Burlington weather in May

In May, Burlington sees average daytime highs of 78°F and overnight lows near 59°F, with 3.4 in of rain across 11 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 75°F in the first days to 81°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Burlington's 10th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Burlington's year-round climate.

Daytime high
78°
5th warmest
Overnight low
59°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.4 in
11 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
5:17 AM – 7:11 PM
Cloud cover
59%
10th clearest
Wind
6 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.94 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.6
out of 10

Burlington is city in Alamance and Guilford counties, North Carolina, United States.

Density
798/km²
people per km²
Founded
1886

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 75°F in the first days to 81°F by the end.

A typical May day in Burlington reaches about 78°F in the afternoon and slips back to 59°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 67°F and 87°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 7°F warmer than April and about 7°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17455
27455
37455
47555
57556
67556
77656
87656
97657
107657
117657
127758
137758
147758
157758
167858
177859
187859
197859
207960
217960
227960
238061
248061
258061
268062
278162
288162
298163
308263
318263

How May really feels in Burlington

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.

Burlington weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan50° / 33°3.69.31.49.82.3
Feb53° / 35°3.28.71.410.63.1
Mar61° / 41°4.210.60.611.75.1
Apr71° / 50°3.59.4012.96.7
May78° / 59°3.411013.96.6
Jun85° / 67°3.912.5014.45.0
Jul88° / 71°4.114.3014.24.0
Aug86° / 69°3.812013.44.7
Sep80° / 63°4.39.7012.26.5
Oct71° / 51°3.17.3011.17.1
Nov60° / 41°3.27.70.110.15.3
Dec52° / 35°3.58.90.69.63.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 51%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
25050
35050
45050
55149
65149
75149
85149
95050
105050
115050
125050
134951
144852
154852
164951
174951
184852
194852
204753
214753
224852
234753
244753
254852
264852
274951
284852
294852
304753
314753

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Burlington gets around 3.4 in of rain over 11 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 36% and peaks near 38% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
136
236
335
435
535
634
734
834
935
1035
1135
1235
1336
1436
1536
1637
1737
1837
1937
2038
2138
2238
2338
2438
2538
2637
2737
2837
2938
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 43% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 14% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
166181240
264191340
362191450
460201550
558201750
656211850
755211950
852222060
952222060
1049232170
1148232270
1246232280
1345232390
14442223100
15432224110
16422124120
17412125130
18402025141
19392025151
20382025161
21371926171
22351926181
23341926192
24331827202
25311827222
26301828222
27281828232
28271828242
29251828253
30241829273
31231828283

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 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 12 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 5:31 AM to 5:08 AM, and sunset from 6:58 PM to 7:23 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:316:58
213.55:306:59
313.55:297:00
413.55:287:01
513.65:277:02
613.65:267:03
713.65:257:04
813.75:247:04
913.75:237:05
1013.75:227:06
1113.85:217:07
1213.85:207:08
1313.85:197:09
1413.95:187:10
1513.95:187:10
1613.95:177:11
1713.95:167:12
1814.05:157:13
1914.05:147:14
2014.05:147:14
2114.05:137:15
2214.15:127:16
2314.15:127:17
2414.15:117:18
2514.15:117:18
2614.25:107:19
2714.25:097:20
2814.25:097:21
2914.25:097:21
3014.25:087:22
3114.25:087:23

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.94 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.25 kWh/m² to a high of 6.17 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.94 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.8Bright
75.8Bright
85.9Bright
95.9Bright
105.9Bright
115.9Bright
125.9Bright
135.9Bright
145.9Bright
155.9Bright
166.0Bright
176.0Bright
186.0Bright
196.0Bright
206.0Bright
216.0Bright
226.0Bright
236.0Bright
246.0Bright
256.0Bright
266.0Bright
276.0Intense
286.0Intense
296.0Intense
306.0Intense
316.0Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Burlington?

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

6.6
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
6.1
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Burlington in May

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

In May, Burlington sees daytime highs around 78°F and nights near 59°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 11 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Burlington 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 Burlington peaks around July 14 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 14UV 9Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Burlington 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 Burlington is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1718 µg/m³Dec 128 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr12Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Burlington?

Burlington sits at 36.1°N, 79.4°W, 650 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Greensboro, 20 mi away.

Topography around Burlington

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Burlington has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 194 ft around an average of 643 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 597 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,113 ft.

The land around Burlington is covered by trees (57%) and artificial surfaces (24%) within 2 miles, trees (64%) and grassland (25%) within 10 miles, and trees (80%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
194 ft
10 miles
597 ft
50 miles
2,113 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Greensboro 20 mi · Carrboro 24 mi · Chapel Hill 25 mi · Durham 31 mi · Eden 33 mi · High Point 33 mi · Danville 34 mi · Asheboro 34 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 Burlington (36.0957°, -79.4378°, elevation 650 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).