Aberdeen, SD weather in May
In May, Aberdeen sees highs around 70°F and lows around 44°F: mild, with frequent rain. There are about 10 days with rain. Great for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 70°F
- Normal low
- 44°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.3 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 65°F | 76°F |
| Normal low | 38°F | 51°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 32% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:21 am / 8:40 pm | 5:49 am / 9:14 pm |
| Daylight | 14.3 h | 15.4 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical May day
- 6 am48°Fdew point 43°F
- 9 am58°Fdew point 45°F
- Noon64°Fdew point 44°F
- 3 pm67°Fdew point 43°F
- 6 pm65°Fdew point 43°F
- 9 pm56°Fdew point 44°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Aberdeen (4 mi away); average wind 12 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F15 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below3 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 3.3 in; a dry May brings about 1.7 in and a wet one about 4.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Snow is very rare.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202018: average high 80°F
- Coolest May1996: average high 63°F
- Wettest May2007: 12.2 in
- Driest May1994: 0.3 in
- Highest reading101°F (May 27, 2018)
- Lowest reading13°F (May 3, 2005)
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 | 58°F | 70°F | 80°F |
| Normal low | 31°F | 44°F | 55°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 10 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 8 | 15 | 13 |
| Daylight | 13.5 h | 14.9 h | 15.6 h |
Highs change by +12°F from April and +10°F into June.
How Aberdeen ranks in May
- Normal high263rd warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 4 in South Dakota
- Wet days208th driest of 378
- Comfortable days93rd most of 339
What to pack for Aberdeen in May
- Layers – afternoons near 70°F but nights near 44°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
Frost in May
The last spring frost typically comes around May 9; in 1 year in 10 it comes after May 22. All frost dates for Aberdeen.
Heating and cooling
May has 268 heating degree days and 31 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Aberdeen in May?
The normal high is 70°F and the normal low is 44°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 101°F (May 27, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Aberdeen in May?
About 10 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.3 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2007 (12.2 in); the driest was in 1994 (0.3 in).
Is May a good time to visit Aberdeen?
May ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Aberdeen (74 out of 100). It has about 15 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: Aberdeen (USW00014929), 3.6 mi E of the city center, 1,302 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Aberdeen Regional Airport (726590-14929), 3.8 mi ESE of the city center, 1,298 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).