Battle Creek weather in May

In May, Battle Creek sees average daytime highs of 68°F and overnight lows near 49°F, with 4.2 in of rain across 13.1 wet days and about 14.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 64°F in the first days to 73°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Battle Creek's 6th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Battle Creek's year-round climate.

Daytime high
68°
5th warmest
Overnight low
49°
8th coldest
Rainfall
4.2 in
13.1 wet days
Daylight
14 h 24 min
5:25 AM – 7:49 PM
Cloud cover
64%
6th clearest
Wind
8 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.74 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

Battle Creek is city in Calhoun County, Michigan, United States.

Density
456/km²
people per km²
Founded
1831

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 64°F in the first days to 73°F by the end.

A typical May day in Battle Creek reaches about 68°F in the afternoon and slips back to 49°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 56°F and 81°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 11°F warmer than April and about 9°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16344
26445
36445
46446
56546
66546
76547
86647
96647
106647
116748
126748
136748
146749
156849
166849
176949
186950
196950
207051
217051
227051
237152
247152
257253
267253
277253
287354
297354
307354
317455

How May really feels in Battle Creek

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.

Battle Creek 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
Jan31° / 19°2.7119.59.30.0
Feb34° / 19°2.28.16.310.30.0
Mar45° / 28°2.610.14.211.61.0
Apr58° / 39°3.812.31.313.13.9
May68° / 49°4.213.1014.45.8
Jun78° / 59°4.111.60156.4
Jul81° / 63°3.711.4014.86.3
Aug79° / 61°3.610.7013.76.6
Sep73° / 54°3.09.6012.36.8
Oct60° / 43°3.310.70.210.84.7
Nov46° / 33°2.89.92.89.61.3
Dec36° / 24°2.410.87.590.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 60%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13664
23862
33763
43763
53763
63862
73862
83961
93961
104060
113961
124159
134159
144258
154159
164159
174258
184258
194159
204159
214159
224159
234159
244060
254159
264159
274159
284060
294060
304159
314159

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Battle Creek gets around 4.2 in of rain over 13.1 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 42% and peaks near 44% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
142
242
343
443
543
644
744
844
944
1044
1144
1243
1343
1443
1543
1643
1743
1843
1942
2042
2141
2241
2341
2440
2540
2640
2739
2839
2939
3038
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 75% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
191720
290730
389830
488840
588840
686950
786950
884961
9831061
10831061
11811171
12811171
13801271
14791272
15771382
16771382
17751483
18751483
19731494
20721594
21711595
226916105
236816106
246617107
256517117
266417118
276318118
286218128
296119128
306019129
315820139

Wind in May

Winds average 8 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
217light breeze
227light breeze
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 48 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 5:43 AM to 5:13 AM, and sunset from 7:32 PM to 8:03 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.85:437:32
213.95:427:34
313.95:417:35
413.95:397:36
514.05:387:37
614.05:377:38
714.15:357:39
814.15:347:40
914.15:337:41
1014.25:327:42
1114.25:317:44
1214.35:297:45
1314.35:287:46
1414.35:277:47
1514.45:267:48
1614.45:257:49
1714.45:247:50
1814.55:237:51
1914.55:227:52
2014.55:217:53
2114.65:207:54
2214.65:197:55
2314.65:197:56
2414.75:187:57
2514.75:177:58
2614.75:167:59
2714.75:168:00
2814.85:158:01
2914.85:148:01
3014.85:148:02
3114.85:138:03

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.74 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.39 kWh/m² to a high of 6.32 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.74 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.9Bright
215.9Bright
225.9Bright
235.9Bright
246.0Bright
256.0Bright
266.0Bright
276.0Intense
286.0Intense
296.0Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Battle Creek?

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

5.8
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
3.2
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Battle Creek for sightseeing.

What to pack for Battle Creek in May

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

In May, Battle Creek sees daytime highs around 68°F and nights near 49°F. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

UV index in Battle Creek 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 Battle Creek peaks around June 21 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 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 21UV 9Dec 20UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Battle Creek 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 Battle Creek is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1515 µg/m³Oct 228 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb12Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr12Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Battle Creek?

Battle Creek sits at 42.3°N, 85.2°W, 837 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Kalamazoo, 21 mi away.

Topography around Battle Creek

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Battle Creek has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 190 ft around an average of 879 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 325 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 712 ft.

The land around Battle Creek is covered by trees (50%) and artificial surfaces (33%) within 2 miles, trees (57%) and cropland (21%) within 10 miles, and trees (45%) and cropland (39%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
190 ft
10 miles
325 ft
50 miles
712 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
May weather nearby: Kalamazoo 21 mi · Portage 22 mi · Jackson 40 mi · Holt 40 mi · Waverly 40 mi · Lansing 43 mi · Kentwood 45 mi · East Lansing 46 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 Battle Creek (42.3173°, -85.1782°, elevation 837 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).