Greensboro, NC weather in May
May in Greensboro: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 78°F, lows 57°F, about 11 days with rain. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 78°F
- Normal low
- 57°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 3
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 75°F | 81°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 62°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:26 am / 8:06 pm | 6:03 am / 8:29 pm |
| Daylight | 13.7 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 am59°Fdew point 54°F
- 9 am67°Fdew point 56°F
- Noon73°Fdew point 55°F
- 3 pm76°Fdew point 55°F
- 6 pm73°Fdew point 55°F
- 9 pm67°Fdew point 56°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Piedmont Triad Intl Airport (9 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F12 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more3 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 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 2.2 in and a wet one about 3.9 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, 1991-20202019: average high 83°F
- Coolest May2020: average high 72°F
- Wettest May2020: 9.4 in
- Driest May2007: 0.5 in
- Highest reading94°F (May 31, 2011)
- Lowest reading36°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 | 71°F | 78°F | 85°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 57°F | 65°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 17 | 12 | 3 |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | 14.1 h | 14.6 h |
Highs change by +7°F from April and +7°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Columbia, SC159 mi · high 87°F · 9 wet days
- Drier: Charleston, SC228 mi · high 79°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Fayetteville, WV155 mi · high 72°F · 15 wet days
How Greensboro ranks in May
- Normal high159th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 10 in North Carolina
- Wet days217th driest of 378
- Comfortable days183rd most of 339
What to pack for Greensboro in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.1 hours of daylight and highs near 78°F
Heating and cooling
May has 59 heating degree days and 138 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Greensboro in May?
The normal high is 78°F and the normal low is 57°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 94°F (May 31, 2011).
Does it rain a lot in Greensboro in May?
About 11 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 2020 (9.5 in); the driest was in 2007 (0.5 in).
Is May a good time to visit Greensboro?
May ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for Greensboro (68 out of 100). It has about 12 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Piedmont Triad Intl Airport (USW00013723), 8.6 mi WNW of the city center, 890 ft (67 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Piedmont Triad International Airport (723170-13723), 8.6 mi WNW of the city center, 902 ft (79 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).