Atlanta weather in May

In May, Atlanta sees average daytime highs of 80°F and overnight lows near 61°F, with 3.0 in of rain across 9.7 wet days and about 13.7 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 77°F in the first days to 83°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Atlanta's 5th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Atlanta's year-round climate.

Daytime high
80°
5th warmest
Overnight low
61°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.0 in
9.7 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:41 AM – 7:26 PM
Cloud cover
57%
5th clearest
Wind
6 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.07 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.5
out of 10

Atlanta is capital city of the U.S. state of Georgia and seat of Fulton County, also located in DeKalb County.

Density
1,468/km²
people per km²
Founded
1845

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 77°F in the first days to 83°F by the end.

A typical May day in Atlanta reaches about 80°F in the afternoon and slips back to 61°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 71°F and 88°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 8°F warmer than April and about 6°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17656
27656
37756
47757
57757
67858
77858
87858
97858
107959
117959
127959
137960
148060
158060
168061
178061
188161
198162
208162
218162
228263
238263
248263
258264
268264
278364
288365
298365
308365
318365

How May really feels in Atlanta

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.

Atlanta weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan53° / 35°4.210.10.7103.0
Feb57° / 38°4.49.70.410.74.0
Mar64° / 44°4.410.20.111.75.8
Apr73° / 52°3.59.1012.86.9
May80° / 61°3.09.7013.76.5
Jun86° / 68°3.813.9014.24.6
Jul88° / 71°4.215.50143.8
Aug87° / 70°3.812.5013.34.3
Sep82° / 64°3.58.4012.26.2
Oct73° / 53°3.06.7011.27.4
Nov63° / 43°3.78010.25.9
Dec55° / 37°4.310.10.39.83.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 48%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15248
25347
35248
45248
55347
65248
75248
85248
95248
105248
115248
125248
135248
145248
155248
165248
175248
185248
195248
205248
215248
225248
235149
245149
255149
265149
275050
285050
295050
305050
314951

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Atlanta gets around 3.0 in of rain over 9.7 wet days in May, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 32% and peaks near 38% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
131
231
331
431
531
631
731
831
931
1030
1130
1230
1330
1430
1530
1630
1729
1829
1930
2030
2130
2231
2331
2432
2533
2634
2735
2835
2936
3037
3138

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 33% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 19% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
154241750
252241860
350241970
449242080
547242090
6462421100
7442422110
8432422110
9412323120
10402323130
11392324140
12382325150
13362326160
14352226160
15342227170
16342128170
17322128180
18312128191
19302129191
20292129201
21282130211
22262130212
23252130222
24232131232
25222131243
26202132253
27182132263
28172132274
29162032284
30142032295
31132032305

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
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 18 min at the start of May to 14 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:55 AM to 5:33 AM, and sunset from 7:15 PM to 7:37 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.35:557:15
213.45:547:15
313.45:537:16
413.45:527:17
513.45:517:18
613.55:507:18
713.55:497:19
813.55:487:20
913.65:477:21
1013.65:467:22
1113.65:457:22
1213.65:457:23
1313.75:447:24
1413.75:437:25
1513.75:427:25
1613.75:417:26
1713.85:417:27
1813.85:407:28
1913.85:397:28
2013.85:397:29
2113.95:387:30
2213.95:377:31
2313.95:377:31
2413.95:367:32
2513.95:367:33
2614.05:357:33
2714.05:357:34
2814.05:347:35
2914.05:347:35
3014.05:347:36
3114.15:337:37

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.07 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.31 kWh/m² to a high of 6.07 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 6.07 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.9Bright
25.9Bright
36.0Bright
46.0Bright
56.0Bright
66.0Intense
76.0Intense
86.0Intense
96.0Intense
106.1Intense
116.1Intense
126.1Intense
136.1Intense
146.1Intense
156.1Intense
166.1Intense
176.1Intense
186.1Intense
196.1Intense
206.1Intense
216.1Intense
226.1Intense
236.1Intense
246.1Intense
256.1Intense
266.0Intense
276.0Intense
286.0Intense
296.0Intense
306.0Intense
316.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Atlanta?

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

6.5
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
6.6
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Atlanta for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Atlanta in May

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

In May, Atlanta sees daytime highs around 80°F and nights near 61°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain gear

UV index in Atlanta 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 Atlanta peaks around July 12 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 12UV 10Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Atlanta 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 Atlanta is worst in July — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (January, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateModerateGoodJul 1620 µg/m³Jan 118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb10Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr12Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul21Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov9Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Atlanta?

Atlanta sits at 33.7°N, 84.4°W, 1,050 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is North Decatur, 5.6 mi away.

Topography around Atlanta

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Atlanta has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 230 ft around an average of 1,004 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 446 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,149 ft.

The land around Atlanta is covered by artificial surfaces (63%) and trees (31%) within 2 miles, trees (67%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 10 miles, and trees (81%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
230 ft
10 miles
446 ft
50 miles
2,149 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: North Decatur 5.6 mi · Decatur 5.6 mi · East Point 5.6 mi · North Druid Hills 6.2 mi · Candler-McAfee 6.8 mi · Belvedere Park 6.8 mi · Brookhaven 8.1 mi · Forest Park 8.7 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 Atlanta (33.749°, -84.388°, elevation 1,050 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).