Duluth weather in May

In May, Duluth sees average daytime highs of 53°F and overnight lows near 42°F, with 3.8 in of precipitation across 11.1 wet days and about 14.8 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 47°F in the first days to 58°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 06 min at the start of May to 15 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Duluth's 5th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Duluth's year-round climate.

Daytime high
53°
5th warmest
Overnight low
42°
7th coldest
Precipitation
3.8 in
11.1 wet days
Daylight
14 h 48 min
4:40 AM – 7:29 PM
Cloud cover
64%
5th clearest
Wind
10 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.68 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.9
out of 10

Duluth is city in Minnesota, United States; county seat of St. Louis County.

Density
364/km²
people per km²
Founded
1679

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 47°F in the first days to 58°F by the end.

A typical May day in Duluth reaches about 53°F in the afternoon and slips back to 42°F overnight — a 10°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 44°F and 63°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 11°F warmer than April and about 12°F cooler than June.

20°30°40°50°60°70°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14736
24737
34737
44837
54838
64938
74939
84939
95040
105040
115140
125141
135141
145242
155242
165342
175343
185343
195444
205444
215544
225545
235645
245646
255646
265747
275747
285847
295848
305848
315949

How May really feels in Duluth

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 7 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
7
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Duluth 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
Jan19° / 1.06.36.98.80.0
Feb22° / 10°1.15.35.6100.0
Mar31° / 20°1.97.35.111.60.0
Apr41° / 31°3.310.24.213.30.4
May53° / 42°3.811.10.514.82.9
Jun65° / 55°4.111.6015.65.5
Jul73° / 64°3.911.7015.36.7
Aug73° / 64°4.010.50146.9
Sep66° / 56°3.610.7012.45.9
Oct52° / 44°4.110.80.810.62.8
Nov38° / 30°2.68.959.20.1
Dec26° / 17°1.87.47.88.40.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% 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 59%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14060
24060
33961
43961
53862
63862
73862
83862
93862
103961
113961
124060
133961
143961
154060
164060
174060
184060
194060
204258
214258
224258
234258
244258
254258
264357
274357
284258
294357
304357
314456

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitationSnow

Duluth gets around 3.8 in of rain and snow over 11.1 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 36% and peaks near 38% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1317
2327
3326
4336
5335
6345
7354
8354
9363
10373
11372
12372
13382
14381
15381
16381
17381
18381
19380
20380
21370
22370
23360
24360
25360
26360
27350
28350
29350
30350
31360

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 98% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
110000
210000
310000
410000
510000
610000
710000
810000
910000
1010000
1110000
129910
139910
149910
159910
169910
179910
189820
199820
209820
219820
229730
239730
249730
259640
269541
279451
289451
299361
309271
319181

Wind in May

Winds average 10 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
1110light breeze
1210light breeze
1310light breeze
1410light breeze
1510light breeze
1610light breeze
1710light breeze
1810light breeze
1910light breeze
2010light breeze
2110light breeze
2210light breeze
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 06 min at the start of May to 15 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 72 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:02 AM to 4:26 AM, and sunset from 7:10 PM to 7:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.15:027:10
214.25:007:11
314.24:587:12
414.34:577:14
514.34:557:15
614.44:547:16
714.44:527:18
814.54:517:19
914.54:497:20
1014.64:487:22
1114.64:477:23
1214.64:457:24
1314.74:447:25
1414.74:437:27
1514.84:417:28
1614.84:407:29
1714.94:397:30
1814.94:387:32
1914.94:377:33
2015.04:357:34
2115.04:347:35
2215.14:337:36
2315.14:327:38
2415.14:317:39
2515.24:307:40
2615.24:307:41
2715.24:297:42
2815.34:287:43
2915.34:277:44
3015.34:267:45
3115.34:267:46

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.68 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.21 kWh/m² to a high of 6.06 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 5.68 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.6Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
275.9Bright
285.9Bright
295.9Bright
305.9Bright
316.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Duluth?

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

2.9
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Duluth.

What to pack for Duluth in May

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

In May, Duluth sees daytime highs around 53°F and nights near 42°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Duluth in May

The nearest coast averages about 38°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 12 mi away) is warmest in August at about 62°F and coldest in February near 34°F.

The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

30°40°50°60°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan36Bracing
Feb34Bracing
Mar34Bracing
Apr36Bracing
May38Bracing
Jun44Bracing
Jul55Bracing
Aug62Cool
Sep58Bracing
Oct50Bracing
Nov43Bracing
Dec38Bracing

UV index in Duluth in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Duluth peaks around June 17 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 11 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 17UV 8Jan 11UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May6High
Jun8Very high
Jul7High
Aug7High
Sep5High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Duluth?

Duluth sits at 46.8°N, 92.1°W, 702 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Superior, 4.3 mi away.

Topography around Duluth

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Duluth has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 778 ft around an average of 856 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 938 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,401 ft.

The land around Duluth is covered by trees (33%), water (30%) and artificial surfaces (28%) within 2 miles, trees (51%) and water (31%) within 10 miles, and trees (76%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
778 ft
10 miles
938 ft
50 miles
1,401 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Superior 4.3 mi · Hibbing 59 mi · Forest Lake 112 mi · Ham Lake 119 mi · Andover 121 mi · Lino Lakes 122 mi · Ramsey 124 mi · Elk River 124 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 Duluth (46.7833°, -92.1066°, elevation 702 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).