Grand Forks, ND weather in May
In May, Grand Forks sees highs around 67°F and lows around 44°F: mild, with frequent rain. There are about 11 days with rain. Great for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 67°F
- Normal low
- 44°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 60°F | 72°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 50°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:09 am / 8:40 pm | 5:33 am / 9:17 pm |
| Daylight | 14.5 h | 15.7 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 am46°Fdew point 41°F
- 9 am56°Fdew point 43°F
- Noon62°Fdew point 42°F
- 3 pm65°Fdew point 41°F
- 6 pm63°Fdew point 41°F
- 9 pm55°Fdew point 42°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Grand Forks Af (17 mi away); average wind 11 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 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 below4 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 3.0 in; a dry May brings about 1.6 in and a wet one about 4.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.1 in.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202018: average high 76°F
- Coolest May2004: average high 61°F
- Wettest May1991: 5.9 in
- Driest May1995: 1.1 in
- Highest reading94°F (May 28, 2006)
- Lowest reading21°F (May 2, 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 | 52°F | 67°F | 76°F |
| Normal low | 31°F | 44°F | 55°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 11 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 6 | 14 | 14 |
| Daylight | 13.7 h | 15.2 h | 16.0 h |
Highs change by +15°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Cooler: Duluth, MN244 mi · high 57°F · 12 wet days
How Grand Forks ranks in May
- Normal high321st warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 4 in North Dakota
- Wet days210th driest of 378
- Comfortable days127th most of 339
What to pack for Grand Forks in May
- 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 24. All frost dates for Grand Forks.
Heating and cooling
May has 330 heating degree days and 20 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Grand Forks in May?
The normal high is 67°F and the normal low is 44°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest May reading was 21°F (May 2, 2005).
Does it rain a lot in Grand Forks in May?
About 11 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.0 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1991 (5.9 in); the driest was in 1995 (1.1 in).
Does it snow in Grand Forks in May?
Yes. Normal snowfall in May is 0.1 in.
Is May a good time to visit Grand Forks?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Grand Forks (73 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and frost dates: Grand Forks Univ (NWS) (USC00323621), 3.0 mi W of the city center, 830 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Grand Forks Intl Airport (USW00014916), 7.1 mi W of the city center, 842 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Grand Forks Af (USW00094925), 17 mi W of the city center, 906 ft (76 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Grand Forks AFB Airport (727575-94925), 17 mi W of the city center, 913 ft (83 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).