Columbus weather in May

In May, Columbus sees average daytime highs of 73°F and overnight lows near 56°F, with 5.0 in of rain across 13.3 wet days and about 14.1 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 69°F in the first days to 77°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Columbus's 7th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Columbus's year-round climate.

Daytime high
73°
5th warmest
Overnight low
56°
8th coldest
Rainfall
5.0 in
13.3 wet days
Daylight
14 h 06 min
5:36 AM – 7:44 PM
Cloud cover
64%
7th clearest
Wind
7 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.73 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
out of 10

Columbus is city in Bartholomew County, Indiana, United States.

Density
644/km²
people per km²
Founded
1820

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 69°F in the first days to 77°F by the end.

A typical May day in Columbus reaches about 73°F in the afternoon and slips back to 56°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 61°F and 84°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 9°F warmer than April and about 8°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16951
26951
36951
47052
57052
67153
77153
87153
97154
107254
117254
127255
137355
147355
157355
167356
177456
187456
197457
207457
217557
227558
237558
247658
257659
267659
277759
287760
297760
307860
317861

How May really feels in Columbus

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.

Columbus 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
Jan38° / 24°3.39.33.79.60.0
Feb42° / 26°2.98.53.410.50.4
Mar53° / 35°4.110.81.611.72.8
Apr64° / 46°4.912.30.2135.4
May73° / 56°5.013.3014.16.2
Jun82° / 65°4.411.8014.75.8
Jul85° / 68°3.611.6014.55.1
Aug84° / 66°3.19.1013.55.8
Sep78° / 58°3.08.1012.37.1
Oct66° / 47°3.28.50116.2
Nov52° / 37°3.59.20.79.92.9
Dec42° / 29°3.510.23.19.30.3

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% 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 61%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13763
23763
33862
43862
53763
63763
73862
83862
93862
103862
113961
123961
133862
143862
153862
163862
173862
183862
193862
203961
213961
223961
234060
244060
254060
264159
274159
284060
294159
304159
314258

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Columbus gets around 5.0 in of rain over 13.3 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 43% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
142
243
343
443
543
643
743
843
943
1043
1143
1243
1343
1443
1543
1643
1743
1843
1942
2042
2142
2242
2342
2442
2542
2641
2741
2841
2941
3040
3140

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 54% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 11% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
17614910
274151010
372151120
470161220
569171220
667171330
765181430
864181440
962181550
1060191650
1159191660
1257191770
1356191780
1455191880
1555181890
16531819100
17531819100
18511820110
19501720121
20491720131
21481720141
22461721151
23451721161
24441721171
25431821171
26421820181
27411820191
28401920202
29391920202
30381920212
31372020222

Wind in May

Winds average 7 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.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
77light breeze
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 54 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:52 AM to 5:25 AM, and sunset from 7:30 PM to 7:57 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.65:527:30
213.75:517:31
313.75:507:32
413.75:487:33
513.85:477:34
613.85:467:35
713.85:457:36
813.95:447:36
913.95:437:37
1013.95:427:38
1114.05:417:39
1214.05:407:40
1314.05:397:41
1414.15:387:42
1514.15:377:43
1614.15:367:44
1714.25:357:45
1814.25:347:46
1914.25:337:47
2014.35:327:48
2114.35:327:49
2214.35:317:50
2314.35:307:50
2414.45:297:51
2514.45:297:52
2614.45:287:53
2714.45:277:54
2814.55:277:55
2914.55:267:55
3014.55:267:56
3114.55:257:57

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.73 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.72 kWh/m² to a high of 6.24 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.73 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.4Bright
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
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.9Bright
235.9Bright
245.9Bright
255.9Bright
266.0Bright
276.0Bright
286.0Bright
296.0Bright
306.0Intense
316.0Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Columbus?

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

6.2
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
4.8
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Columbus for sightseeing.

What to pack for Columbus in May

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

In May, Columbus sees daytime highs around 73°F and nights near 56°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Columbus 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 Columbus peaks around June 23 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Columbus 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 Columbus is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1316 µg/m³Oct 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar11Good
Apr11Good
May13Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Columbus?

Columbus sits at 39.2°N, 85.9°W, 630 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Seymour, 17 mi away.

Topography around Columbus

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Columbus has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 112 ft around an average of 623 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 463 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 778 ft.

The land around Columbus is covered by cropland (33%), trees (26%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 2 miles, cropland (46%) and trees (38%) within 10 miles, and trees (47%) and cropland (39%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
112 ft
10 miles
463 ft
50 miles
778 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Seymour 17 mi · Franklin 21 mi · Shelbyville 24 mi · Greenwood 30 mi · Bloomington 32 mi · Greenfield 41 mi · Indianapolis 41 mi · Plainfield 43 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 Columbus (39.2014°, -85.9214°, elevation 630 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).