Aberdeen weather in May

In May, Aberdeen sees average daytime highs of 68°F and overnight lows near 47°F, with 3.4 in of precipitation across 10.5 wet days and about 14.7 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 63°F in the first days to 73°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 14 hours at the start of May to 15 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Aberdeen's 7th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Aberdeen's year-round climate.

Daytime high
68°
5th warmest
Overnight low
47°
8th coldest
Precipitation
3.4 in
10.5 wet days
Daylight
14 h 42 min
5:10 AM – 7:51 PM
Cloud cover
61%
7th clearest
Wind
10 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
5.84 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.1
out of 10

Aberdeen is city in and the county seat of Brown County, South Dakota, United States.

Density
680/km²
people per km²
Founded
1880

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 63°F in the first days to 73°F by the end.

A typical May day in Aberdeen reaches about 68°F in the afternoon and slips back to 47°F overnight — a 21°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 54°F and 82°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 13°F warmer than April and about 10°F cooler than June.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16240
26240
36341
46341
56442
66442
76443
86543
96544
106544
116644
126645
136745
146746
156846
166847
176847
186947
196948
207048
217049
227049
237149
247150
257150
267251
277251
287251
297352
307352
317353

How May really feels in Aberdeen

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Aberdeen weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan22° / 0.74.24.58.90.0
Feb27° / 0.84.34.310.10.0
Mar40° / 21°1.45.93.511.60.5
Apr55° / 33°2.382.213.23.6
May68° / 47°3.410.50.114.76.1
Jun77° / 57°4.211.5015.46.6
Jul83° / 62°2.98.7015.16.4
Aug81° / 59°2.97.9013.97.1
Sep73° / 50°2.57.1012.37.3
Oct58° / 37°2.06.70.910.74.6
Nov41° / 23°1.04.43.39.30.5
Dec27° / 11°0.84.44.78.60.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% 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 56%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14258
24258
34357
44456
54456
64456
74555
84555
94654
104654
114654
124555
134654
144654
154555
164555
174456
184456
194357
204357
214357
224357
234258
244159
254159
264258
274258
284258
294258
304357
314357

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Aberdeen gets around 3.4 in of rain and snow over 10.5 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 34% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1322
2332
3331
4341
5341
6341
7341
8341
9341
10341
11341
12340
13340
14340
15340
16340
17340
18340
19340
20340
21330
22330
23340
24340
25340
26340
27340
28350
29350
30350
31350

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 88% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
198200
297300
397300
497300
595410
695410
795410
894510
994510
1093610
1192620
1291720
1391720
1491720
1590820
1689830
1788930
1888930
19871030
20871030
21861130
22841240
23831340
24831340
25821440
26801550
27791650
28781750
29761860
30761860
31731971

Wind in May

Winds average 10 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
1110light breeze
1210light breeze
1310light breeze
1410light breeze
1510light breeze
1610light breeze
1710light breeze
1810light breeze
1910light breeze
2010light breeze
2110light breeze
2210light breeze
2310light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 hours at the start of May to 15 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 72 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:30 AM to 4:56 AM, and sunset from 7:32 PM to 8:07 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.05:307:32
214.15:297:33
314.15:277:35
414.25:267:36
514.25:247:37
614.35:237:39
714.35:217:40
814.45:207:41
914.45:187:42
1014.45:177:44
1114.55:167:45
1214.55:147:46
1314.65:137:47
1414.65:127:48
1514.65:117:50
1614.75:107:51
1714.75:087:52
1814.85:077:53
1914.85:067:54
2014.85:057:55
2114.95:047:57
2214.95:037:58
2314.95:027:59
2415.05:018:00
2515.05:008:01
2615.05:008:02
2715.14:598:03
2815.14:588:04
2915.14:578:05
3015.24:578:06
3115.24:568:07

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.84 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.53 kWh/m² to a high of 6.69 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 5.84 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.7Bright
75.7Bright
85.7Bright
95.7Bright
105.7Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.9Bright
165.9Bright
175.9Bright
185.9Bright
195.9Bright
205.9Bright
215.9Bright
225.9Bright
236.0Bright
246.0Bright
256.0Bright
266.0Bright
276.0Intense
286.0Intense
296.0Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Aberdeen

In seasonPeak

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

Aberdeen's rainy season runs April–October, 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 Aberdeen?

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

6.1
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
3.2
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Aberdeen for sightseeing.

What to pack for Aberdeen in May

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

In May, Aberdeen sees daytime highs around 68°F and nights near 47°F. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 11 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

UV index in Aberdeen in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Aberdeen peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 20UV 9Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May6High
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep5High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Aberdeen?

Aberdeen sits at 45.5°N, 98.5°W, 1,302 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Watertown, 78 mi away.

Topography around Aberdeen

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Aberdeen.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Aberdeen has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 43 ft around an average of 1,306 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 161 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 981 ft.

The land around Aberdeen is covered by grassland (34%) and artificial surfaces (31%) within 2 miles, cropland (67%) and grassland (27%) within 10 miles, and cropland (62%) and grassland (35%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
43 ft
10 miles
161 ft
50 miles
981 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Watertown 78 mi · Jamestown 101 mi · Brookings 115 mi · Mitchell 124 mi · West Fargo 124 mi · Fargo 127 mi · Moorhead 127 mi · Bismarck 144 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 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 Aberdeen (45.4647°, -98.4865°, elevation 1,302 ft), 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).