Reno, NV weather in May
Reno is mild and mostly dry in May: highs average 74°F and nights drop to about 47°F. There are about 4 days with rain. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 74°F
- Normal low
- 47°F
- Wet days
- 4
- 0.6 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 69°F | 79°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 50°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 15% | 14% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:00 am / 7:52 pm | 5:34 am / 8:19 pm |
| Daylight | 13.9 h | 14.8 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Pacific Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am49°Fdew point 33°F
- 9 am61°Fdew point 31°F
- Noon69°Fdew point 28°F
- 3 pm71°Fdew point 28°F
- 6 pm67°Fdew point 30°F
- 9 pm60°Fdew point 32°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Reno Tahoe Intl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 36% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 43%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F16 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more2 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow4 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 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 0.6 in; a dry May brings about 0.2 in and a wet one about 0.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 0.1 in.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202001: average high 83°F
- Coolest May1998: average high 63°F
- Wettest May2018: 1.8 in
- Driest May2001: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading97°F (May 28, 2003)
- Lowest reading28°F (May 11, 2000)
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 | 74°F | 85°F |
| Normal low | 39°F | 47°F | 54°F |
| Wet days | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Comfortable days | 14 | 16 | 9 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.4 h | 14.9 h |
Highs change by +9°F from April and +11°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Chico, CA109 mi · high 81°F · 4 wet days
- Cooler: Incline Village, NV21 mi · high 59°F · 7 wet days
How Reno ranks in May
- Normal high204th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 3 in Nevada
- Wet days76th driest of 378
- Comfortable days74th most of 339
What to pack for Reno in May
- Layers – afternoons near 74°F but nights near 47°F
Heating and cooling
May has 187 heating degree days and 43 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Reno in May?
The normal high is 74°F and the normal low is 47°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 97°F (May 28, 2003).
Does it rain a lot in Reno in May?
About 4 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.6 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2018 (1.8 in); the driest was in 2001, with no measurable precipitation.
Does it snow in Reno in May?
Yes. Normal snowfall in May is 0.1 in.
Is May a good time to visit Reno?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Reno (76 out of 100). It has about 16 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: Reno Tahoe Intl Airport (USW00023185), 3.9 mi SE of the city center, 4,410 ft (95 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: Reno WFO (USC00266791), 2.8 mi NNE of the city center, 4,987 ft (482 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Sparks (USC00267697), 4.7 mi ENE of the city center, 4,357 ft (148 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Reno/Tahoe International Airport (724880-23185), 2.9 mi ESE of the city center, 4,405 ft (100 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.