Knoxville, TN weather in May
In May, Knoxville sees highs around 79°F and lows around 54°F: mild, with frequent rain. Rain falls on about 12 days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 79°F
- Normal low
- 54°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 4.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 4
- dew point 65°F+
How May changes from start to finish
| May 1 | May 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 75°F | 82°F |
| Normal low | 49°F | 58°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 38% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:43 am / 8:22 pm | 6:20 am / 8:46 pm |
| Daylight | 13.7 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 (11 mi away); average wind 6 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F11 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more4 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow12 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 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 4.5 in; a dry May brings about 3.7 in and a wet one about 5.6 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 May1999: average high 74°F
- Wettest May2000: 7.9 in
- Driest May2007: 1.3 in
- Highest reading93°F (May 15, 2018)
- 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 | 71°F | 79°F | 86°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 54°F | 62°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 17 | 11 | 3 |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | 14.1 h | 14.6 h |
Highs change by +8°F from April and +7°F into June.
Nearby alternatives in May
- Warmer: Augusta, GA208 mi · high 86°F · 8 wet days
- Drier: Augusta, GA208 mi · high 86°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Fayetteville, WV212 mi · high 72°F · 15 wet days
How Knoxville ranks in May
- Normal high156th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 7 in Tennessee
- Wet days259th driest of 378
- Comfortable days203rd most of 339
What to pack for Knoxville in May
- Layers – afternoons near 79°F but nights near 54°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 12 days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.1 hours of daylight and highs near 79°F
Heating and cooling
May has 74 heating degree days and 110 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Knoxville in May?
The normal high is 79°F and the normal low is 54°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest May reading was 93°F (May 15, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Knoxville in May?
About 12 days in May have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.5 in. The wettest May in 1991-2020 was in 2000 (7.9 in); the driest was in 2007 (1.3 in).
Is May a good time to visit Knoxville?
May ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for Knoxville (65 out of 100). It has about 11 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are April and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Knoxville Exp Stn (USC00404946), 4.8 mi SSW of the city center, 830 ft (69 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Knoxville Mcghee Tyson Airport (USW00013891), 11 mi SSW of the city center, 962 ft (63 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Mc Ghee Tyson Airport (723260-13891), 11 mi SSW of the city center, 970 ft (71 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).