Chattanooga, TN weather in May
Chattanooga is warm in May, with frequent rain: highs average 81°F and nights drop to about 59°F. There are about 11 days with rain. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 81°F
- Normal low
- 59°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 6
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 78°F | 85°F |
| Normal low | 54°F | 64°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:50 am / 8:26 pm | 6:28 am / 8:49 pm |
| Daylight | 13.6 h | 14.3 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 am60°Fdew point 57°F
- 9 am68°Fdew point 58°F
- Noon76°Fdew point 58°F
- 3 pm78°Fdew point 57°F
- 6 pm77°Fdew point 57°F
- 9 pm70°Fdew point 59°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Chattanooga Lovell Airport (6 mi away); average wind 5 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F9 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more3 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more6 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 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 3.9 in; a dry May brings about 2.0 in and a wet one about 5.3 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 86°F
- Coolest May1997: average high 75°F
- Wettest May2003: 11.2 in
- Driest May2007: 1.3 in
- Highest reading96°F (May 31, 2011)
- Lowest reading39°F (May 4, 2004)
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 | 74°F | 81°F | 88°F |
| Normal low | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 16 | 9 | 1 |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | 14.0 h | 14.5 h |
Highs change by +7°F from April and +7°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Montgomery, AL194 mi · high 86°F · 8 wet days
- Drier: Macon, GA180 mi · high 86°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Gatlinburg, TN111 mi · high 75°F · 15 wet days
How Chattanooga ranks in May
- Normal high125th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 7 in Tennessee
- Wet days212th driest of 378
- Comfortable days230th most of 339
What to pack for Chattanooga in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.0 hours of daylight and highs near 81°F
Heating and cooling
May has 30 heating degree days and 185 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Chattanooga in May?
The normal high is 81°F and the normal low is 59°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 96°F (May 31, 2011).
Does it rain a lot in Chattanooga in May?
About 11 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.9 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2003 (11.2 in); the driest was in 2007 (1.3 in).
Is May a good time to visit Chattanooga?
May ranks 4th of 12 months on our comfort score for Chattanooga (61 out of 100). It has about 9 comfortable days and about 3 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Chattanooga Lovell Airport (USW00013882), 6.2 mi E of the city center, 671 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Lovell Field Airport (723240-13882), 6.3 mi E of the city center, 669 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).