Fargo, ND weather in May
Fargo is mild in May, with frequent rain: highs average 69°F and nights drop to about 44°F. Rain falls on about 11 days. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 69°F
- Normal low
- 44°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.1 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 62°F | 74°F |
| Normal low | 38°F | 51°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:11 am / 8:36 pm | 5:37 am / 9:12 pm |
| Daylight | 14.4 h | 15.6 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am48°Fdew point 41°F
- 9 am57°Fdew point 43°F
- Noon63°Fdew point 42°F
- 3 pm66°Fdew point 42°F
- 6 pm65°Fdew point 41°F
- 9 pm57°Fdew point 42°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Fargo Hector Intl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 12 mph; clear or few clouds in 53% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 39%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F15 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below3 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 3.1 in; a dry May brings about 2.0 in and a wet one about 3.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Snow is very rare.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202018: average high 78°F
- Coolest May2004: average high 63°F
- Wettest May2015: 7.8 in
- Driest May1994: 0.8 in
- Highest reading97°F (May 28, 2006)
- Lowest reading20°F (May 3, 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 | 54°F | 69°F | 78°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 44°F | 56°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 11 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 7 | 15 | 14 |
| Daylight | 13.6 h | 15.1 h | 15.8 h |
Highs change by +15°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Cooler: Duluth, MN221 mi · high 57°F · 12 wet days
How Fargo ranks in May
- Normal high292nd warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 4 in North Dakota
- Wet days244th driest of 378
- Comfortable days85th most of 339
What to pack for Fargo in May
- Layers – afternoons near 69°F but nights near 44°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
Frost in May
The last spring frost typically comes around May 10; in 1 year in 10 it comes after May 23. All frost dates for Fargo.
Heating and cooling
May has 291 heating degree days and 29 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Fargo in May?
The normal high is 69°F and the normal low is 44°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 20°F (May 3, 2005).
Does it rain a lot in Fargo in May?
About 11 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.1 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (7.9 in); the driest was in 1994 (0.8 in).
Is May a good time to visit Fargo?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Fargo (74 out of 100). It has about 15 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Fargo Hector Intl Airport (USW00014914), 3.5 mi NNW of the city center, 900 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Hector International Airport (727530-14914), 3.4 mi NNW of the city center, 895 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.