Lake Placid, NY weather in May
May in Lake Placid: cool, with rain on most days. Highs 62°F, lows 40°F, rain or snow on about 15 days and about 0.5 in of snow. Keep rain gear handy.
- Normal high
- 62°F
- Normal low
- 40°F
- Wet days
- 15
- 3.9 in total
- Snowfall
- 0.5 in
- normal snowfall
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 57°F | 67°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 45°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 48% | 50% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:46 am / 7:59 pm | 5:15 am / 8:31 pm |
| Daylight | 14.2 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 (Eastern Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am51°Fdew point 43°F
- 9 am58°Fdew point 43°F
- Noon63°Fdew point 43°F
- 3 pm65°Fdew point 43°F
- 6 pm63°Fdew point 43°F
- 9 pm57°Fdew point 44°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Burlington Intl Airport (43 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F15 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 snow15 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in10 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below8 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 3.9 in; a dry May brings about 2.6 in and a wet one about 5.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.5 in.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202012: average high 72°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 57°F
- Wettest May2019: 7.6 in
- Driest May2005: 1.3 in
- Highest reading91°F (May 26, 2010)
- Lowest reading20°F (May 13, 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 | 49°F | 62°F | 70°F |
| Normal low | 29°F | 40°F | 49°F |
| Wet days | 14 | 15 | 15 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 15 | 16 |
| Daylight | 13.5 h | 14.8 h | 15.5 h |
Highs change by +13°F from April and +8°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Burlington, VT40 mi · high 69°F · 14 wet days
- Drier: Waterbury, CT194 mi · high 70°F · 12 wet days
How Lake Placid ranks in May
- Normal high350th warmest of 378 cities; 10th of 10 in New York
- Wet days373rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days115th most of 339
What to pack for Lake Placid in May
- A warm jacket – lows near 40°F, highs near 62°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 15 days
Frost in May
The last spring frost typically comes around May 27; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Jun 7. All frost dates for Lake Placid.
Heating and cooling
May has 436 heating degree days and 6 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Lake Placid in May?
The normal high is 62°F and the normal low is 40°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 20°F (May 13, 2005).
Does it rain a lot in Lake Placid in May?
About 15 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 2019 (7.6 in); the driest was in 2005 (1.3 in).
Does it snow in Lake Placid in May?
Yes. Normal snowfall in May is 0.5 in.
Is May a good time to visit Lake Placid?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Lake Placid (70 out of 100). It has about 15 comfortable days. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Lake Placid 2 S (USC00304555), 1.7 mi N of the city center, 1,888 ft (93 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Burlington Intl Airport (USW00014742), 43 mi ENE of the city center, 330 ft (1,465 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Burlington International Airport (726170-14742), 43 mi ENE of the city center, 332 ft (1,463 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).