Defiance weather in May

In May, Defiance sees average daytime highs of 71°F and overnight lows near 52°F, with 4.1 in of rain across 13.2 wet days and about 14.3 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 66°F in the first days to 75°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 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Defiance's 6th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Defiance's year-round climate.

Daytime high
71°
5th warmest
Overnight low
52°
8th coldest
Rainfall
4.1 in
13.2 wet days
Daylight
14 h 18 min
5:24 AM – 7:43 PM
Cloud cover
65%
6th clearest
Wind
9 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.76 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.0
out of 10

Defiance is city in and the county seat of Defiance County, Ohio, United States.

Density
534/km²
people per km²
Founded
1822

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 66°F in the first days to 75°F by the end.

A typical May day in Defiance reaches about 71°F in the afternoon and slips back to 52°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 58°F and 83°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 10°F warmer than April and about 9°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16646
26647
36647
46748
56748
66748
76849
86849
96849
106950
116950
126950
137051
147051
157051
167151
177152
187152
197252
207253
217253
227353
237354
247354
257455
267455
277455
287556
297556
307556
317657

How May really feels in Defiance

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.

Defiance 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
Jan33° / 20°2.810.169.40.0
Feb37° / 22°2.38.54.810.30.0
Mar48° / 30°3.210.63.111.71.6
Apr60° / 41°3.9120.713.14.6
May71° / 52°4.113.2014.36.0
Jun80° / 61°3.911.5014.96.3
Jul83° / 65°3.411.1014.75.7
Aug81° / 63°3.49.9013.76.5
Sep75° / 55°2.58.2012.37.1
Oct63° / 44°2.790.110.95.6
Nov49° / 34°3.08.91.39.72.2
Dec38° / 26°2.69.23.99.10.0

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 14% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 62%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13664
23664
33664
43664
53565
63565
73664
83664
93664
103763
113763
123763
133862
143862
153961
163862
173862
183862
193862
203961
214060
224060
234060
244060
254060
263961
273961
284060
294060
304060
314060

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Defiance gets around 4.1 in of rain over 13.2 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
342
443
543
643
744
844
944
1044
1144
1244
1344
1443
1543
1643
1743
1843
1943
2042
2142
2242
2341
2441
2541
2640
2740
2840
2940
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 71% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
189830
288930
387940
4851041
5841051
6831151
7821161
8801271
9801271
10791281
11771382
12761392
13751492
147414102
157215103
167115113
177015123
186915124
196716134
206616135
216417145
226317146
236118156
246018157
255918167
265719168
275619178
285619178
295519179
305419189
3152201810

Wind in May

Winds average 9 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
49light breeze
59light breeze
69light breeze
79light breeze
89light breeze
99light breeze
109light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
179light breeze
189light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 48 min at the start of May to 14 h 42 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 5:42 AM to 5:13 AM, and sunset from 7:27 PM to 7:57 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.85:427:27
213.85:417:28
313.85:397:29
413.95:387:30
513.95:377:31
613.95:367:33
714.05:347:34
814.05:337:35
914.15:327:36
1014.15:317:37
1114.15:307:38
1214.25:297:39
1314.25:277:40
1414.25:267:41
1514.35:257:42
1614.35:247:43
1714.35:237:44
1814.45:227:45
1914.45:227:46
2014.45:217:47
2114.55:207:48
2214.55:197:49
2314.55:187:50
2414.65:177:51
2514.65:177:52
2614.65:167:52
2714.65:157:53
2814.75:157:54
2914.75:147:55
3014.75:147:56
3114.75:137:57

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 1.58 kWh/m² to a high of 6.3 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
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.9Bright
225.9Bright
235.9Bright
245.9Bright
256.0Bright
266.0Bright
276.0Bright
286.0Intense
296.0Intense
306.0Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Defiance?

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

6.0
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
3.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Defiance for sightseeing.

What to pack for Defiance in May

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

In May, Defiance sees daytime highs around 71°F and nights near 52°F. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

UV index in Defiance 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 Defiance peaks around June 18 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 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 18UV 9Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Defiance 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 Defiance is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1316 µg/m³Oct 228 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct8Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Defiance?

Defiance sits at 41.3°N, 84.4°W, 676 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Bowling Green, 37 mi away.

Topography around Defiance

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Defiance has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 138 ft around an average of 709 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 223 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 781 ft.

The land around Defiance is covered by trees (34%), grassland (23%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 2 miles, cropland (66%) and trees (20%) within 10 miles, and cropland (73%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
138 ft
10 miles
223 ft
50 miles
781 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Bowling Green 37 mi · New Haven 37 mi · Lima 40 mi · Findlay 40 mi · Fort Wayne 42 mi · Perrysburg 42 mi · Sylvania 45 mi · Adrian 45 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 Defiance (41.2845°, -84.3558°, elevation 676 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).