Banff weather in May

In May, Banff sees average daytime highs of 7°C and overnight lows near -3°C, with 78 mm of precipitation across 12.4 wet days and about 15.3 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 5°C in the first days to 10°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 30 min at the start of May to 16 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Banff's 9th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Banff's year-round climate.

Daytime high
5th warmest
Overnight low
-3°
8th coldest
Precipitation
78 mm
12.4 wet days
Daylight
15 h 18 min
4:59 AM – 8:18 PM
Cloud cover
70%
9th clearest
Wind
6 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
6.57 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.9
out of 10

Banff is town in Alberta, Canada.

Density
1,741/km²
people per km²
Founded
1885

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 5°C in the first days to 10°C by the end.

A typical May day in Banff reaches about 7°C in the afternoon and slips back to -3°C overnight — a 11°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 2°C and 13°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 5°C warmer than April and about 5°C cooler than June.

-10°10°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
15-5
25-5
35-5
45-5
55-5
65-5
76-5
86-5
96-4
106-4
116-4
126-4
137-4
147-4
157-4
167-3
177-3
188-3
198-3
208-3
218-3
228-2
238-2
249-2
259-2
269-2
279-2
289-2
2910-1
3010-1
3110-1

How May really feels in Banff

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
31
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Banff weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-10° / -17°236.68.18.20.0
Feb-8° / -16°215.579.60.0
Mar-3° / -13°379.511.211.50.0
Apr / -8°5710.911.413.50.0
May / -3°7812.48.715.30.9
Jun12° / 11917.73.216.22.6
Jul17° / 8814.90.615.94.9
Aug17° / 7812.7114.45.1
Sep11° / -1°6210.24.912.42.9
Oct / -8°408.37.910.40.2
Nov-5° / -14°3589.48.70.0
Dec-11° / -18°236.27.57.70.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 69%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13070
23169
33169
43169
53169
63268
73268
83268
93268
103268
113169
123169
133169
143070
153070
163070
172971
182971
193070
203070
213169
223070
233169
243169
253169
263268
273268
283367
293367
303268
313367

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Banff gets around 78 mm of rain and snow over 12.4 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 41% and peaks near 46% on the wettest days, and about 9 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13939
23938
33938
43937
53936
63835
73834
83833
93832
103831
113830
123829
133829
143928
153927
163927
173926
184026
194026
204125
214225
224225
234324
244323
254423
264422
274421
284520
294519
304618
314617

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in May

Winds average 6 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 6 km/h on the calmest days to 7 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 30 min at the start of May to 16 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 90 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:24 AM to 4:41 AM, and sunset from 7:54 PM to 8:38 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.55:247:54
214.65:237:56
314.65:217:58
414.75:197:59
514.75:178:01
614.85:158:03
714.85:138:04
814.95:128:06
915.05:108:07
1015.05:088:09
1115.15:078:11
1215.15:058:12
1315.25:038:14
1415.25:028:15
1515.35:008:17
1615.34:598:18
1715.44:578:20
1815.44:568:21
1915.54:558:23
2015.54:538:24
2115.64:528:25
2215.64:518:27
2315.64:498:28
2415.74:488:30
2515.74:478:31
2615.84:468:32
2715.84:458:33
2815.84:448:35
2915.94:438:36
3015.94:428:37
3116.04:418:38

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.57 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.11 kWh/m² to a high of 6.57 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 6.57 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.3Intense
26.3Intense
36.4Intense
46.4Intense
56.4Intense
66.5Intense
76.5Intense
86.5Intense
96.5Intense
106.5Intense
116.6Intense
126.6Intense
136.6Intense
146.6Intense
156.6Intense
166.6Intense
176.6Intense
186.6Intense
196.6Intense
206.6Intense
216.6Intense
226.5Intense
236.5Intense
246.6Intense
256.6Intense
266.6Intense
276.6Intense
286.6Intense
296.6Intense
306.6Intense
316.6Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Banff

In seasonPeak

In May, Banff sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Banff's rainy season runs April–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Banff?

Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

0.9
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Banff.

What to pack for Banff in May

From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In May, Banff sees daytime highs around 7°C and nights near -3°C. Pack a warm layer and sun protection. Worth having: a heavy coat and rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layersun protectiona heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Banff in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Banff peaks around July 15 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 15UV 8Dec 18UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb1Low
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May7High
Jun6High
Jul9Very high
Aug6High
Sep4Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Banff in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Banff is worst in August — around 64 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 25.7× the cleanest month (January, 3 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateUnhealthyGoodModerateGoodAug 1559 µg/m³Jan 103 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan3Good
Feb4Good
Mar5Good
Apr6Good
May9Good
Jun8Good
Jul31Moderate
Aug64Unhealthy
Sep14Moderate
Oct8Good
Nov29Moderate
Dec3Good
Location & terrain

Where is Banff?

Banff sits at 51.2°N, 115.6°W, 0 m above sea level, in Canada. The nearest listed city is Canmore, 18 km away.

Topography around Banff

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Banff.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Banff has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 913 m around an average of 1,513 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,662 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,766 m.

The land around Banff is covered by trees (76%) within 3 km, trees (67%) and bare terrain (26%) within 16 km, and trees (63%) and bare terrain (21%) within 80 km.

3 km
913 m
16 km
1,662 m
80 km
2,766 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainsnow and icewatermoss and lichen
May weather nearby: Canmore 18 km · Cochrane 77 km · Tuscany 93 km · Edgemont 99 km · Evanston 101 km · Panorama Hills 104 km · Calgary 105 km · Coventry Hills 105 km

Canada travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 83% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$55,698
2025
Happiness
6.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
97%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
2
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
5.3
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Christian 53%none 35%Muslim 5%Hindu 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Banff (51.1762°, -115.5698°, elevation 0 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).