Asheville, NC weather in May
In May, Asheville sees highs around 76°F and lows around 54°F: mild, with frequent rain. Expect about 12 wet days. Great for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 76°F
- Normal low
- 54°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 3.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 73°F | 79°F |
| Normal low | 50°F | 58°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 38% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:38 am / 8:16 pm | 6:16 am / 8:39 pm |
| Daylight | 13.6 h | 14.4 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 am54°Fdew point 52°F
- 9 am64°Fdew point 54°F
- Noon71°Fdew point 53°F
- 3 pm73°Fdew point 53°F
- 6 pm70°Fdew point 53°F
- 9 pm63°Fdew point 54°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Asheville Rgnl Airport (12 mi away); average wind 6 mph; clear or few clouds in 56% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 33%.
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 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 below0 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 in May
Normal precipitation is 3.5 in; a dry May brings about 2.3 in and a wet one about 4.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202015: average high 80°F
- Coolest May1992: average high 70°F
- Wettest May2018: 9.3 in
- Driest May2007: 0.7 in
- Highest reading93°F (May 19, 1996)
- Lowest reading32°F (May 10, 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 | 69°F | 76°F | 83°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 54°F | 61°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 12 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 17 | 15 | 5 |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | 14.1 h | 14.5 h |
Highs change by +7°F from April and +7°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Concord, NC112 mi · high 81°F · 10 wet days
- Drier: Columbia, SC140 mi · high 87°F · 9 wet days
How Asheville ranks in May
- Normal high176th warmest of 378 cities; 9th of 10 in North Carolina
- Wet days247th driest of 378
- Comfortable days103rd most of 339
What to pack for Asheville in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.1 hours of daylight and highs near 76°F
Heating and cooling
May has 84 heating degree days and 88 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Asheville in May?
The normal high is 76°F and the normal low is 54°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 93°F (May 19, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Asheville in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.5 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2018 (9.3 in); the driest was in 2007 (0.7 in).
Is May a good time to visit Asheville?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Asheville (71 out of 100). It has about 15 comfortable days. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Asheville (USW00013872), 0.4 mi SSW of the city center, 2,238 ft (111 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Asheville Rgnl Airport (USW00003812), 12 mi S of the city center, 2,117 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Asheville Regional Airport (723150-03812), 12 mi S of the city center, 2,118 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.