Pittsburgh, PA weather in May
In May, Pittsburgh sees highs around 72°F and lows around 51°F: mild, with frequent rain. Rain falls on about 14 days.
- Normal high
- 72°F
- Normal low
- 51°F
- Wet days
- 14
- 3.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 68°F | 76°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 55°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 45% | 42% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:18 am / 8:15 pm | 5:52 am / 8:43 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 48°F
- 9 am61°Fdew point 50°F
- Noon67°Fdew point 49°F
- 3 pm69°Fdew point 49°F
- 6 pm67°Fdew point 48°F
- 9 pm62°Fdew point 48°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Pittsburgh Allegheny Co Airport (7 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 40% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 50%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F15 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 snow14 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below1 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 2.8 in and a wet one about 4.7 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, 1991-20201991: average high 80°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 65°F
- Wettest May1997: 6.3 in
- Driest May2007: 1.9 in
- Highest reading91°F (May 29, 2018)
- Lowest reading28°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 | 62°F | 72°F | 79°F |
| Normal low | 41°F | 51°F | 59°F |
| Wet days | 14 | 14 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 12 | 15 | 10 |
| Daylight | 13.3 h | 14.4 h | 15.0 h |
Highs change by +10°F from April and +7°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Richmond, VA241 mi · high 78°F · 11 wet days
How Pittsburgh ranks in May
- Normal high234th warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 4 in Pennsylvania
- Wet days356th driest of 378
- Comfortable days99th most of 339
What to pack for Pittsburgh in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 14 days
Heating and cooling
May has 172 heating degree days and 56 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Pittsburgh in May?
The normal high is 72°F and the normal low is 51°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 91°F (most recently on May 29, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Pittsburgh in May?
About 14 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 1997 (6.3 in); the driest was in 2007 (1.9 in).
Is May a good time to visit Pittsburgh?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Pittsburgh (71 out of 100). It has about 15 comfortable days. The best months are May and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Pittsburgh Intl Airport (USW00094823), 12 mi WNW of the city center, 1,203 ft (438 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Emsworth L/D Ohio Rvr (USC00362574), 6.6 mi NW of the city center, 717 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Pittsburgh Allegheny Co Airport (USW00014762), 7.1 mi SSE of the city center, 1,248 ft (483 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Pittsburgh International Airport (725200-94823), 12 mi WNW of the city center, 1,119 ft (354 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.