Lincoln, NE weather in May
In May, Lincoln sees highs around 75°F and lows around 51°F: mild, with frequent rain. Expect about 12 wet days. Great for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 75°F
- Normal low
- 51°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 4.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 69°F | 81°F |
| Normal low | 45°F | 57°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 37% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:24 am / 8:22 pm | 5:57 am / 8:50 pm |
| Daylight | 14.0 h | 14.9 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 am54°Fdew point 49°F
- 9 am63°Fdew point 51°F
- Noon69°Fdew point 50°F
- 3 pm72°Fdew point 50°F
- 6 pm70°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 pm62°Fdew point 50°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Lincoln Muni Airport (6 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 57% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 34%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more2 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more1 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 and snow in May
Normal precipitation is 4.9 in; a dry May brings about 2.5 in and a wet one about 6.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 4 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.1 in.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202018: average high 83°F
- Coolest May1995: average high 67°F
- Wettest May2015: 10.9 in
- Driest May2009: 1.2 in
- Highest reading100°F (May 26, 2018)
- Lowest reading24°F (May 1, 1994)
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 | 65°F | 75°F | 85°F |
| Normal low | 39°F | 51°F | 62°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 12 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 12 | 14 | 5 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.5 h | 15.1 h |
Highs change by +10°F from April and +10°F into June.
How Lincoln ranks in May
- Normal high191st warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 2 in Nebraska
- Wet days264th driest of 378
- Comfortable days132nd most of 339
What to pack for Lincoln in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.5 hours of daylight and highs near 75°F
Heating and cooling
May has 143 heating degree days and 84 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Lincoln in May?
The normal high is 75°F and the normal low is 51°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 100°F (most recently on May 26, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Lincoln in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.9 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (10.9 in); the driest was in 2009 (1.2 in).
Does it snow in Lincoln in May?
Yes. Normal snowfall in May is 0.1 in.
Is May a good time to visit Lincoln?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Lincoln (70 out of 100). It has about 14 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, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Lincoln Muni Airport (USW00014939), 5.5 mi NW of the city center, 1,190 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Lincoln Municipal Airport (725510-14939), 6.1 mi WNW of the city center, 1,170 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.