Altoona weather in May

In May, Altoona sees average daytime highs of 67°F and overnight lows near 49°F, with 4.6 in of rain across 14.6 wet days and about 14.2 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 63°F in the first days to 71°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 42 min at the start of May to 14 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Altoona's 6th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Altoona's year-round climate.

Daytime high
67°
5th warmest
Overnight low
49°
8th coldest
Rainfall
4.6 in
14.6 wet days
Daylight
14 h 12 min
5:02 AM – 7:17 PM
Cloud cover
66%
6th clearest
Wind
6 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.53 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.4
out of 10

Altoona is city in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Density
1,767/km²
people per km²
Founded
1849

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 71°F by the end.

A typical May day in Altoona reaches about 67°F in the afternoon and slips back to 49°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 55°F and 79°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 9°F warmer than April and about 8°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16344
26344
36345
46445
56445
66446
76446
86446
96546
106547
116547
126547
136647
146648
156648
166748
176749
186749
196749
206849
216850
226950
236951
246951
257051
267052
277052
287152
297153
307153
317153

How May really feels in Altoona

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.

Altoona weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan33° / 20°3.110.97.69.40.0
Feb36° / 21°2.8106.710.40.0
Mar45° / 28°3.912.1511.70.9
Apr58° / 39°4.213.41.3133.8
May67° / 49°4.614.6014.25.4
Jun75° / 57°4.412.7014.86.3
Jul79° / 62°3.912.4014.66.3
Aug78° / 60°3.311.2013.66.5
Sep71° / 53°4.110.2012.36.6
Oct59° / 42°3.59.80.510.94.7
Nov47° / 33°3.19.62.19.71.6
Dec38° / 25°3.210.25.59.20.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 63%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13664
23664
33664
43763
53763
63763
73664
83664
93763
103763
113763
123763
133763
143763
153664
163664
173664
183664
193664
203664
213763
223763
233763
243862
253862
263961
274060
284060
294060
303961
314060

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Altoona gets around 4.6 in of rain over 14.6 wet days in May, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 47% and peaks near 50% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
147
248
348
448
548
649
749
849
950
1050
1150
1250
1349
1449
1548
1648
1748
1847
1947
2046
2146
2245
2345
2445
2544
2644
2744
2844
2944
3044
3144

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 73% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1891010
2871120
3871120
4861220
5841330
6841330
7821440
8821440
9811450
10801550
11791560
12781570
13781570
14761680
15751690
16751690
177316101
187216111
197017121
206917122
216817132
226518143
236418153
246318154
256119164
266019165
275919175
285919175
295819176
305620186
315520187

Wind in May

Winds average 6 mph in May.

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

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 42 min at the start of May to 14 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 60 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:20 AM to 4:51 AM, and sunset from 7:02 PM to 7:31 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.75:207:02
213.75:187:03
313.85:177:04
413.85:167:05
513.95:157:06
613.95:137:07
713.95:127:08
814.05:117:09
914.05:107:10
1014.05:097:11
1114.15:087:12
1214.15:077:13
1314.15:057:14
1414.25:047:15
1514.25:037:16
1614.25:027:17
1714.35:027:18
1814.35:017:19
1914.35:007:20
2014.44:597:21
2114.44:587:22
2214.44:577:23
2314.54:567:24
2414.54:567:25
2514.54:557:26
2614.54:547:26
2714.64:547:27
2814.64:537:28
2914.64:527:29
3014.64:527:30
3114.74:517:31

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.53 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.59 kWh/m² to a high of 5.92 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.53 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.3Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.3Bright
95.3Bright
105.3Bright
115.4Bright
125.4Bright
135.4Bright
145.4Bright
155.4Bright
165.5Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.5Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.7Bright
245.7Bright
255.7Bright
265.7Bright
275.8Bright
285.8Bright
295.8Bright
305.8Bright
315.8Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Altoona?

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

5.4
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
2.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Altoona for sightseeing.

What to pack for Altoona in May

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

In May, Altoona sees daytime highs around 67°F and nights near 49°F. Pack rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 15 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

UV index in Altoona in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Altoona peaks around June 23 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 23UV 9Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Altoona 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 Altoona is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1316 µg/m³Nov 147 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar11Good
Apr12Good
May14Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Altoona?

Altoona sits at 40.5°N, 78.4°W, 1,165 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Johnstown, 30 mi away.

Topography around Altoona

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Altoona has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 942 ft around an average of 1,302 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,762 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,703 ft.

The land around Altoona is covered by trees (54%) and artificial surfaces (35%) within 2 miles, trees (80%) within 10 miles, and trees (80%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
942 ft
10 miles
1,762 ft
50 miles
2,703 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaces
May weather nearby: Johnstown 30 mi · State College 34 mi · Chambersburg 56 mi · Cumberland 63 mi · Carlisle 67 mi · Murrysville 69 mi · Hagerstown 70 mi · Plum 71 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 Altoona (40.5187°, -78.3947°, elevation 1,165 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. 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).