Downers Grove weather in May

In May, Downers Grove sees average daytime highs of 69°F and overnight lows near 51°F, with 4.4 in of rain across 12.7 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 65°F in the first days to 74°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% 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 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Downers Grove's 6th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Downers Grove's year-round climate.

Daytime high
69°
5th warmest
Overnight low
51°
8th coldest
Rainfall
4.4 in
12.7 wet days
Daylight
14 h 24 min
4:38 AM – 6:59 PM
Cloud cover
64%
6th clearest
Wind
8 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.83 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.9
out of 10

Downers Grove is village in Downers Grove, Lisle, and York Townships, DuPage County, Illinois, United States.

Density
1,329/km²
people per km²
Founded
1832

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 65°F in the first days to 74°F by the end.

A typical May day in Downers Grove reaches about 69°F in the afternoon and slips back to 51°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 56°F and 83°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 10°F warmer than April and about 10°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16446
26446
36547
46547
56547
66648
76648
86748
96749
106749
116849
126850
136850
146950
156951
166951
177051
187051
197052
207152
217153
227153
237253
247254
257254
267355
277355
287355
297456
307456
317456

How May really feels in Downers Grove

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.

Downers Grove 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
Jan31° / 18°2.18.35.99.30.0
Feb35° / 21°2.07.14.610.30.0
Mar47° / 30°2.710.12.911.71.4
Apr59° / 40°4.412.2113.14.2
May69° / 51°4.412.7014.35.9
Jun79° / 61°4.212.20156.2
Jul83° / 66°3.711.4014.75.8
Aug81° / 64°3.710.9013.76.5
Sep74° / 56°2.98.3012.37.1
Oct62° / 44°3.19.10.110.95.3
Nov48° / 33°2.58.31.39.61.7
Dec36° / 24°2.284.290.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% 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 60%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13763
23862
33664
43664
53763
63763
73763
83763
93961
103961
114060
124060
134060
144159
154258
164258
174258
184258
194258
204258
214258
224258
234258
244357
254357
264357
274357
284456
294456
304456
314456

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Downers Grove gets around 4.4 in of rain over 12.7 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 42% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
141
242
342
442
542
642
742
842
942
1042
1142
1242
1341
1441
1541
1641
1741
1841
1941
2041
2141
2241
2341
2441
2541
2641
2742
2842
2942
3042
3142

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 72% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 5% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1898210
2898210
3879310
4879310
58510410
68311420
78311420
88112520
98112520
107813630
117813630
127614730
137614730
147514740
157315840
167315840
177115950
187115950
1968161060
2068161060
2166161170
2265171170
2363171280
2463171280
2561171390
2660181390
27581814100
28581814100
29561914110
30541915111
31522015121

Wind in May

Winds average 8 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
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light 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 48 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 4:56 AM to 4:26 AM, and sunset from 6:43 PM to 7:13 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.84:566:43
213.84:546:44
313.94:536:45
413.94:526:46
513.94:506:47
614.04:496:48
714.04:486:49
814.14:476:50
914.14:456:51
1014.14:446:53
1114.24:436:54
1214.24:426:55
1314.24:416:56
1414.34:406:57
1514.34:396:58
1614.44:386:59
1714.44:377:00
1814.44:367:01
1914.54:357:02
2014.54:347:03
2114.54:337:04
2214.54:327:05
2314.64:317:06
2414.64:317:07
2514.64:307:08
2614.74:297:09
2714.74:287:09
2814.74:287:10
2914.74:277:11
3014.84:277:12
3114.84:267:13

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.83 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.63 kWh/m² to a high of 6.42 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.83 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.4Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.7Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.9Bright
185.9Bright
195.9Bright
206.0Bright
216.0Bright
226.0Intense
236.0Intense
246.0Intense
256.0Intense
266.1Intense
276.1Intense
286.1Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Downers Grove?

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

5.9
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
3.5
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Downers Grove for sightseeing.

What to pack for Downers Grove in May

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

In May, Downers Grove sees daytime highs around 69°F and nights near 51°F. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Downers Grove in May

The nearest coast averages about 45°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 21 mi away) is warmest in August at about 73°F and coldest in February near 36°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 13 to Sep 15 — about 2.1 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan38Bracing
Feb36Bracing
Mar36Bracing
Apr39Bracing
May45Bracing
Jun57Bracing
Jul70Refreshing
Aug73Refreshing
Sep68Refreshing
Oct58Bracing
Nov49Bracing
Dec42Bracing

UV index in Downers Grove 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 Downers Grove 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 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 23UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Downers Grove 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 Downers Grove is worst in July — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 10 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodJul 921 µg/m³Oct 2410 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar18Moderate
Apr19Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul21Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Downers Grove?

Downers Grove sits at 41.8°N, 88.0°W, 741 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Westmont, 1.9 mi away.

Topography around Downers Grove

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Downers Grove has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 164 ft around an average of 745 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 456 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 784 ft.

The land around Downers Grove is covered by trees (56%) and artificial surfaces (35%) within 2 miles, trees (46%) and artificial surfaces (37%) within 10 miles, and cropland (35%) and water (21%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
164 ft
10 miles
456 ft
50 miles
784 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Westmont 1.9 mi · Lisle 3.1 mi · Hinsdale 3.7 mi · Darien 4.3 mi · Woodridge 5.0 mi · Lombard 5.0 mi · Glen Ellyn 5.6 mi · Villa Park 5.6 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 Downers Grove (41.8089°, -88.0112°, elevation 741 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. 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).