Rochester, NY weather in May
May in Rochester: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 69°F, lows 48°F, about 12 wet days.
- Normal high
- 69°F
- Normal low
- 48°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 2.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 64°F | 74°F |
| Normal low | 43°F | 53°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 41% | 39% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:03 am / 8:11 pm | 5:33 am / 8:42 pm |
| Daylight | 14.1 h | 15.1 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 45°F
- 9 am59°Fdew point 46°F
- Noon64°Fdew point 46°F
- 3 pm65°Fdew point 46°F
- 6 pm63°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 pm57°Fdew point 45°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Rochester Gtr Intl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 9 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph3 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 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 in7 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 2.9 in; a dry May brings about 1.8 in and a wet one about 3.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.1 in.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202018: average high 76°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 61°F
- Wettest May2002: 5.9 in
- Driest May2007: 0.2 in
- Highest reading93°F (May 26, 2020)
- Lowest reading27°F (May 13, 2020)
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 | 57°F | 69°F | 78°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 48°F | 57°F |
| Wet days | 13 | 12 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 7 | 14 | 14 |
| Daylight | 13.4 h | 14.7 h | 15.3 h |
Highs change by +12°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Cooler: Lake Placid, NY197 mi · high 62°F · 15 wet days
How Rochester ranks in May
- Normal high278th warmest of 378 cities; 5th of 10 in New York
- Wet days297th driest of 378
- Comfortable days146th most of 339
What to pack for Rochester in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
Heating and cooling
May has 232 heating degree days and 40 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Rochester in May?
The normal high is 69°F and the normal low is 48°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 27°F (May 13, 2020).
Does it rain a lot in Rochester in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.9 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2002 (5.9 in); the driest was in 2007 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Rochester in May?
Yes. Normal snowfall in May is 0.1 in.
Is May a good time to visit Rochester?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Rochester (72 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Rochester Gtr Intl Airport (USW00014768), 4.0 mi SW of the city center, 533 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Greater Rochester International Airport (725290-14768), 4.0 mi SW of the city center, 540 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).