Cleveland, OH weather in May
May in Cleveland: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 71°F, lows 51°F, about 13 days with rain.
- Normal high
- 71°F
- Normal low
- 51°F
- Wet days
- 13
- 3.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 66°F | 76°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 56°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 45% | 41% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:23 am / 8:24 pm | 5:55 am / 8:53 pm |
| Daylight | 14.0 h | 15.0 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 am56°Fdew point 47°F
- 9 am61°Fdew point 49°F
- Noon63°Fdew point 51°F
- 3 pm63°Fdew point 51°F
- 6 pm62°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 pm60°Fdew point 48°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Cleveland Burke Airport (1 mi away); average wind 10 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F13 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph4 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 snow13 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 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 3.8 in; a dry May brings about 2.1 in and a wet one about 5.2 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, 1991-20202018: average high 77°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 62°F
- Wettest May2011: 7.7 in
- Driest May2007: 0.7 in
- Highest reading93°F (May 28, 2018)
- Lowest reading30°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 | 60°F | 71°F | 80°F |
| Normal low | 41°F | 51°F | 61°F |
| Wet days | 15 | 13 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 9 | 13 | 11 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.5 h | 15.1 h |
Highs change by +11°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Huntington, WV216 mi · high 76°F · 14 wet days
How Cleveland ranks in May
- Normal high251st warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 6 in Ohio
- Wet days352nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days167th most of 339
What to pack for Cleveland in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 13 days
Heating and cooling
May has 182 heating degree days and 66 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Cleveland in May?
The normal high is 71°F and the normal low is 51°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 93°F (May 28, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Cleveland in May?
About 13 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.8 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2011 (7.7 in); the driest was in 2007 (0.7 in).
Is May a good time to visit Cleveland?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Cleveland (69 out of 100). It has about 13 comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Cleveland (USW00014820), 10 mi SW of the city center, 763 ft (109 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Cleveland Burke Airport (USW00004853), 1.4 mi NNE of the city center, 584 ft (70 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport (725240-14820), 10 mi SW of the city center, 777 ft (123 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).