Gatlinburg, TN weather in May
May in Gatlinburg: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 75°F, lows 51°F, about 15 days with rain.
- Normal high
- 75°F
- Normal low
- 51°F
- Wet days
- 15
- 5.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 4
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 73°F | 77°F |
| Normal low | 47°F | 55°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 46% | 48% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:41 am / 8:20 pm | 6:19 am / 8:43 pm |
| Daylight | 13.6 h | 14.4 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 am59°Fdew point 56°F
- 9 am67°Fdew point 57°F
- Noon74°Fdew point 57°F
- 3 pm76°Fdew point 56°F
- 6 pm74°Fdew point 56°F
- 9 pm68°Fdew point 57°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Knoxville Mcghee Tyson Airport (28 mi away); average wind 6 mph; clear or few clouds in 56% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 33%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F12 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more4 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow15 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in10 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 5.5 in; a dry May brings about 3.8 in and a wet one about 7.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 4 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How May varies from year to year
- Warmest May, 1991-20202010: average high 81°F
- Coolest May1992: average high 72°F
- Wettest May2006: 11.0 in
- Driest May2015: 1.8 in
- Highest reading92°F (May 8, 2010)
- Lowest reading30°F (May 11, 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 | 69°F | 75°F | 80°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 51°F | 59°F |
| Wet days | 13 | 15 | 15 |
| Comfortable days | 16 | 12 | 4 |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | 14.1 h | 14.5 h |
Highs change by +6°F from April and +5°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Chattanooga, TN111 mi · high 81°F · 11 wet days
- Drier: Knoxville, TN29 mi · high 79°F · 12 wet days
How Gatlinburg ranks in May
- Normal high194th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 7 in Tennessee
- Wet days372nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days188th most of 339
What to pack for Gatlinburg in May
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 15 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.1 hours of daylight and highs near 75°F
Heating and cooling
May has 120 heating degree days and 54 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Gatlinburg in May?
The normal high is 75°F and the normal low is 51°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 92°F (May 8, 2010).
Does it rain a lot in Gatlinburg in May?
About 15 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 5.5 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2006 (11.0 in); the driest was in 2015 (1.8 in).
Is May a good time to visit Gatlinburg?
May ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for Gatlinburg (65 out of 100). It has about 12 comfortable days. The best months are April and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Gatlinburg 2 Sw (USC00403420), 2.4 mi SW of the city center, 1,454 ft (164 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Knoxville Mcghee Tyson Airport (USW00013891), 28 mi WNW of the city center, 962 ft (328 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Asheville Rgnl Airport (USW00003812), 58 mi ESE of the city center, 2,117 ft (827 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Mc Ghee Tyson Airport (723260-13891), 28 mi WNW of the city center, 970 ft (320 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.