Cincinnati, OH weather in May
Cincinnati is mild in May, with frequent rain: highs average 75°F and nights drop to about 53°F. Rain falls on about 14 days.
- Normal high
- 75°F
- Normal low
- 53°F
- Wet days
- 14
- 4.7 in total
- Muggy days
- 4
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 72°F | 79°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 57°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 45% | 42% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:39 am / 8:30 pm | 6:14 am / 8:57 pm |
| Daylight | 13.8 h | 14.7 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 am55°Fdew point 52°F
- 9 am64°Fdew point 55°F
- Noon71°Fdew point 54°F
- 3 pm73°Fdew point 54°F
- 6 pm71°Fdew point 54°F
- 9 pm63°Fdew point 55°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Cincinnati Lunken Airport (5 mi away); average wind 6 mph; clear or few clouds in 52% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 38%.
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 more4 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow14 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in9 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 4.7 in; a dry May brings about 2.9 in and a wet one about 5.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202018: average high 83°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 69°F
- Wettest May1996: 10.5 in
- Driest May2007: 0.7 in
- Highest reading92°F (May 31, 2011)
- Lowest reading27°F (May 9, 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 | 67°F | 75°F | 83°F |
| Normal low | 43°F | 53°F | 61°F |
| Wet days | 13 | 14 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 14 | 14 | 5 |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 14.3 h | 14.9 h |
Highs change by +8°F from April and +8°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Nashville, TN238 mi · high 80°F · 12 wet days
- Cooler: South Bend, IN200 mi · high 70°F · 13 wet days
How Cincinnati ranks in May
- Normal high189th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 6 in Ohio
- Wet days357th driest of 378
- Comfortable days157th most of 339
What to pack for Cincinnati in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 14 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.3 hours of daylight and highs near 75°F
Heating and cooling
May has 113 heating degree days and 84 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Cincinnati in May?
The normal high is 75°F and the normal low is 53°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 92°F (May 31, 2011).
Does it rain a lot in Cincinnati in May?
About 14 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.7 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (10.5 in); the driest was in 2007 (0.7 in).
Is May a good time to visit Cincinnati?
May ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Cincinnati (68 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Cincinnati Lunken Airport (USW00093812), 5.2 mi E of the city center, 490 ft (62 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport (USW00093814), 9.4 mi WSW of the city center, 869 ft (317 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Cina Muni Apt/Lukn Fd Apt (724297-93812), 5.3 mi E of the city center, 475 ft (77 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.