Columbus, OH weather in May
Columbus is mild in May, with frequent rain: highs average 74°F and nights drop to about 52°F. There are about 14 days with rain.
- Normal high
- 74°F
- Normal low
- 52°F
- Wet days
- 14
- 4.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 2
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 70°F | 78°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 57°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 46% | 43% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:31 am / 8:26 pm | 6:05 am / 8:53 pm |
| Daylight | 13.9 h | 14.8 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 50°F
- 9 am63°Fdew point 51°F
- Noon69°Fdew point 51°F
- 3 pm71°Fdew point 51°F
- 6 pm70°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 pm64°Fdew point 51°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Columbus Port Columbus Intl Airport (7 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 30% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 55%.
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 more2 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 4.0 in; a dry May brings about 2.5 in and a wet one about 5.5 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 67°F
- Wettest May2001: 7.0 in
- Driest May2007: 1.4 in
- Highest reading93°F (May 28, 2012)
- 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 | 64°F | 74°F | 82°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 52°F | 62°F |
| Wet days | 14 | 14 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 13 | 14 | 8 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.4 h | 15.0 h |
Highs change by +10°F from April and +8°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Drier: Carmel, IN165 mi · high 73°F · 11 wet days
How Columbus ranks in May
- Normal high205th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 6 in Ohio
- Wet days364th driest of 378
- Comfortable days128th most of 339
What to pack for Columbus in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 14 days
Heating and cooling
May has 138 heating degree days and 84 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Columbus in May?
The normal high is 74°F and the normal low is 52°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 93°F (most recently on May 28, 2012).
Does it rain a lot in Columbus in May?
About 14 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.0 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2001 (7.0 in); the driest was in 2007 (1.4 in).
Is May a good time to visit Columbus?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Columbus (70 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Columbus Port Columbus Intl Airport (USW00014821), 6.6 mi ENE of the city center, 810 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Wright Patterson AFB (USW00013840), 56 mi W of the city center, 823 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Port Columbus International Airport (724280-14821), 6.8 mi ENE of the city center, 810 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.