Columbia weather in May

In May, Columbia sees average daytime highs of 78°F and overnight lows near 60°F, with 4.5 in of rain across 11.9 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 74°F in the first days to 82°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% 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 Columbia's 8th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Columbia's year-round climate.

Daytime high
78°
5th warmest
Overnight low
60°
8th coldest
Rainfall
4.5 in
11.9 wet days
Daylight
13 h 54 min
4:48 AM – 6:41 PM
Cloud cover
59%
8th clearest
Wind
6 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.95 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.4
out of 10

Columbia is city in and county seat of Maury County, Tennessee, United States.

Density
450/km²
people per km²
Founded
1808

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 74°F in the first days to 82°F by the end.

A typical May day in Columbia reaches about 78°F in the afternoon and slips back to 60°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 68°F and 87°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 8°F warmer than April and about 7°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17455
27455
37455
47556
57556
67556
77657
87657
97657
107658
117758
127758
137759
147859
157859
167860
177860
187960
197961
207961
218061
228062
238062
248062
258163
268163
278163
288164
298264
308264
318264

How May really feels in Columbia

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.

Columbia weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan48° / 32°4.49.71.19.91.9
Feb53° / 35°4.710.51.310.72.8
Mar61° / 42°5.211.30.711.75.0
Apr70° / 50°4.910.3012.96.4
May78° / 60°4.511.9013.96.4
Jun85° / 68°4.012.7014.44.8
Jul88° / 71°4.313014.24.1
Aug88° / 69°3.210.7013.34.5
Sep82° / 62°3.27.8012.26.3
Oct72° / 51°3.57.9011.17.2
Nov60° / 41°3.98.70.110.15.0
Dec51° / 35°5.010.40.59.62.5

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% 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 52%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14654
24654
34654
44654
54654
64654
74753
84753
94753
104753
114852
124852
134852
144951
154951
165050
175050
184951
195050
204951
215050
224951
234951
244951
254951
264951
274852
284852
294753
304753
314753

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Columbia gets around 4.5 in of rain over 11.9 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 38% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
139
238
338
438
538
638
738
838
938
1037
1137
1237
1337
1437
1537
1637
1737
1837
1937
2037
2138
2238
2339
2439
2540
2640
2741
2841
2942
3042
3143

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 23% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
154212050
252212160
350212270
448212370
546212480
644222590
7432225100
8412126110
9402126120
10392127140
11372127150
12362027160
13352027170
14342027180
15342027190
16331927210
17321927221
18311826231
19301826251
20291726261
21281726281
22271726292
23261726302
24241726313
25231626323
26211725334
27201725344
28181625355
29171625375
30161625386
31151625396

Wind in May

Winds average 6 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 5 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
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
315calm

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 5:03 AM to 4:39 AM, and sunset from 6:28 PM to 6:52 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:036:28
213.55:026:29
313.55:006:30
413.54:596:31
513.64:586:31
613.64:576:32
713.64:566:33
813.64:556:34
913.74:546:35
1013.74:536:36
1113.74:526:36
1213.84:526:37
1313.84:516:38
1413.84:506:39
1513.84:496:40
1613.94:486:41
1713.94:476:41
1813.94:476:42
1914.04:466:43
2014.04:456:44
2114.04:456:45
2214.04:446:45
2314.04:436:46
2414.14:436:47
2514.14:426:48
2614.14:426:48
2714.14:416:49
2814.24:416:50
2914.24:406:50
3014.24:406:51
3114.24:396:52

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.95 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.1 kWh/m² to a high of 6.2 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.95 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.7Bright
35.7Bright
45.7Bright
55.8Bright
65.8Bright
75.8Bright
85.8Bright
95.9Bright
105.9Bright
115.9Bright
126.0Bright
136.0Bright
146.0Bright
156.0Intense
166.0Intense
176.0Intense
186.0Intense
196.0Intense
206.0Intense
216.0Intense
226.0Intense
236.0Intense
246.0Intense
256.0Intense
266.0Intense
276.0Intense
286.0Intense
296.0Intense
306.0Intense
316.0Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Columbia?

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

6.4
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
6.0
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Columbia for sightseeing.

What to pack for Columbia in May

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

In May, Columbia sees daytime highs around 78°F and nights near 60°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Columbia in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Columbia 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 2 (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 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Columbia 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 Columbia is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1618 µg/m³Jan 16 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar9Good
Apr9Good
May12Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct7Good
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Columbia?

Columbia sits at 35.6°N, 87.0°W, 643 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Spring Hill, 11 mi away.

Topography around Columbia

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Columbia has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 374 ft around an average of 653 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 643 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,194 ft.

The land around Columbia is covered by trees (50%) and grassland (29%) within 2 miles, trees (56%) and grassland (34%) within 10 miles, and trees (70%) and grassland (23%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
374 ft
10 miles
643 ft
50 miles
1,194 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Spring Hill 11 mi · Franklin 24 mi · Brentwood Estates 32 mi · Brentwood 32 mi · Shelbyville 34 mi · Dickson 37 mi · La Vergne 37 mi · Smyrna 39 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 Columbia (35.6151°, -87.0353°, elevation 643 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).