Clay weather in May

In May, Clay sees average daytime highs of 64°F and overnight lows near 49°F, with 3.8 in of rain across 12.2 wet days and about 14.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 60°F in the first days to 68°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 14 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Clay's 5th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Clay's year-round climate.

Daytime high
64°
5th warmest
Overnight low
49°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.8 in
12.2 wet days
Daylight
14 h 30 min
4:47 AM – 7:15 PM
Cloud cover
62%
5th clearest
Wind
7 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.76 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.5
out of 10

Clay is town in Onondaga County, New York, United States.

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 60°F in the first days to 68°F by the end.

A typical May day in Clay reaches about 64°F in the afternoon and slips back to 49°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 53°F and 77°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)
16044
26044
36045
46145
56146
66246
76246
86246
96247
106347
116347
126347
136448
146448
156448
166449
176549
186549
196549
206650
216650
226651
236751
246751
256752
266852
276852
286853
296953
306953
316954

How May really feels in Clay

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.

Clay 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
Jan32° / 20°3.515.814.49.20.0
Feb33° / 20°2.912.610.510.20.0
Mar41° / 27°3.613.16.811.60.3
Apr53° / 39°4.213.12.113.12.9
May64° / 49°3.812.2014.45.5
Jun73° / 58°4.512.6015.16.4
Jul78° / 64°4.312.8014.96.4
Aug77° / 63°4.012.6013.86.6
Sep71° / 56°4.010.9012.36.4
Oct59° / 46°4.7140.110.84.1
Nov47° / 35°3.915.24.29.51.3
Dec37° / 27°4.116.811.68.90.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 57%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14159
24258
34258
44258
54159
64159
74159
84159
94159
104159
114159
124159
134159
144357
154357
164357
174357
184357
194357
204357
214456
224555
234555
244555
254555
264555
274555
284654
294654
304654
314555

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Clay gets around 3.8 in of rain over 12.2 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 39% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
143
243
342
442
542
642
741
841
941
1041
1140
1240
1339
1439
1538
1638
1738
1838
1937
2037
2137
2237
2337
2437
2537
2638
2738
2838
2939
3039
3139

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 81% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
193610
292710
392710
491810
591810
690820
789920
889920
989920
1089920
1188930
1288930
1388930
14861040
15861040
16851041
17831151
18831151
19811261
20791272
21781372
22761383
23741493
24741493
257115104
267016104
276816115
286717115
296617125
306518125
316318136

Wind in May

Winds average 7 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
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 14 h 54 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 5:06 AM to 4:34 AM, and sunset from 6:58 PM to 7:30 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.95:066:58
213.95:046:59
314.05:037:00
414.05:017:02
514.05:007:03
614.14:597:04
714.14:577:05
814.24:567:06
914.24:557:07
1014.24:547:08
1114.34:527:10
1214.34:517:11
1314.44:507:12
1414.44:497:13
1514.44:487:14
1614.54:477:15
1714.54:467:16
1814.54:457:17
1914.64:447:18
2014.64:437:19
2114.64:427:20
2214.74:417:21
2314.74:407:22
2414.74:397:23
2514.84:387:24
2614.84:387:25
2714.84:377:26
2814.84:367:27
2914.94:367:28
3014.94:357:29
3114.94:347:30

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.76 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.22 kWh/m² to a high of 6.11 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.76 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.9Bright
245.9Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
275.9Bright
285.9Bright
295.9Bright
306.0Bright
316.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Clay?

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

5.5
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
1.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Clay for sightseeing.

What to pack for Clay in May

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

In May, Clay sees daytime highs around 64°F and nights near 49°F. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Clay in May

The nearest coast averages about 44°F in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 17 mi away) is warmest in August at about 73°F and coldest in March near 37°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 14 to Sep 13 — about 2 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan40Bracing
Feb37Bracing
Mar37Bracing
Apr38Bracing
May44Bracing
Jun57Bracing
Jul69Refreshing
Aug73Refreshing
Sep68Cool
Oct59Bracing
Nov50Bracing
Dec44Bracing

UV index in Clay 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 Clay peaks around July 12 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 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 highHighModerateLowJul 12UV 8Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Clay?

Clay sits at 43.2°N, 76.2°W, 394 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Cicero, 2.5 mi away.

Topography around Clay

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Clay has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 105 ft around an average of 400 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 413 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,909 ft.

The land around Clay is covered by trees (59%) and grassland (27%) within 2 miles, trees (56%) within 10 miles, and trees (57%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
105 ft
10 miles
413 ft
50 miles
1,909 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
May weather nearby: Cicero 2.5 mi · Syracuse 9.3 mi · Oswego 25 mi · Auburn 27 mi · Rome 36 mi · Cortland 40 mi · Utica 48 mi · Ithaca 54 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 Clay (43.1859°, -76.1724°, elevation 394 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).