Dayton, OH weather in May
In May, Dayton sees highs around 75°F and lows around 53°F: mild, with frequent rain. Expect about 14 wet days.
- Normal high
- 75°F
- Normal low
- 53°F
- Wet days
- 14
- 4.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 2
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 70°F | 79°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 58°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 44% | 42% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:37 am / 8:30 pm | 6:11 am / 8:57 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 am54°Fdew point 51°F
- 9 am63°Fdew point 52°F
- Noon69°Fdew point 52°F
- 3 pm71°Fdew point 52°F
- 6 pm70°Fdew point 52°F
- 9 pm63°Fdew point 52°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Wright Patterson AFB (9 mi away); average wind 7 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°F13 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more2 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 4.4 in; a dry May brings about 3.2 in and a wet one about 5.4 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 85°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 69°F
- Wettest May1996: 8.1 in
- Driest May1999: 1.2 in
- Highest reading97°F (May 29, 2010)
- Lowest reading29°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 | 75°F | 84°F |
| Normal low | 41°F | 53°F | 62°F |
| Wet days | 13 | 14 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 13 | 13 | 5 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.4 h | 14.9 h |
Highs change by +11°F from April and +9°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Cooler: Detroit, MI187 mi · high 70°F · 13 wet days
How Dayton ranks in May
- Normal high192nd warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 6 in Ohio
- Wet days355th driest of 378
- Comfortable days168th most of 339
What to pack for Dayton in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 14 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.4 hours of daylight and highs near 75°F
Heating and cooling
May has 133 heating degree days and 99 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Dayton in May?
The normal high is 75°F and the normal low is 53°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 97°F (May 29, 2010).
Does it rain a lot in Dayton in May?
About 14 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.4 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (8.1 in); the driest was in 1999 (1.2 in).
Is May a good time to visit Dayton?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Dayton (67 out of 100). It has about 13 comfortable days and about 2 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Dayton Mcd (USC00332067), 0.3 mi N of the city center, 720 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Dayton Intl Airport (USW00093815), 10 mi N of the city center, 1,000 ft (260 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Wright Patterson AFB (USW00013840), 9.1 mi NE of the city center, 823 ft (83 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: J.m.cox Dayton International Airport (724290-93815), 10 mi N of the city center, 993 ft (253 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.