Erie weather in May

In May, Erie sees average daytime highs of 59°F and overnight lows near 51°F, with 3.9 in of rain across 12.6 wet days and about 14.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 53°F in the first days to 65°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% 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 Erie's 5th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Erie's year-round climate.

Daytime high
59°
5th warmest
Overnight low
51°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.9 in
12.6 wet days
Daylight
14 h 24 min
5:05 AM – 7:28 PM
Cloud cover
59%
5th clearest
Wind
11 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
6.04 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.3
out of 10

Erie is city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Density
1,992/km²
people per km²
Founded
1795

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 53°F in the first days to 65°F by the end.

A typical May day in Erie reaches about 59°F in the afternoon and slips back to 51°F overnight — a 8°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 50°F and 68°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 12°F warmer than April and about 12°F cooler than June.

30°40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15245
25345
35346
45446
55446
65547
75547
85548
95648
105648
115749
125749
135750
145850
155851
165951
175951
186052
196052
206153
216153
226254
236254
246255
256355
266456
276456
286457
296557
306558
316658

How May really feels in Erie

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.

Erie weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 24°4.416.613.39.30.0
Feb32° / 22°3.011.98.910.30.0
Mar37° / 28°3.712.2611.60.0
Apr47° / 39°4.313.1213.11.3
May59° / 51°3.912.6014.44.3
Jun71° / 64°4.513.10156.3
Jul76° / 69°4.813.5014.86.6
Aug75° / 68°4.412.6013.76.8
Sep69° / 62°4.211.1012.36.3
Oct58° / 51°4.914.50.110.83.9
Nov47° / 40°4.915.54.49.61.2
Dec38° / 31°5.117.811.290.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% 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 54%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24555
34555
44555
54456
64456
74456
84456
94456
104357
114357
124357
134357
144357
154456
164456
174456
184555
194555
204654
214654
224852
234852
244951
254951
264951
275050
285050
295050
305050
315149

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Erie gets around 3.9 in of rain over 12.6 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 41% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
141
241
341
441
541
642
742
842
943
1043
1143
1243
1343
1443
1543
1642
1742
1842
1941
2040
2140
2239
2339
2439
2539
2639
2739
2840
2940
3040
3141

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 79% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1982000
2973000
3973000
4963100
5954100
6954100
7945100
8926200
9926200
10917200
11898300
12898300
13889300
148610400
158411500
168212510
178013610
187914610
197715710
207416820
217317820
227018930
2367191040
2465201140
2563211150
2662211250
2759221360
2858231360
2955241470
3054241471
3151251581

Wind in May

Winds average 11 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 10 mph on the calmest days to 11 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
111light breeze
211light breeze
311light breeze
411light breeze
511light breeze
611light breeze
711light breeze
811light breeze
911light breeze
1011light breeze
1111light breeze
1211light breeze
1311light breeze
1411light breeze
1511light breeze
1611light breeze
1711light breeze
1811light breeze
1911light breeze
2011light breeze
2110light breeze
2210light breeze
2310light breeze
2410light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light breeze
3110light 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 5:23 AM to 4:53 AM, and sunset from 7:12 PM to 7:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.85:237:12
213.85:227:13
313.95:217:14
413.95:197:15
514.05:187:16
614.05:177:17
714.05:157:18
814.15:147:19
914.15:137:21
1014.25:127:22
1114.25:117:23
1214.25:097:24
1314.35:087:25
1414.35:077:26
1514.35:067:27
1614.45:057:28
1714.45:047:29
1814.45:037:30
1914.55:027:31
2014.55:017:32
2114.55:007:33
2214.65:007:34
2314.64:597:35
2414.64:587:36
2514.74:577:37
2614.74:567:38
2714.74:567:39
2814.74:557:40
2914.84:547:40
3014.84:547:41
3114.84:537:42

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.04 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.26 kWh/m² to a high of 6.54 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 6.04 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.7Bright
45.7Bright
55.7Bright
65.7Bright
75.8Bright
85.8Bright
95.8Bright
105.8Bright
115.8Bright
125.9Bright
135.9Bright
145.9Bright
156.0Bright
166.0Bright
176.0Intense
186.0Intense
196.1Intense
206.1Intense
216.2Intense
226.2Intense
236.2Intense
246.3Intense
256.3Intense
266.3Intense
276.3Intense
286.3Intense
296.3Intense
306.4Intense
316.4Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Erie?

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

4.3
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
0.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Erie for sightseeing.

What to pack for Erie in May

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

In May, Erie sees daytime highs around 59°F and nights near 51°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: a warm layer and rain gear. About 13 days see rain.

sun protectiona warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Erie in May

The nearest coast averages about 49°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 15 mi away) is warmest in August at about 74°F and coldest in February near 33°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 4 to Sep 21 — about 2.6 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan36Bracing
Feb33Bracing
Mar34Bracing
Apr39Bracing
May49Bracing
Jun63Cool
Jul72Refreshing
Aug74Refreshing
Sep70Refreshing
Oct61Cool
Nov51Bracing
Dec43Bracing

UV index in Erie in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Erie peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 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 20UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low
Location & terrain

Where is Erie?

Erie sits at 42.1°N, 80.1°W, 653 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Ashtabula, 40 mi away.

Topography around Erie

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Erie has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 276 ft around an average of 650 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 981 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,611 ft.

The land around Erie is covered by artificial surfaces (47%) and water (29%) within 2 miles, water (45%) and trees (33%) within 10 miles, and water (44%) and trees (41%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
276 ft
10 miles
981 ft
50 miles
1,611 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Ashtabula 40 mi · Jamestown 43 mi · Norfolk County 51 mi · Tillsonburg 60 mi · Hermitage 65 mi · Painesville 66 mi · Port Colborne 69 mi · Brantford 70 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 Erie (42.1292°, -80.0851°, elevation 653 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).