.8 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Mountain Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am43°Fdew point 37°F
- 9 am53°Fdew point 39°F
- Noon60°Fdew point 38°F
- 3 pm63°Fdew point 37°F
- 6 pm61°Fdew point 37°F
- 9 pm52°Fdew point 39°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Kalispell Glacier Airport (8 mi away); average wind 7 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 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 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below6 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 1.8 in; a dry May brings about 1.2 in and a wet one about 2.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.1 in.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20201993: average high 72°F
- Coolest May1996: average high 57°F
- Wettest May1996: 4.3 in
- Driest May2015: 0.2 in
- Highest reading90°F (May 30, 2020)
- Lowest reading20°F (May 2, 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 | 55°F | 65°F | 71°F |
| Normal low | 31°F | 38°F | 44°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 14 | 17 |
| Daylight | 13.7 h | 15.2 h | 16.0 h |
Highs change by +10°F from April and +6°F into June.
How Whitefish ranks in May
- Normal high338th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 6 in Montana
- Wet days273rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days150th most of 339
What to pack for Whitefish in May
- A warm jacket – lows near 38°F, highs near 65°F
- Layers – afternoons near 65°F but nights near 38°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
Frost in May
The last spring frost typically comes around May 16; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Jun 6. All frost dates for Whitefish.
Heating and cooling
May has 417 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Whitefish in May?
The normal high is 65°F and the normal low is 38°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 20°F (May 2, 2013).
Does it rain a lot in Whitefish in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.8 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (4.3 in); the driest was in 2015 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Whitefish in May?
Yes. Normal snowfall in May is 0.1 in.
Is May a good time to visit Whitefish?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Whitefish (73 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Kalispell Glacier Airport (USC00244558), 8.1 mi SSE of the city center, 2,957 ft (78 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and frost dates: Whitefish (USC00248902), 1.0 mi WSW of the city center, 3,100 ft (65 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Glacier Park International Airport (727790-24146), 8.1 mi SSE of the city center, 2,963 ft (72 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).