Athens weather in May

In May, Athens sees average daytime highs of 73°F and overnight lows near 55°F, with 4.7 in of rain across 13.7 wet days and about 14.1 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 70°F in the first days to 77°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Athens's 7th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Athens's year-round climate.

Daytime high
73°
5th warmest
Overnight low
55°
8th coldest
Rainfall
4.7 in
13.7 wet days
Daylight
14 h 06 min
5:20 AM – 7:29 PM
Cloud cover
64%
7th clearest
Wind
6 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.68 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.1
out of 10

Athens is city in Athens County, Ohio, United States.

Density
963/km²
people per km²
Founded
1797

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 70°F in the first days to 77°F by the end.

A typical May day in Athens reaches about 73°F in the afternoon and slips back to 55°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 61°F and 84°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 8°F warmer than April and about 8°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16950
26950
37051
47051
57051
67052
77152
87152
97153
107153
117253
127253
137254
147254
157354
167355
177355
187355
197455
207456
217456
227456
237557
247557
257657
267658
277658
287658
297759
307759
317759

How May really feels in Athens

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.

Athens 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
Jan40° / 26°3.610.94.39.50.0
Feb43° / 28°3.510.24.110.50.5
Mar53° / 35°4.512.42.211.72.8
Apr65° / 46°4.412.50.3135.4
May73° / 55°4.713.7014.16.1
Jun81° / 63°4.512.5014.75.9
Jul85° / 67°4.113.1014.55.0
Aug84° / 65°3.510.5013.55.6
Sep78° / 58°3.58.5012.37.0
Oct66° / 47°3.19.20.1116.1
Nov53° / 37°3.39.20.79.83.2
Dec44° / 30°3.610.42.59.30.7

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 59%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13763
23763
33862
43862
53862
63862
73961
83961
93961
104060
114159
124159
134060
144060
154159
164159
174159
184159
194159
204159
214258
224258
234357
244357
254456
264456
274456
284456
294555
304555
314555

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Athens gets around 4.7 in of rain over 13.7 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 44% and peaks near 46% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
145
245
345
445
545
645
745
846
946
1046
1146
1246
1346
1446
1546
1645
1745
1845
1944
2044
2144
2243
2343
2443
2542
2642
2741
2841
2941
3040
3140

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 52% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 11% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
17416910
273161010
371171110
469171220
568171320
665181430
764181530
862181640
961181650
1060181750
1159181760
1256191870
1355191880
1453191990
15521919100
16521919100
17511919110
18491920120
19471920130
20461921140
21451921140
22432022150
23422022161
24402023161
25392023171
26382024171
27372024181
28362024181
29362025191
30352025191
31342025202

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
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
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 13 h 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 54 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:37 AM to 5:10 AM, and sunset from 7:15 PM to 7:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.65:377:15
213.75:357:16
313.75:347:17
413.75:337:18
513.85:327:19
613.85:317:20
713.95:297:20
813.95:287:21
913.95:277:22
1014.05:267:23
1114.05:257:24
1214.05:247:25
1314.15:237:26
1414.15:227:27
1514.15:217:28
1614.15:207:29
1714.25:197:30
1814.25:187:31
1914.25:187:32
2014.35:177:33
2114.35:167:34
2214.35:157:35
2314.45:147:35
2414.45:147:36
2514.45:137:37
2614.45:127:38
2714.45:127:39
2814.55:117:40
2914.55:117:40
3014.55:107:41
3114.55:107:42

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.68 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.65 kWh/m² to a high of 6.13 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.68 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.4Bright
55.4Bright
65.4Bright
75.4Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.6Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.9Bright
245.9Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
276.0Bright
286.0Bright
296.0Bright
306.0Bright
316.0Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Athens?

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

6.1
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
4.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Athens for sightseeing.

What to pack for Athens in May

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

In May, Athens sees daytime highs around 73°F and nights near 55°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 14 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Athens in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Athens peaks around June 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 19UV 9Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Athens 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 Athens is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1318 µg/m³Nov 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar10Good
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Athens?

Athens sits at 39.3°N, 82.1°W, 719 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Parkersburg, 29 mi away.

Topography around Athens

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Athens has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 430 ft around an average of 778 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 499 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 778 ft.

The land around Athens is covered by trees (70%) within 2 miles, trees (81%) within 10 miles, and trees (77%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
430 ft
10 miles
499 ft
50 miles
778 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Parkersburg 29 mi · Lancaster 37 mi · Zanesville 42 mi · Chillicothe 47 mi · Pickerington 52 mi · Newark 53 mi · Pataskala 55 mi · Reynoldsburg 57 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 Athens (39.3292°, -82.1013°, elevation 719 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).